Stollen (German Christmas Bread)
German Christmas fruit bread with rum-soaked raisins, almonds, and a thick snowy sugar coat.
Updated: Oct 7, 2026
Why you'll like it
- Ready in about 3 hr 30 min.
- Serves 16 — easy to halve or double.
- Medium level — everyday equipment only.
- Storage, freezing and reheating covered below.
Ready in 3 hr 30 min, this stollen (German Christmas Bread) serves 16. Stollen is a German Christmas fruit bread baked in USA homes through December, known for its rich butter dough, rum-soaked dried fruit, and heavy coat of powdered sugar.
Helpful guides
Instructions
Combine the raisins, candied peel, and rum in a bowl the night before, stirring to coat. Cover and rest at room temperature so the fruit plumps and absorbs the liquid. Drain any puddled rum before mixing, since excess liquid makes the dough sticky and weakens the rise.
Warm the milk to about 110 degrees and stir in 1 tablespoon of the sugar with the yeast. Rest 5 to 10 minutes until foamy, which proves the yeast is active. If it never foams, start over with fresh yeast, since flat yeast produces a dense, heavy loaf.
Mix the flour, remaining sugar, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large bowl. Add the foamy yeast, egg, vanilla, zest, and 0.75 cup soft butter, stirring into a shaggy dough. Knead 8 to 10 minutes until smooth and elastic, then knead in drained fruit and almonds gently.
Shape the dough into a ball, place in a bowl, cover, and rise in a warm spot for 1 to 1.5 hours until doubled. Pressing fruit in too early tears gluten, so fold it in only after the dough turns smooth. Full doubling gives a light crumb that slices firmly.
Pat the risen dough into an oval about 10 inches long, fold one side just past center, and press to seal the traditional shape. Place on a parchment-lined sheet, cover, and rise 30 minutes until puffy. Bake at 350 degrees for 55 to 65 minutes until deep gold and hollow-sounding.
Brush the hot loaf generously with melted butter, dust thickly with powdered sugar, and repeat once cooled slightly for a snowy crust. The butter helps the sugar grip and seals moisture inside. Cool fully, at least 2 hours, before slicing so the fruit-studded crumb sets and cuts without crumbling.
Troubleshooting — fixes, not repeats
- If the loaf turns dense, the yeast was old, the milk too hot, or the rise too short. Keep milk near 110 degrees, proof until foamy, and let the dough fully double. Cold kitchens slow rising; rest the bowl in an off oven with the light on.
- If the fruit burns on the crust, pieces sat exposed on the surface. Fold fruit fully inside during shaping and press stray bits into the dough. Tent the loaf with foil for the last 20 minutes if the top browns before the center finishes.
- If the center stays doughy, the loaf underbaked or the oven runs cool. Bake to deep gold at 350 degrees, tap for a hollow sound, and check 190 degrees inside with a thermometer. Cool fully before judging, since the hot crumb firms as it rests.
- If the sugar coat melts away, the loaf was wrapped while warm. Cool at least 2 hours, coat twice with butter and sugar, and wrap only when completely cool. A second dusting just before serving restores the snowy look for the table.
Make it your way
- Old Dhaka style: For marzipan stollen, roll a 7-inch log of almond paste into the dough before folding, keeping bake time the same for a moist center stripe.
- Swap rum for orange juice to make it alcohol-free, soaking the fruit the same overnight hours.
- Add 0.5 cup of chopped dried cherries with the raisins for color.
- Bake as two small loaves at 350 degrees for 40 minutes for gifting.
Storage & reheating
Cool leftovers within 2 hours, then refrigerate in a covered container and use within 3 to 4 days. Reheat only the portion you will eat until steaming hot throughout — poultry and reheated rice should reach 165°F (74°C).
Freeze wrapped loaves up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
FAQ
Must I soak the fruit overnight?
Overnight soaking gives the plumpest, most flavorful fruit, but a shortcut works: simmer raisins and peel in rum or juice for 5 minutes, then rest 1 hour. Drain well before kneading so extra liquid does not weaken the dough. Keep the same fruit amounts either way.
Why did my stollen crack open?
Deep cracks come from under-proofing the shaped loaf or scoring too aggressively. Let the folded loaf rise a full 30 minutes until puffy, seal the fold lightly, and bake promptly. Small surface cracks are normal for stollen and hide easily under the sugar coat.
Can I make stollen without alcohol?
Yes. Soak the fruit in orange juice or apple juice overnight instead of rum, then drain the same way. Add 1 teaspoon of rum extract with the vanilla if you want the aroma without alcohol. Rise and bake times at 350 degrees stay unchanged.