3 Classic German Stollen Recipes You’ll Love

When you are in love with German Stollen at Christmas time

Keep the tradition alive with German Stollen three ways. The base dough comes from my bakery days and has been adapted to be completely vegan so everyone can enjoy this rich, buttery holiday bread.

Loaded with almond paste, fruit & spice

If you prefer a classic Stollen, the dough recipe below makes three loaves ready to be filled with almond paste, candied fruit and warm spices.

For the adventurous: Stollen Breakfast Buns

For a playful twist, try Stollen Breakfast Buns where Stollen meets the cinnamon bun — a delicious way to serve Stollen for breakfast.

Stollen meets Cinnamon Bun in this unique way to serve Stollen for breakfast!

Almond Cream Horns for dessert

Almond Cream Horns are my favorite Stollen variation — a lovely dessert that captures all the flavors of the classic loaf in an elegant pastry.

Scale the recipe to suit your needs

You can halve the dough or divide it into thirds, but be warned: one loaf tends to disappear quickly. These breads also make thoughtful holiday gifts for friends and family. The dough recipe below produces enough for all three variations or a triple batch of a single version.

Be sure to follow the individual recipe links for full instructions on each variation’s filling and assembly.

Notes for Success & Substitutions

Vegan butter emulsion enhances recipes that traditionally rely on butter for deep flavor. It’s an optional addition if you want a richer profile.

Traditionally, the fruit for Stollen is soaked overnight in rum. For a non-alcohol option, soak the fruit in apple juice instead — the result remains flavorful and family-friendly. If you prefer the authentic method, use a good quality spiced rum.

Not a fan of candied fruit?

Replace candied fruit with a mix of raisins, currants, dried cherries or chopped dates to suit your taste.

Almond paste vs. marzipan: In my bakery we used marzipan, which is almond paste with additional sugar for a softer, sweeter texture. To reduce sugar, I often use plain almond paste. A homemade almond paste yields a clean almond flavor and better control over sweetness.

German Stollen 3 Ways

The recipe below is for the Stollen loaves only and yields three loaves. For the breakfast buns and almond cream horns, follow their separate recipes.

Prep Time
4

Cook Time
30

Total Time
4 30

Servings
3 loaves

Ingredients

For the Stollen Dough:

1 cup Plant Milk 240ml
1½ Tbs Dry Yeast
½ cup Sugar 100g
4 cups All Purpose Flour 500g
4 Tbs Aquafaba 60ml
1 teaspoon Cornstarch 3g
1 Tbs Vegetable Oil 15ml
12 Tbs Soft Vegan Butter 170g
2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract 10ml
1 teaspoon Butter Vanilla Emulsion *see notes 5ml
1 teaspoon Lemon Zest
2 teaspoon Orange Zest
1 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Cardamom
1 teaspoon Allspice
¾ teaspoon Cinnamon
1½ cups Candied Fruit Mix
½ cup Sliced Almonds
¾ cup Good Quality Rum OR Apple Juice 180ml

For the Almond Paste Filling:

Good quality almond paste 1 lb 454g

For glazing the finished breads:

4 Tbs Vegan Butter 60ml
1 cup Confectioners Sugar 120g
Aquafaba for brushing the dough

Instructions

Soak the fruit overnight in rum or apple juice if possible.
Mix aquafaba, cornstarch and oil in a small bowl and set aside.
Whisk the yeast into warm plant milk with a pinch of sugar and let stand 5–10 minutes until frothy to confirm the yeast is active.
In a large bowl or mixer with a dough hook, combine flour, spices, zests, sugar, salt, softened vegan butter and the aquafaba mixture. Mix on low to combine.
Continue mixing to develop the dough: about 5 minutes on medium speed with a mixer or about 10 minutes by hand, until soft and elastic.
If the dough is too sticky, add flour a tablespoon at a time until it becomes pliable and elastic.
Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, cover and let rise in a warm spot for about an hour or until nearly doubled.
Drain the soaked fruit, discard the liquid, then add the fruit and sliced almonds to the dough. Knead lightly on a floured surface until evenly incorporated.
Divide the dough into three equal portions for three loaves (or prepare portions for other variations as desired).
Divide the almond paste into three equal pieces and roll each into an 8-inch log about 2 inches thick.
Roll each piece of dough into a rectangle or oval. Place an almond paste log lengthwise slightly off-center on each dough piece.
Fold the dough over the almond paste and press the seams to seal. Repeat for the remaining loaves.
Place the loaves onto a parchment-lined sheet pan and let them rise again in a warm, slightly humid spot.
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Brush the loaves with aquafaba and bake approximately 30–40 minutes until golden brown.
Remove from the oven. Poke holes in the warm loaves with a skewer, then brush generously with melted vegan butter.
Dust the buttered loaves with a generous layer of confectioners’ sugar while still warm.
Allow the loaves to cool completely to room temperature (cold) before wrapping or storing.

Video

Notes

Vegan butter emulsion can deepen the buttery flavor in recipes that traditionally rely on butter.

Storage: Stollen often improves after a day, so preparing it a day ahead is a great idea. Wrapped well, it stays fresh for up to one week.

For longer storage, freeze the cooled, wrapped loaves airtight for up to one month.

Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!