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You are here: Home / Recipes / Breads and Rolls / No-Knead Christmas Stollen

No-Knead Christmas Stollen

December 22, 2020 Leave a Comment

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Baked stollen cut in half showing ribbon of marzipan

Easy No-Knead Christmas Stollen is filled with dried cranberries, sultanas, almonds, and spices with a rich marzipan filling.  Not to mention a heavy dusting of powdered sugar.

German Christmas Stollen is a yeast bread filled with dried fruit, candied citrus peel, nuts, spices, and a ribbon of marzipan down the center.  I developed a quick version using rich no-knead bread dough.  

Tips:

  • This version uses dried cranberries and golden raisins (sultanas),  Dark raisins can be substituted.
  • Feel free to soak the dried fruit, candied citrus peel, and nuts overnight in 1/4 cup rum rather than rum extract.
  • If you can’t find candied citrus peel, or you’d rather not make it, substitute with 2 tablespoons of orange and lemon zest.
  • Let the Stollen rest for a day before slicing.  Waiting will enhance the flavor of the bread.
  • This recipe will make 1 large loaf of bread.  The dough can be divided in half to make 2 smaller loaves.  Divide the marzipan as well still reserving one of the balls of marzipan for another use.

Making Stollen Dough

Large bowl with flour, dried fruit, candied citrus peel and almonds.1
Large bowl with flour covered dried fruit. Smaller bowl with egg butter mixture2
Large mixing bowl with butter mixture poured over the flour fruit mixture.3
Folded Stollen dough4
Stollen dough in large bowl covered with plastic wrap5
  1. In a large bowl add flour, yeast, salt, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, dried fruit, and candied citrus peel.
  2. Stir together and set aside.
  3. In a separate bowl mix eggs, water, rum, and sugar until the sugar has dissolved. Whisk in the melted butter until smooth.
  4. Add egg mixture into the flour mixture.
  5. Stir with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until a mass is formed and no dry flour remains. About 1 minute.
  6. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let stand for 10 minutes.

Folding the Dough

Stollen dough with hand folding dough into center1
Stollen dough after rising in refrigerator3
Stollen dough with hand folding dough into center2
Stollen dough in large bowl covered with plastic wrap4
  1. Holding the edge of the dough with your fingertips, fold the dough over its self by gently lifting the dough and folding the dough toward the middle.
  2. Turn the bowl 45 degrees and fold again a total of 8 times.
  3. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let rise for 30 minutes. Repeat the folding and rising 3 more times.
  4. After the 4th set of folds cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 16 hours and up to 24 hours.

Making Marzipan

Food processor with almond flour, and powdered sugar.1
Food processor bowl with almonds flour and egg whites in small bowl.2
44
  1. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade, add almond flour, powdered sugar. Pulse to combine.
  2. In a small bowl stir together the egg white, almond extract, and rose water.
  3. With the processor running pour the egg white mixture through the feed tube and process until the ingredients form a ball and spin around inside the bowl.

Shaping and Baking

Rolled Stollen dough in an oval shape1
Hand rolling a log of marzipan2
Rolled out Stollen dough with log of marzipan in the center3
44
Hand pinching ends of Stollen loaf.5
A hand pressing dough around marzipan6
  1. Remove dough from the bowl and roll into a 14-inch oval.
  2. Remove only one of the marzipan balls from the refrigerator and roll into a long log about 1-inch shorter than the dough oval.
  3. Place the marzipan in the center of the dough.
  4. Fold each side over the marzipan.
  5. Press and seal the ends tightly. 
  6. Lightly press the dough along the sides of the marzipan. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 1 1/2 – 2 hours.  Bake in a preheated 350℉ oven for 40-45 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 190℉ and the bread is golden brown.

Baking and Dusting the Stollen

Baked loaf of stollen1
Brushing baked Stollen with butter.3
Baked Stollen loaf with hand poking holes on the top of the bread.2
Large sieve sifting powder sugar over baked Stollen4
  1. Remove baked Stollen from the oven.
  2. Using a toothpick prick the bread all over many times. (40-50)
  3. Brush the hot bread with the melted butter.
  4. Using a sieve, sift a generous layer of powdered sugar all over the top and down the sides.  Let cool completely before slicing.
Baked stollen cut in half showing ribbon of marzipan
4.19 from 11 votes
Print

No-Knead Christmas Stollen

Easy No-Knead Christmas Stollen is filled with dried cranberries, sultanas, almonds, and spices with a rich marzipan filling. 

Course Breads
Cuisine American, German
Keyword German Stollen, No Knead Christmas Stollen, Stollen
Prep Time 2 hours
Cook Time 1 hour
overnight refrigeration 16 hours
Servings 18 slices
Calories 362 kcal
Author Janet Barton

Ingredients

Dough

  • 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp kosher salt
  • 2 tsp yeast granulated
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
  • 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 4 eggs
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 2 tsp rum extract
  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter melted
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/2 cup golden raisins
  • 1/2 cup slivered almonds
  • 1/4 cup candied orange rind
  • 1/4 cup candied lemon rind

Marzipan

  • 2 cups almond flour
  • 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 egg white large
  • 2 tsp almond extract
  • 1 tsp rose water optional but delicious!

Powdered Sugar Coating

  • 1/4 cup butter melted
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar

Instructions

Bread

  1. In a large bowl add flour, yeast, salt, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, dried fruit, and candied citrus peel. Stir together and set aside.

  2. In a separate bowl mix eggs, water, rum, and sugar until the sugar has dissolved. Whisk in the melted butter until smooth.

  3. Add egg mixture into the flour mixture and stir with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until a mass is formed and no dry flour remains. About 1 minute. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let stand for 10 minutes.

  4. Holding the edge of the dough with your fingertips, fold the dough over its self by gently lifting the dough and folding the dough toward the middle. Turn the bowl 45 degrees and fold again a total of 8 times. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let rise for 30 minutes. Repeat the folding and rising 3 more times. After the 4th set of folds cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 16 hours and up to 24 hours.

  5. Remove dough from the bowl and roll into a 14-inch oval. Remove only one of the marzipan balls from the refrigerator and roll into a long log about 1-inch shorter than the dough oval. Place the marzipan in the center of the dough and fold each side over the marzipan. Lightly press the dough along the sides of the marzipan. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 2 hours.

  6. Remove dough from the bowl and roll into a 14-inch oval. Remove only one of the marzipan balls from the refrigerator and roll into a long log about 1-inch shorter than the dough oval. Place the marzipan in the center of the dough. Fold each side over the marzipan. Press and seal the ends tightly.  Lightly press the dough along the sides of the marzipan. Place on a parachment-lined baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 1 1/2 - 2 hours.  Bake in a preheated 350℉ oven for 40-45 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 190℉ and the bread is golden brown.

Marzipan

  1. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade, add almond flour, powdered sugar. Pulse to combine. In a small bowl stir together the egg white, almond extract, and rose water. With the processor running pour the egg white mixture through the feed tube and process until the ingredients form a ball and spin around inside the bowl.

  2. If the mixture seems to thin and does not form a ball, add additional almond flour 2 tablespoons at a time.

  3. Remove from food processor and divide in half. Form each half into a ball and place in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm.

  4. Try very hard NOT to eat the entire batch. It's that good!

Recipe Notes

  • This version uses dried cranberries and golden raisins (sultanas),  Dark raisins can be substituted.
  • Feel free to soak the dried fruit, candied citrus peel, and nuts overnight in 1/4 cup rum rather than rum extract.
  • If you can't find candied citrus peel, or you'd rather not make it, substitute with 2 tablespoons of orange and lemon zest.
  • Let the Stollen rest for a day before slicing.  Waiting will enhance the flavor of the bread.
  • This recipe will make 1 large loaf of bread.  The dough can be divided in half to make 2 smaller loaves.  Divide the marzipan as well still reserving one of the balls of marzipan for another use.

 

Nutrition Facts
No-Knead Christmas Stollen
Amount Per Serving (1 slice)
Calories 362 Calories from Fat 171
% Daily Value*
Fat 19g29%
Saturated Fat 7g35%
Cholesterol 63mg21%
Sodium 301mg13%
Potassium 96mg3%
Carbohydrates 43g14%
Fiber 3g12%
Sugar 20g22%
Protein 7g14%
Vitamin A 368IU7%
Vitamin C 1mg1%
Calcium 49mg5%
Iron 2mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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Filed Under: Breads and Rolls Tagged With: Christmas Stollen, no-knead bread, No-knead Brioche, No-knead Stollen, Stollen

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Janet Barton

Hi I'm Janet and this is where I share my delicious made-from-scratch seasonal recipes that I make at home for my family every day.

I believe cooking from scratch, using unprocessed and whole foods is an important part of healthy eating. My goal is to help you create amazing recipes by providing easy step-by-step photos and instructions.

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