Sweet Almond Christmas Loaf

The Ultimate Homemade Christmas Stollen with Almond Stuffing: A Festive & Flavorful Recipe

Imagine a truly delicious Christmas bread, lovingly baked and generously filled with juicy cranberries, sweet raisins, and plump currants. Then, picture a delightful strip of rich, aromatic almond stuffing running through its center. This bread isn’t just a treat; it’s a sensory experience – wonderfully seasoned, subtly sweet, and absolutely divine when spread with a little butter. It’s a true holiday delicacy!

For many, the holiday season brings with it the joy of traditional treats, and a classic Christmas stollen is often at the top of that list. However, for those navigating food allergies, enjoying such delights can be a challenge. Standard Christmas bread recipes often contain common allergens like nuts, gluten, or dairy, making it difficult to find a safe and satisfying option. For years, I avoided Christmas stollen altogether, missing out on that quintessential holiday flavor.

The frustration of not being able to partake in this festive tradition led me on a quest. I yearned for a homemade Christmas bread that not only tasted authentic but also offered peace of mind regarding ingredients. My search finally led me to a fantastic recipe from Levine – a homemade Christmas stollen featuring luscious almond paste. This discovery was a game-changer, opening up a world of possibilities for my holiday baking.

Crafting the Perfect Christmas Stollen: A Personal Touch

Inspired and in high spirits, I eagerly embarked on adapting Levine’s recipe for this festive bread. The original recipe called for candied almonds, sliced almonds, and orange shavings as part of the dough mix. While traditional, I often find candied citrus peels to be quite dominant in flavor, sometimes overpowering the other delicate spices and fruits. So, I decided to omit them.

Instead of the candied elements, I opted to incorporate sweet-tart cranberries. This proved to be a magnificent choice, adding a vibrant burst of color and a delightful tang that beautifully complemented the other dried fruits and the sweet almond paste. It’s these small adjustments that truly make a recipe your own, allowing you to tailor it to your personal preferences and dietary needs.

Another crucial modification I made was preparing the almond stuffing myself. While store-bought almond paste is readily available, making it from scratch provides invaluable control over the ingredients. This is especially important when dealing with allergies, as it significantly reduces the chance of unexpected reactions from hidden additives or cross-contamination. This decision turned out to be incredibly rewarding; the homemade almond stuffing was fresh, flavorful, and ultimately allowed me to enjoy my first slice of Christmas bread in years – a truly special moment during the holidays.

Why Homemade Almond Stuffing Makes All the Difference

The heart of any good Christmas stollen, for many, is the rich, sweet almond stuffing nestled within. While convenience often dictates reaching for a pre-made product, crafting your own almond paste from scratch elevates the entire experience. It’s not just about the superior flavor and texture, but also about the peace of mind that comes from knowing exactly what goes into your food.

For those with ingredient sensitivities, store-bought almond paste can sometimes contain unwanted emulsifiers, preservatives, or even traces of other nuts or allergens due to shared production lines. By taking a few extra minutes to grind almonds with sugar and bind them with an egg, you eliminate these concerns. The result is a pure, unadulterated almond flavor that sings in harmony with the spiced dough and dried fruits. This simple step transforms your Christmas stollen from a mere baked good into a truly bespoke, healthful, and exceptionally delicious creation.

The Magic of the Dough and Its Fillings

A great Christmas stollen relies on a perfectly balanced dough and a generous, flavorful filling. Our recipe combines traditional elements with thoughtful additions to create a truly irresistible bread. The dough, made with a blend of flour, yeast, milk, butter, sugar, egg, and a hint of salt, is enriched with fragrant gingerbread spices. These spices are key to evoking that classic festive aroma and taste, turning a simple yeast dough into something truly magical. The butter adds richness, while the egg contributes to the tender crumb, and the yeast ensures a beautiful rise, giving the bread its characteristic light yet substantial texture.

The fruit filling is a vibrant medley of carefully selected dried fruits. Plump raisins provide natural sweetness and chewiness, while sweet currants add another layer of traditional fruit flavor. The star of our custom blend, however, is the dried cranberries. Their tartness cuts through the richness of the dough and almond paste, offering a delightful counterpoint that brightens every bite. Preparing these fruits by soaking them in hot water and then patting them dry ensures they are soft and juicy, distributing their flavor evenly throughout the dough without making it soggy.

Together, these components create a symphony of flavors and textures that make this homemade Christmas stollen a truly memorable holiday treat. The interplay of sweet, tart, and spiced elements, combined with the creamy almond stuffing, makes each slice a comforting and indulgent experience.

kerststol met amandelspijs

Did you make this delicious recipe? Tag #byandreajanssen via Instagram! I love to see what your creation looks like and regularly share the most beautiful photos of you! Did you like this recipe? Then leave a rating on the recipe card! Your feedback helps other home cooks and me enormously.

Need more inspiration?

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📖 Recipe

RECIPE CARD

kerststol met amandelspijs
Christmas bread with almond stuffing

img 113820 3Andréa

A delicious Christmas bread filled with cranberries, raisins and currants. And a nice strip of almond stuffing. The bread is wonderfully seasoned and slightly sweet. Spread with butter a delicacy!

5 of 6 votes
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Rise time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 55 minutes

Course Bread Baking, Breakfast, Lunch
Cuisine Dutch, European Cuisine

Servings 10 slices
Calories 449 kcal

Equipment

  • Food processor with knife
  • Refrigerator
  • Mixer with dough hooks or a kitchen machine with dough hooks
  • Tea towel, slightly moist
  • plastic foil
  • Parchment paper
  • Baking tray
  • A conventional oven is used. When using a convection oven (with air fan) decrease the temperature with 30 °F / 20 °C
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Ingredients

almond stuffing

  • 125 grams almonds
  • 125 grams sugar
  • 1 egg, size L

Filling

  • 75 grams currants
  • 125 grams raisins
  • 50 grams cranberries , dried

Dough

  • 3 teaspoons yeast , dry
  • 160 ml milk , lukewarm
  • 1 egg , size L, beaten
  • 65 grams sugar
  • 7 grams salt
  • 75 grams butter, room temperature
  • 370 grams flour
  • ¾ teaspoon gingerbread spices
  • 2 tablespoons butter, brushing after baking

All my recipes are written both in Metric (gram / ml) and US Customary (cups / pounds). Here you can select which type of amount you would like to see.

Instructions

Almond stuffing

  • In a food processor, finely slice or grind the almonds with the sugar until well combined. Add the egg and pulse until a thick, cohesive paste forms.
  • Wrap the almond stuffing tightly in plastic foil and refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes, or preferably longer, to allow it to firm up and flavors to meld. This step makes it easier to handle later.

Filling

  • Place the currants, raisins, and dried cranberries in a bowl. Pour hot water over them, ensuring they are fully submerged. Let them stand for 10 minutes to rehydrate and plump up. Afterwards, drain the fruits very well, pressing out any excess water.
  • Using paper towels, gently pat the rehydrated fruits until they are thoroughly dry. This prevents them from adding too much moisture to the dough.

Dough

  • In a large mixing bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with dough hooks), combine the flour, softened butter, sugar, beaten egg, lukewarm milk, dry yeast, and gingerbread spices. Mix on low speed for 5 minutes until the ingredients are just combined and forming a rough dough.
  • Now add the salt to the dough. Increase the mixer speed to medium and knead for another 10 minutes. Continue kneading until the dough is smooth, elastic, and no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl. It should pass the windowpane test (stretch a small piece of dough thin enough to see light through without tearing).
  • Lightly flatten the dough on a clean work surface. Distribute half of the prepared dried fruit filling evenly over the surface of the dough.
  • Knead the dough for a few minutes until the first half of the fruit is well incorporated. Then, flatten the dough again and spread the remaining half of the dried fruit filling over it.
  • Continue kneading the dough until all the dried fruits are evenly distributed and well absorbed into the dough. This might take another 5-7 minutes.
  • Lightly grease a large bowl with a little oil. Place the dough ball into the bowl, turning it once to coat with oil.
  • Cover the bowl with a slightly damp tea towel, then tightly wrap it with plastic foil. This creates a warm, moist environment for optimal rising.
  • Allow the dough to rise in a warm, draft-free place for approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until it has doubled in size.
  • While the dough is rising, line a baking sheet with parchment paper. This will prevent sticking and make cleanup easier.
  • Once the dough has risen, gently punch it down to release the air. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out into an oval shape, roughly 12×8 inches (30×20 cm).
  • Retrieve the chilled almond paste from the refrigerator. Shape it into a log or roll that is slightly shorter than the length of your oval dough, ensuring it fits within the edges.
  • Place the almond log down the middle of the oval dough. Carefully fold one side of the dough over the almond filling, then fold the other side over to cover it completely, creating the classic stollen shape.
  • Gently but firmly press the seam or edge of the dough to seal the almond stuffing inside, ensuring it won’t burst during baking.
  • Transfer the shaped stollen to the prepared baking sheet. Cover it again with a damp tea towel and then plastic foil.
  • Let the stollen rise for a second time in a warm place for another 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until visibly puffed up.
  • About 1 hour and fifteen minutes into the second rise, preheat your conventional oven to 175 degrees Celsius (350°F). If using a convection oven, set it to 155 degrees Celsius (310°F).
  • Bake the stollen in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 150 degrees Celsius (300°F).
  • Continue baking for another 40 minutes, or until the stollen is golden brown and cooked through. A skewer inserted into the center of the bread (avoiding the almond paste) should come out clean.
  • Immediately upon removing the stollen from the oven, generously brush it all over with 2 tablespoons of melted butter. This adds flavor, moisture, and creates a base for the powdered sugar.
  • Let the Christmas stollen cool completely on a wire rack. Once cooled, liberally sprinkle it with powdered sugar, if desired, for that traditional festive finish.

Nutrition

Calories: 449kcalCarbohydrates: 68gProtein: 10gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 56mgSodium: 319mgFiber: 5gSugar: 26gVitamin A: 336IUVitamin C: 2mgIron: 3mg

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Tips for a Perfect Homemade Christmas Stollen

  • Quality Ingredients Matter: Use fresh yeast, good quality butter, and fresh almonds for the best flavor. This will truly make a difference in your final product.
  • Don’t Rush the Rise: Patience is key in yeast baking. Allow the dough ample time to rise in a warm, draft-free environment. Rushing this process will result in a dense stollen. A slightly moist tea towel helps maintain humidity.
  • Proper Kneading: Thorough kneading develops the gluten in the dough, which is essential for a light and airy texture. If using a stand mixer, ensure it kneads for the full recommended time. If kneading by hand, aim for a smooth, elastic dough that springs back when poked.
  • Control Your Oven Temperature: Ovens can vary. Use an oven thermometer to ensure accuracy. The initial higher temperature gives the crust a good start, while the lower temperature ensures the bread cooks through without burning.
  • Hydrate Your Fruits: Soaking the dried fruits prevents them from absorbing moisture from the dough, keeping your stollen soft and juicy. Patting them completely dry afterwards is crucial to avoid adding too much liquid to your dough.
  • Storage: Christmas stollen keeps well. Once completely cooled, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then in foil. It can be stored at room temperature for several days or frozen for longer enjoyment.
  • Serving Suggestion: While delicious on its own, a slice of stollen truly shines when served slightly warm with a thin spread of unsalted butter and a dusting of powdered sugar. It pairs perfectly with a hot cup of coffee or tea during the festive season.

Embrace the Holiday Baking Tradition

Baking a Christmas stollen from scratch is more than just following a recipe; it’s an experience, a connection to generations of holiday traditions. The aroma that fills your home as this festive bread bakes is simply intoxicating, instantly creating a warm and inviting atmosphere. It’s a labor of love that results in a truly special treat, perfect for sharing with family and friends.

This homemade Christmas stollen with its delightful cranberry, raisin, and currant filling, coupled with the rich, homemade almond stuffing, is a testament to the joys of baking. It’s a simple pleasure that brings immense satisfaction, proving that with a little effort and attention, anyone can create a holiday masterpiece. So, roll up your sleeves, gather your ingredients, and prepare to fill your home with the wonderful scent of Christmas!

Did you make this delicious recipe? Tag #byandreajanssen via Instagram! I love to see what your creation looks like and regularly share the most beautiful photos of you! Did you like this recipe? Then leave a rating on the recipe card! Your feedback helps other home cooks and me enormously.

Need more inspiration?

  • You can find video recipes on my YouTube channel.
  • And don’t forget to save the recipes on Pinterest, so you can easily find them again next time!