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Cranberry Apple Stollen Recipe for Christmas

This homemade cranberry apple stollen is a classic German Christmas bread filled with nuts, dried fruit, warm spices, and a ribbon of marzipan. In this version, dried apples and cranberries pair with a homemade hazelnut marzipan and a splash of bourbon for a soft, buttery loaf that’s perfect for holiday mornings, snacking, entertaining, and gifting.

Cranberry apple stollen on a wood board next to oranges, a white bowl of cranberries, and garland on a wood table.

The first time I met my husband’s German relatives, stollen was everywhere—thick slices with a core of marzipan running through the middle. I may have left the house covered in powdered sugar, but that experience cemented stollen as one of my favorite holiday breads, alongside other seasonal favorites like cookie-butter star bread or ginger cranberry orange scones.

Because of a family almond allergy, I developed a version made with hazelnut marzipan instead of traditional almond marzipan. The result is tender, fragrant bread studded with dried apples and cranberries, rounded out with toasted hazelnuts and warm spices. This recipe is adapted from a stollen I learned in pastry school and consistently yields two generous loaves.

Homemade hazelnut marzipan

White and brown bowls of flour, hazelnut flour, dried fruit, bourbon, yeast, vanilla, milk, spices, citrus zest, sugar, powdered sugar, and hazelnuts on a white counter next to butter and eggs.

You can use store-bought hazelnut marzipan if you find it, but it’s quick to make at home with hazelnut flour, powdered sugar, an egg white, and vanilla. If hazelnut flour is unavailable, pulse whole hazelnuts in a food processor until they’re mealy to make a substitute.

Shortcut: if you prefer, use store-bought almond marzipan instead—just be mindful of allergies.

Make the marzipan

Six steps to making hazelnut marzipan. In photo 1, hazelnut flour in a food processor. In photo 2, the food processor has powdered sugar, an egg white, and vanilla. In photo 3, the marzipan is mixed. In photo 4, the marzipan is kneaded on a wood board. In photo 5, the marzipan is shaped into a log. In photo 6, the marzipan is wrapped.
Combine hazelnut flour and powdered sugar, then add egg white and vanilla. Pulse to form a dough, knead briefly, shape into logs and chill for at least 30 minutes.

Macerate the fruit

Three steps to macerating fruit. In photo 1, a white bowl filled with dried fruit and nuts is on a white counter. In photo 2, a hand is pouring a white jar of bourbon over the fruit. In photo 3, a gold spoon is stirring the fruit.
Mix dried cranberries, chopped dried apples, and chopped hazelnuts with bourbon and let sit while you prepare the dough, or up to 12 hours.

Mix the dough

Six steps to making stollen dough. In photo 1, a silver bowl is filled with milk and yeast. In photo 2, the mixture is foamy, In photo 3, the bowl has spices and citrus zest. In photo 4, the bowl has flour. In photo 5, the dough is mixed. In photo 6, the bowl is covered with a linen.
Activate the yeast in warm milk, then add sugar, eggs, butter, zest, spices, salt, and flour. Knead until smooth and let rise until doubled.

To test if the dough is properly kneaded, do the poke test: press your finger 1/2–1 inch into the dough. If the indentation fills back in slowly, the dough is ready. If it springs back immediately, knead a bit longer; if it doesn’t recover at all, it may be over-kneaded.

Three step to making cranberry apple stollen. In photo 1, a silver bowl of dough is on a white counter. In photo 2, the dough is topped with fruit and nuts. In photo 3, the dough is mixed.
After the first rise, drain excess bourbon, fold the fruit and nuts into the dough, then divide and shape into loaves with the marzipan center.

Shape the loaves

Three steps to shaping German Christmas bread. In photo 1, dough is rolled on a wood board. In photo 2, marzipan is in the center of the dough. In photo 3, one of the sides is rolled over the marzipan.
Roll each portion into an oval, place a marzipan log in the center, fold the dough over the marzipan, seal the edges, and press a divot along one side to create the classic stollen bump.
Three steps to shaping stollen. In photo 1, dough is folded on a wood board. In photo 2, the ends are pinched. In photo 3, a hand is shaping the loaf.
Be sure to seal the edges and ends well so no marzipan escapes while baking.

Bake & finish

Three steps to baking cranberry apple stollen. In photo 1, a hand uses a pick to poke holes over the baked stollen. In photo 2, a hand uses a brush to brush butter over the bread. In photo 3, hands sift powdered sugar over the bread.
Bake the loaves until golden, then poke the crust, brush with melted butter, and dust generously with powdered sugar. Cool and dust again before slicing.

Turn your oven into a proofing box

If your kitchen is cool, you can proof dough in the oven: set the oven to its lowest setting for 4–5 minutes, then turn it off. Place an oven-safe dish on the bottom rack and pour boiling water into it to create steam. Put the covered dough on the top rack and close the door—this gentle heat and humidity will help the dough rise. Do not exceed 130°F (54°C) or you risk killing the yeast.

A woman in a white dress reaching for a piece of German Christmas bread on a wood board next to oranges, a gold deer, garland, and hazelnuts.

How to store & freeze

Store cooled stollen wrapped in plastic or in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week. To freeze, wrap tightly in plastic or parchment and place in a zipper bag or airtight container for up to three months. Thaw at room temperature and re-dust with powdered sugar before serving.

Make-ahead options

  • Marzipan: Make up to a week ahead or freeze for several months.
  • Fruit: Macerate the fruit and nuts up to 12 hours ahead.
  • Dough: Complete the dough through the first rise, refrigerate to slow-rise overnight (no more than 12 hours). Bring to room temperature before shaping and continue as directed.

I like the slow-rise method because a cold ferment develops deeper flavor, but the recipe is also delicious when made in one session.

Slices of cranberry apple stollen on a wood board next to oranges, a white bowl of cranberries, and garland.

Tip: For best consistency, weigh ingredients with a kitchen scale. If you don’t have one, fluff flour with a whisk, spoon it into the measuring cup, and level without packing.

If you make this recipe, please leave a rating and review—feedback helps improve recipes and I read every comment. Thank you for supporting Sunday Table!

The Best Cranberry Apple Stollen

Yield: 2 large loaves • Prep Time: 1 hr • Cook Time: 35 mins • Rising Time: 2 hrs • Total Time: about 3 hrs 35 mins

This stollen is a soft, buttery German holiday bread flavored with citrus zest and warm spices, filled with macerated dried fruit and hazelnuts, and wrapped around a log of hazelnut marzipan. The loaves are brushed with butter and dusted generously with powdered sugar.

Ingredients

Hazelnut Marzipan

  • 176 g hazelnut flour, plus more for dusting (about 1½ cups)
  • 150 g powdered sugar, sifted (about 1½ cups)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 large egg white

Macerated Fruit

  • 120 g dried cranberries (about 3/4 cup)
  • 60 g chopped dried apples (about 3/4 cup)
  • 66 g hazelnuts, roughly chopped (about 1/2 cup)
  • 50 ml bourbon (about 1/4 cup)

Stollen Dough

  • 240 ml whole milk, warmed to 110°F / 43°C (1 cup)
  • 8 g active dry yeast (1 Tablespoon)
  • 67 g sugar, divided (about 1/3 cup)
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 113 g unsalted butter, softened and cut into chunks (1/2 cup)
  • 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest (about 1 lemon)
  • 1½ teaspoons orange zest (about 1 orange)
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon cardamom
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 480 g all-purpose flour, plus more as needed (about 4 cups)
  • 1 batch hazelnut marzipan (recipe above)

Topping

  • 28 g unsalted butter, melted (2 Tablespoons)
  • 200 g powdered sugar, plus more for dusting (about 2 cups)

Equipment (suggested)

  • Kitchen scale
  • Stand mixer with dough hook (or a strong spoon and hands for kneading)
  • Food processor for marzipan (or finely ground hazelnuts)
  • 2 sheet pans and parchment paper

Instructions

Make the hazelnut marzipan

  1. In a food processor, pulse hazelnut flour and powdered sugar. Add vanilla and the egg white and pulse until a thick dough forms.
  2. Turn the dough onto a board dusted with hazelnut flour and knead until uniform. Divide into two equal logs (about 12 inches each). Wrap tightly and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.

Macerate the fruit

  1. Combine dried cranberries, chopped dried apples, and chopped hazelnuts in a bowl. Pour bourbon over the mixture and stir. Let sit while you prepare the dough, or refrigerate up to 12 hours.

Mix the dough

  1. In the stand mixer bowl, combine warmed milk, yeast, and 1 teaspoon sugar. Let sit until foamy, 5–10 minutes.
  2. Add remaining sugar, egg, egg yolk, butter, vanilla, citrus zests, spices, and salt. Stir with the dough hook until combined.
  3. Add flour and mix until a tacky dough forms that pulls away from the bowl. If too sticky, add flour 1 tablespoon at a time. Knead 7–8 minutes until very smooth.
  4. Grease the bowl, return the dough, cover with a linen, and let rise in a warm spot until doubled, about 1–1½ hours.
  5. Punch down the dough. Drain excess bourbon from the fruit, then mix the fruit and nuts into the dough with the dough hook. If the dough becomes too wet, add flour 1 teaspoon at a time until tacky but not sticky.
  6. Divide the dough into two equal pieces. Shape each into a ball and roll into a 1-inch-thick oval about 14 × 10 inches.
  7. Place one marzipan log in the center of each oval. Fold the left side over the log, then fold the right side over like a brochure just until it reaches the left side of the marzipan. Seal the seams and pinch the ends closed. Press along the left side of the marzipan log with the side of your palm to create the stollen “bump.”
  8. Place loaves on parchment-lined sheet pans, cover loosely, and let rise until puffy, about 1 hour.

Bake & finish

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Remove any fruit or nuts protruding from the loaves so they won’t burn.
  2. Bake 30–35 minutes until golden and the loaves sound hollow when tapped.
  3. Let cool a few minutes. Poke holes in the tops with a skewer, brush with melted butter to soak in, then dust generously with powdered sugar. Cool completely and dust again before slicing. Each loaf yields about 16 slices.

Notes

  • Measure by weight for best results. If using volume measures, fluff and spoon flour into the cup and level without packing.
  • Any dried fruit combination totaling 1½–2 cups works well.
  • If you don’t have a stand mixer, mix by hand and knead until smooth; it will take a little longer but still yields excellent results.
  • Double up thin sheet pans to prevent the bottoms from burning while the loaves finish baking.
  • Allow the loaf to rest for a day or two before slicing to let flavors meld for an even better taste.

Author: Sara Lynn Hunt Broka

Originally posted on December 21, 2021.