There’s nothing quite like the smell of freshly baked bread at Christmas, especially when it’s packed with fruit, spices, and a snowy dusting of icing sugar. For one of my last holiday bakes a few years ago, I decided to try something completely new – Stollen, a traditional German holiday bread that my husband has been asking me to make for years.
This recipe is adapted from The Redpath Canadian Baking Book, one of my all-time favourite baking books. Of course, I’ve made a few adjustments to make it dairy-free and allergy-friendly, while keeping all the classic flavours you’d expect from this festive loaf.
Why I Made This
Every Christmas, I love baking something that feels extra special – a showstopper that brings the whole family together. Stollen had been on my baking bucket list for years, so when I was developing new recipes for my YouTube channel back in 2021, I knew that I wanted something rich, fruity, and deeply traditional to wrap up the year.
This dairy-free version uses plant-based butter and milk to create that same soft, buttery crumb without any dairy. It’s filled with a homemade marzipan centre (my own addition!) and finished with icing sugar for a beautiful snowy look. I’m honestly not sure why it took me this long to share it with you!
Why You Need to Make This
If you’ve never tried Stollen before, this is your sign. It’s everything you want in a holiday bake – buttery (without the butter), fruity, slightly spiced, and beautifully festive.
- Perfect for gifting: Wrap it in parchment and tie with twine – it makes a wonderful homemade gift.
- Bursting with flavour: Each bite is filled with citrus zest, dried fruit, and warm spices.
- Holiday-worthy: The powdered sugar dusting looks like fresh snow.
- Completely dairy-free: You’ll never miss the butter.
- Even better over time: The flavours deepen as it rests, making it ideal for baking ahead.
This loaf may look impressive, but it’s surprisingly simple to make, and your house will smell incredible while it bakes!
Ingredients and Substitutions
Fruit Mixture
- Dried fruit mix: I used apricots, cherries, ginger, and raisins, but you can swap in cranberries, currants, or mixed peel.
- Orange juice: Adds moisture and tang. You can substitute rum or apple juice.
- Plant-based butter: Adds richness – use any vegan block butter, not a soft spread.
Yeast Sponge
- Plant-based milk: Almond, oat, or soy milk all work beautifully.
- Honey: You can replace it with maple syrup or agave if needed.
- Yeast: Active dry yeast gives the best rise, but instant yeast works too – skip the sponge step if using instant.
- Flour: All Purpose is fine for the sponge.
Stollen Dough
- Eggs: Help with structure and richness. For an egg-free version, use flax eggs (1 tbsp flax + 3 tbsp water per egg).
- Citrus zest: Lemon and clementine zest add brightness – you can also use orange.
- Honey: Just a dash.
- Extracts: The combination of vanilla bean paste and almond extract elevates the dough. Use vanilla extract if preferred and omit the almond if it’s an allergy concern.
- Spices: Cardamom and cinnamon are traditional, but feel free to add nutmeg or allspice.
- Bread flour: Gives the dough elasticity; you can use all-purpose flour, but the texture will be slightly softer.
- Plant-based butter: Any vegan stick butter will work – I love Becel or Earth Balance.
- White Sugar: Granulated or fine sugar works well.
- Salt: To balance the flavours.
- Marzipan: If you’d like to make your own marzipan, I use the same recipe featured in my Marzipan Biscuits post. It’s quick, dairy-free, and works beautifully for the centre of this Stollen. Store-bought marzipan is also a great option if you prefer something quicker. Omit if you have an almond intolerance.
For Dusting
- Icing sugar: you just can’t beat the snowy look on stollen, and a dusting of icing sugar is perfect for this.
How to Make Dairy-Free Stollen
This recipe may seem overwhelming with all the steps, but trust me, it’s worth the effort. Most of the time is spent waiting for the dough to prove, which is perfect for enjoying a nice cup of tea or two, while your house starts to smell like a Christmas wonderland.
Step 1: Soak the Fruit
In a medium bowl, combine all of your dried fruit, orange juice, and melted butter. Stir together and let sit while you prepare the sponge.
Step 2: Make the Yeast Sponge
Mix warm almond milk, honey, and yeast in a small bowl. Once it starts to bubble, add the flour and stir to combine fully. Cover lightly and let it rise until doubled in size. This takes about 20–30 minutes.
Step 3: Prepare the Dough
In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, extra yolks, citrus zest, honey, almond extract, and vanilla bean paste.
In your stand mixer bowl and using the paddle attachment, add the bread flour, sugar, salt, cardamom, and cinnamon. Gradually add the egg mixture, then the sponge.
Switch to a dough hook and knead on medium speed. Slowly add the softened plant-based butter, one tablespoon at a time, until the dough is smooth and elastic. This usually takes about 3-4 minutes.
Step 4: First Rise
Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a warm tea-towel or plastic wrap, and let rise for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size. Top Tip: I buy plastic shower caps from Amazon that I use for proving dough! Cheap, effective and reusable.
Step 5: Drain the Fruit and Shape
Drain the soaked fruit, reserving the liquid. Roll out the dough into a rough rectangle, scatter the fruit over top, and roll it up like a jelly roll or swiss roll.
If using marzipan, shape it into a log and place it along one side of the dough. Fold the dough over to create the classic Stollen shape, pressing gently to seal the edges.
Step 6: Second Rise
Place your shaped Stollen on a parchment-lined baking sheet, cover, and let rise again for about an hour.
Step 7: Bake
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and bake for 35–40 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 190°F (88°C). It smells so good at this stage, like a waft of Christmas when you take it out of the oven!
Step 8: Finish and Dust
While the Stollen is still warm, mix the reserved soaking liquid with some melted butter and brush it all over the loaf. Immediately dust with half the icing sugar – it will melt slightly to form a glaze. Once completely cool, dust again with the remaining icing sugar for that signature snowy finish.
Storage Tips
I adore how this loaf looks – the fruit dotted throughout and the ribbon of marzipan running through the centre. If you can resist cutting into it right away, it’s even better the next day because the flavours develop beautifully.
- Store: Wrap tightly in parchment and keep at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- Freeze: Whole or sliced for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature, then toast the slices and serve with butter or jam if you prefer.
Watch the Video
Want to see exactly how it’s made?
🎥 Watch my full bake-along tutorial on YouTube: Dairy Free Stollen | Bake Angel
I’ll walk you through each stage of the recipe — from making the sponge to shaping and decorating — and share a few personal tips along the way.
Baking Tips
- For a richer flavour, soak the fruit overnight.
- Check your bread’s internal temperature to make sure it’s baked through.
- Use room-temperature ingredients for the best dough texture.
- Don’t skip the second layer of icing sugar – it gives that perfect snowy finish.
- If you’re not a fan of marzipan, simply omit it. The bread is just as delicious on its own.
FAQs About Dairy-Free Stollen
Yes! You can substitute each egg with a flaxseed egg (1 tbsp ground flax + 3 tbsp water) or aquafaba. The texture will be slightly denser, but still delicious. Check out my handy egg substitution guide for more suggestions.
Not quite. While both are rich and filled with fruit, Stollen is a yeast bread – softer, lighter, and less boozy than a traditional fruitcake. The flavours develop well over time as well.
You can experiment with a 1:1 gluten-free bread flour blend, though the texture may vary. Stollen’s structure depends heavily on gluten development, so the results will be denser.
Because this is a dense loaf with fruit and marzipan, it’s easy to underbake. Checking that the centre reaches 190°F (88°C) ensures it’s fully cooked.
Slice it thickly and serve it slightly warmed or at room temperature with a cup of tea or mulled wine. It’s also amazing toasted with a little plant-based butter or jam.
Absolutely. Stollen tastes even better after a day or two – the flavours deepen as it rests. Bake it up to 3 days before serving and store it tightly wrapped at room temperature.
More Holiday Recipes You’ll Love
If you’re looking for even more festive bakes, don’t forget to check out my full collection of Christmas recipes and these top favourites that we make every year:
- 🎄 No Dairy Gluten Free Coconut Macaroons
- 🎄 Small Batch Orange Spice Sugar Cookies
- 🎄 Marzipan Biscuits (includes my homemade marzipan recipe)
- 🎄 Eggless Dairy Free Biscoff Cupcakes
- 🎄 12 No Bake Christmas Recipes
If you make this Dairy-Free Stollen this Christmas, I’d love to see it! Tag me on Instagram @itsbakeangel or leave a comment below to let me know how it turned out. Your photos and feedback truly make my day.
And if you enjoyed this recipe, don’t forget to hit the ⭐ rating in the recipe card – it helps more bakers find allergy-friendly holiday treats like this one!
Dairy Free Christmas Stollen | German Holiday Fruit Bread
Equipment
- Kitchen Scale (weigh ingredients for accuracy)
- Stand Mixer (paddle attachment and dough hook)
- Baking Sheet
Ingredients
Fruit Mixture
- 60 grams Dried Apricots, chopped
- 60 grams Dried Cherries
- 60 grams Crystalised Ginger
- 60 grams Raisins
- 160 ml Orange Juice
- 30 ml Melted Plant Based Butter
Yeast Sponge
- 125 ml Plant Based Milk (warmed)
- 1 tbsp Honey
- 1 tbsp Active Dry Yeast
- 135 grams All Purpose Flour
Dough
- 2 Eggs
- 2 Egg Yolks
- Zest 1 Lemon and 2 Clementines
- 2 tbsp Honey
- 2 tsp Almond Extract
- 1 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste
- 390 grams Bread Flour
- 70 grams Sugar
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Cardomon
- 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
- 110 grams Plant Based Butter (Room Temperature)
- Marzipan (homemade or store bought)
Finishing Touches
- 60 grams Icing Sugar
- 2-3 tbsp Melted Plant Based Butter (mixed with leftover fruit liquid)
Instructions
Soak the Fruit
- Combine dried fruit, orange juice, and melted plant-based butter.
- Stir and set aside to soak while you prep the sponge.Tip: Longer soaking = plumper fruit and better flavour.
Make the Yeast Sponge
- Warm the plant-based milk and stir in honey.
- Sprinkle yeast over the top and let it bubble for 5–10 minutes.
- Add flour and mix to form a thick batter.
- Cover loosely and let rise until doubled (about 30–45 minutes).
Mix the Dough
- In a separate bowl, whisk eggs, yolks, citrus zest, honey, almond extract, and vanilla.
- In a stand mixer, add bread flour, sugar, salt, cardamom, and cinnamon. Add the egg mixture slowly while mixing on low.
- Add the risen yeast sponge and mix to form a rough dough.
- Switch to a dough hook and knead for 2–3 minutes.
- Add plant-based butter in small pieces until fully incorporated. Tip: The dough will look greasy before it comes together — keep going!
- Knead 3–5 minutes until smooth and pulling away from the bowl.
First Rise
- Transfer dough to a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with a damp tea towel, plastic wrap or a reusable shower cap and let rise for 1 hour or until doubled.
Prepare the Fruit
- Drain the soaked fruit, saving the soaking liquid for the glaze later.
Shape the Stollen
- Turn dough onto a floured surface and gently deflate. Scatter the soaked fruit over the top.
- Roll up like a Swiss roll to trap the fruit, then fold over itself. Tip: Lightly flour your hands — the fruit mixture is sticky.
- Roll marzipan into a log. Place on one side of the dough. Fold dough over the marzipan to create the classic Stollen shape. Pinch ends to seal and remove any exposed fruit on top. Tip: you can use homemade or store-bought marzipan. Check out my easy marzipan recipe.
Second Rise
- Transfer to a lined baking tray. Cover and let rise 1 hour until puffy.
Bake
- Bake at 350°F (180°C) for 30–40 minutes.
- Internal temperature should reach 190°F (88°C). Tip: Avoid testing directly in the marzipan — move slightly to the side.
Finish
- Brush the warm Stollen with the melted butter + saved soaking liquid. Dust generously with half the icing sugar (it will melt to form a glaze).
- Cool completely, then dust again with the remaining icing sugar.
- Slice and serve warm, spread with butter and/or jam.
Video
Notes
- Yield: This recipe makes 1 large loaf of stollen, approx 10-12 slices depending on how thickly you cut it.
- Make Ahead: Stollen tastes even better the next day as the flavours develop.
- Storage: Wrap tightly in parchment + foil. Keeps for 1 week at room temp.
- Freezing: Freeze (without final icing sugar layer) for up to 3 months. Thaw and dust before serving.
- Marzipan: Optional but highly recommended — it adds moisture and sweetness. My homemade recipe is so easy to make and tastes amazing. Omit if you have an almond intolerance.
- Fruit Variations: Swap cherries for cranberries, raisins for sultanas, or use a mix of both.
- Alcohol Version: Replace orange juice with rum for a traditional flavour.
This brings back childhood memories! My grandmother used to make Stollen every Christmas. Excited to try your recipe!
Aww, that’s so lovely. I hope you’ll enjoy it.
Thanks for making this dairy free, I haven’t had stollen for years
My pleasure, Bob. I hope you enjoy this. All of my recipes are dairy free, if you want to check out some other great options as well.
Does this freeze well? I’d love to make a couple this chirsmas!
Great question, Jannet. Yes, you can make this ahead of time and freeze for the holidays. You can either wrap the entire stollen or individual slices so that you can pull them out of the freeser as needed. Allow to defrost fully before unwrapping, then toast the slices before serving. Enjoy!