Easy German Christmas Bread Recipe

This easy German Christmas Bread is my shortcut version of Stollen. Traditional Stollen is a German cake-like bread made with yeast and filled with candied fruit, almond paste, chocolate, and lots more.

This easy version is a yeast bread that uses Rhodes Rhodes Bake-N-Serv® White Bread as the base, and you fill it with pieces of chocolate, nuts, candied cherries and orange zest, and almond paste.

I have been compensated for this post by Rhodes Bread. All opinions, images, and recipe development are my own.

Ingredients for Christmas Bread

One of the fun things about authentic and traditional Stollen (and, to clarify, this is not a traditional Stollen recipe) is that you can fill your Christmas bread with just about anything you want! You can choose typical fillings such as raisins, candied orange peels, marzipan, dried cherries, currants, and sometimes even chocolate.

This is what I put in my Easy German Christmas Bread loaf:

• Rhodes Bake-N-Serv® White Bread, thawed
• Chocolate bars made with candied fruit and nuts*
• Almond paste

*Alternatively: 6 ounces of chopped chocolate pieces and a handful of candied fruit (cherries, orange zest, ginger, dates, etc.)

How to Make Your Christmas Bread

➊ Thaw the bread loaves and let them rise according to the directions on the package.

➋ Combine the dough and press it out onto a well-floured surface. Spread the almond paste over the dough and add the chopped chocolate.

➌Fold the dough envelope-style several times and shape into a loaf.

➍ Bake for 35-45 minutes. Let cool until you can slice easily and serve! Unlike with traditional Stollen, you should serve this Christmas loaf fresh. It will keep for a few days, but it’s not a bread that is supposed to age for 2-3 weeks like Stollen does.

Before you go, have a look at our most popular Quick Bread Dough.