Apricot Almond Marzipan Stollen

This Almond Marzipan Stollen is a healthier take on the classic German treat, yet it retains the same irresistible flavor. I've also created a no-refined-sugar marzipan for this recipe, and the results are incredibly satisfying-you won't believe it's not the traditional marzipan!

Marzipan Stollen - A Wholesome Twist on a Classic

Stollen holds a special place among the world's most beloved baked goods. It's absolutely delicious, addictive, and a joy to make for passionate bakers. I first learned to make this treat from my mother-in-law decades ago, and I've been making it regularly ever since.

This time, I wanted to try a slightly different version. I've also received requests from readers for a more wholesome variation. To make this sweet treat more nourishing and balanced, I've focused on increasing protein and fiber, improving the fat profile, and lowering carbs where possible. A bit of healthy fat helps balance the sugar content.

Traditionally, raisins and candied fruit are used in stollen. In this version, I've swapped them for dried apricots and prunes, which have a lower carb content and glycemic index than raisins. I've also kept a bit of raisins for that classic stollen flavor. The traditional touch.

What really impressed me was the date marzipan filling, which worked really well. It's refined sugar-free and keeps the stollen wonderfully moist while adding a rich, naturally sweet flavor.

This version already contains almonds and a homemade almond marzipan-both great sources of protein. I've added wheat bran to boost the fiber content and used avocado oil instead of butter in the dough to reduce saturated fat.

Of course, if you're making stollen as a special treat, feel free to follow the traditional recipe! But for those managing health or dietary choices, this version tastes just as indulgent, especially with the brown butter coating on top that gives that classic stollen finish.

Key Ingredient Notes

• Dried Apricots: I use sun-dried Turkish apricots, which are darker and have a deeper, caramel-like flavor than orange, sulfur-treated apricots. Their taste is closer to raisins.
• Prunes: Prunes have a dark color similar to raisins and pair wonderfully with the citrus flavors typical of stollen.
• Dried Citrus: I use dried orange slices instead of candied fruit. They offer the same texture and flavor without the added sugar. I dry my own oranges using a dehydrator, as shown in my video for dark chocolate orange wheels.
• Orange Juice: Traditional stollen recipes soak raisins in rum. I've skipped the rum and used orange juice to plump the dried fruits. You can also add non-alcoholic rum extract to the juice for extra flavor.
• Flavors: Stollen is known for its aromatic blend of vanilla, citrus, and spices such as cardamom, nutmeg, cinnamon, and star anise.
• Citrus Zest: To reduce sugar, I skip the candied peel but add fresh lemon zest along with the dried orange slices to preserve the flavor.
• Dry Yeast: I use fast-acting dry yeast, which works well for this rich dough. It's denser than regular bread dough, so the fast-acting yeast helps with the rise.
• Sugar: While I've reduced sugar, we still need some to retain the traditional stollen taste and texture. You can reduce or omit the sugar, but this will affect the taste.
• Flour: I use King Arthur bread flour for its higher protein content, which helps the dough rise. You can substitute up to half with white whole wheat flour, or add extra wheat bran as I did.
• Wheat Bran: I've added wheat bran for fiber with no impact on taste. The goal is for the stollen to still taste like a treat, not like whole grain bread.
• Milk: A small amount of milk is used to create a dense dough. It's not a high-hydration dough.
• Butter: I used neutral tasting avocado oil for the dough to reduce saturated fats, but brown butter for the coating on top, which gives the stollen its signature flavor. 
• Powdered Sugar: The powdered sugar coating is a classic part of stollen. It's also lower in weight than regular sugar, so you only need a smaller amount. Feel free to adjust to your taste.
• Almonds: This is a classic ingredient for stollen. It adds nuttiness and a nice bite.

Date Marzipan

I made this marzipan with medjool dates and almond flour. It's refined-sugar-free and tastes almost identical to the classic version. I also use almond extract and rosewater, which are traditional marzipan flavors. We need moist dates, and if you want to have a lighter color, try sukkari dates, which are moist and lighter than medjool dates.

Step by Step Visual Overview

Here is an overview of how to make this marzipan stollen. Full printable recipe with measurements is at the end of post. 

Prepare the Dried Fruits: Soak raisins and dried orange slices in orange juice with non-alcoholic rum extract until softened (ideally overnight). No need to soak prunes and apricots, just stir in the rum extract.

Prepare the Date Marzipan: Blend pitted dates in a food processor with rosewater until smooth. Add almond flour and almond extract, processing until the mixture forms a soft dough. Refrigerate to firm up.

Prepare the Stollen Dough: Dissolve yeast and sugar in warm milk; let it foam. Combine flour, bran, sugar, vanilla, lemon zest, salt, spices, egg, and oil/butter. Knead, then let rise until double in bulk. Roll out the dough, spread soaked and drained fruit, chopped almonds, and gently knead them in.

Shape the Stollen: Preheat oven to 500°F. Roll out date-marzipan and place on the rolled out dough. Fold dough over marzipan, sealing edges and shaping into a traditional stollen with a hump.

Bake the Stollen: Let rise until visibly puffed up. Lower oven to 325°F and bake stollen until golden.

Final Coating: Brush the warm stollen with melted brown butter, dust with powdered sugar (or almond flour for a lighter finish). Repeat 2-3 times. Cool completely, then wrap and store for at least 2 weeks before slicing, for optimal flavor.

Top Tips

• Allow for Proper Rising: This dough is rich and dense, so it will rise more slowly. Make sure to let the dough rise fully during both the first and second rises. This helps ensure a light, airy texture. Allow the yeast to foam up well, to ensure it is active. Give enough time for the dough to rise in a warm environment.
• Use a Warm Environment: To help the dough rise, I sometimes place it in an unheated oven with a pan of hot water underneath (but not directly beneath the dough). This creates a warm, humid environment that encourages the dough to rise well.
• Measure Accurately: For best results, use metric measurements. If using cups, unpack the flour, spoon and level it in the measuring cup.
• Let It Age: Stollen tastes best when it's wrapped well and allowed to age for 2-4 weeks. This gives the flavors time to meld and the texture to improve.
• Dried Fruit Consistency: Do not soak very moist dried fruit such as prunes in orange juice, otherwise they can crush while incorporating into the dough. I would just chop them up and stir with flavoring extract and allow to sit to absorb the flavors. This will help maintain the fruit's texture in the dough.
• Dough Consistency: Before adding dried fruit, the dough should be neither too firm nor too wet. If it's too dense and dry, the fruit will be hard to incorporate; if it's too wet, the stollen may spread too much while baking, turning more flat. A firmer dough will yield a taller stollen. So it is important to balance the consistency. That's why using metric measures works better.
• Do not soak very moist dried fruit such as prunes in orange juice, otherwise they can crush while incorporating into the dough. I would just chop them up and stir with flavoring extract and allow to sit to absorb the flavors.

How to Serve

It is best to wrap the marzipan stollen properly and let it age for 2-4 weeks before serving. This aging process enhances the flavor. It pairs wonderfully with a hot cup of tea or coffee, but you can enjoy it with any beverage of your choice. It also makes a great gift.

How to Store

Once wrapped well, stollen will stay fresh at room temperature for several weeks. For longer storage, you can freeze it for 2-3 months. Double wrap it in cling wrap, then foil, and place it in a freezer bag. To serve, thaw at room temperature.

Variations

Stollen is soy-free, and low refined sugar and low added sugar. Here are some variations you can try. I have not tried some of these, so test it out if you like the flavor and taste.

• Dairy-Free: Swap dairy milk for nut milk, and use oil or coconut oil (or vegan butter) instead of butter.
• Vegan: In addition to dairy substitutions, replace the eggs with flax eggs.
• Egg-Free: Use flax eggs or another egg substitute.
• Nut-Free: Omit the almonds and marzipan. You could use seeds like pumpkin or sunflower or coconut, though it will change the flavor.

More Baking Recipes

• Cranberry Orange Stollen (Easy Stollen)
• Honey Cake (Honigkuchen, Easy Spice Cake)
• Sacher Torte (Rich Chocolate Cake)
• Lebkuchen (German Gingerbread Cookies)

★ DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? PLEASE COMMENT AND GIVE IT A STAR RATING BELOW!

5 from 3 votes

Almond Marzipan Stollen

This Almond Marzipan Stollen is a healthier take on the classic German holiday bread, without sacrificing the mouthwatering taste. I've also created a no-refined-sugar marzipan for this recipe, which yields surprisingly satisfying results. You won't believe it's not the traditional marzipan!

Prep Time30 minutes mins

Cook Time45 minutes mins

Resting Time2 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

1x2x3x

Print SaveSaved!

Course :Dessert

Cuisine :German

Servings: 24 Slices

Calories: 241kcal

Author: Roxana Begum

Ingredients

For the Stollen

• ▢ 1 cup dried apricots (dark-colored sun-dried, or orange-colored if not using dried orange slices), 160g
• ▢ 1 cup pitted prunes 160g
• ▢ ½ cup raisins or dried prunes/apricots, 60g
• ▢ ⅔ cup dried orange slices chopped into candied peel size pieces, 75g
• ▢ ¼ cup orange juice
• ▢ ½-1 teaspoon non-alcoholic rum extract Dr. Oetker brand
• ▢ ⅔ cup warm milk (125°F/50°C), check package for instructions
• ▢ 1 packet fast-acting dry yeast
• ▢ 2 teaspoons sugar
• ▢ 3 cups bread flour approximately 375g
• ▢ ¼ cup wheat bran 15g
• ▢ ⅓ cup sugar
• ▢ 2 teaspoons vanilla sugar or extract
• ▢ 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• ▢ 2 pinches salt
• ▢ 2 pinches ground cardamom
• ▢ 2 pinches ground star anise
• ▢ 1 pinch ground nutmeg
• ▢ 1 large egg
• ▢ 7 tablespoons avocado oil or ½ cup softened brown butter, or a combination
• ▢ ⅔ cup chopped almonds 100g

For the Date Marzipan

• ▢ 1½ cups blanched almond flour 135g
• ▢ ½-¾ cup Medjool dates pitted, 120g
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon almond extract
• ▢ 1-2 teaspoons rosewater up to 1 tablespoon as needed

For the Stollen Coating

• ▢ ¼ cup brown butter melted, or regular butter
• ▢ 3 tablespoons powdered sugar or combine with almond flour for a lighter option

US Customary - Metric

Equipment

• ▢
  Food Processor High powered
• ▢
  Stand Mixer

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Prepare the Dried Fruits

• Soak the dried fruit (raisins and dried orange slices) in orange juice mixed with non-alcoholic rum extract until softened. This is best done overnight, or at least several hours. Prunes and apricots are usually very moist, so there's no need to soak them in orange juice. Instead, just stir in the rum extract.

Prepare the Date Marzipan

• In a food processor, blend the pitted dates until smooth, adding rosewater little at a time, staring with 1 teaspoon, until a pliable, smooth mass forms. If the dates are very moist, you may not need to add much rosewater; if they are dry, add a bit more.
• Add the almond flour and almond extract, and process until the mixture forms a soft dough. Do not over-blend. If the mixture is too sticky, add a little more almond flour. Set aside in the refrigerator to allow it to firm up.

Prepare the Stollen Dough

• In a mixing bowl, take warm milk and sprinkle the yeast over it, then scatter 2 teaspoons of sugar over the top. Let it stand in a warm, dark place for 5-10 minutes, until the yeast becomes frothy.
• Sift the flour into a large bowl. Add the wheat bran, sugar, vanilla sugar (or extract), lemon zest, salt, ground cardamom, ground star anise, nutmeg, egg, and your choice of oil or brown butter. Mix well to combine.
• Knead the dough for about 5 minutes, either by hand or using a stand mixer with the dough hook. If using a stand mixer, start on low speed, then gradually increase to medium-high speed for 5 minutes.
• Cover the dough and allow it to rise in a warm environment, until doubled in size, which may take 1 to 2 hours. Be patient and let it rise properly.

  Tip: Check out notes below for additional boosters to help it rise.
• Once the dough has doubled in size, transfer it to a lightly floured surface. Roll out the dough into a thick rectangle. Spread the soaked and drained dried fruit mixture and chopped almonds evenly across the dough. Gently knead the fruit and nuts into the dough, being careful not to crush them. Set the dough aside.


  Tip: Don't over-knead, and avoid crushing the soaked dried fruit. If necessary add a light sprinkle of flour while kneading.

Shape and Bake the Stollen

• Preheat the oven to 500°F (260°C).
• Flatten the date-marzipan with your fingers, then roll it out into a 12x6-inch sheet (dust with almond flour if it's sticky). On a lightly floured surface, roll out the stollen dough into a 12x8-inch rectangle, using as little flour as possible. Place the date-marzipan sheet on top of the rolled-out stollen dough, leaving a 1-inch border on the long sides of the rectangle.
• Fold one long side of the dough over the marzipan and bring it to the center. Then fold the other side over the marzipan and bring it to the center, fold it over, enclosing it, and shape the dough into a traditional stollen with a hump in the middle.
• Seal the edges well, then transfer the shaped stollen to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Let the stollen rise until visibly puffed up, about 30 minutes to an hour.


  Tip: Check the "Notes" below for tips on rising.
• Lower the oven temperature to 325°F (165°C). Once the stollen has risen, bake for 45 to 55 minutes until golden brown.


  Tip: If the top starts to darken too quickly, tent with foil after 30 minutes to prevent burning.

Final Coating

• As soon as the stollen is out of the oven, brush it with melted brown butter and dust it with powdered sugar (or combine with almond flour for a lighter finish). Repeat this process 2-3 times.
• Allow the marzipan stollen to cool completely before wrapping it in cling wrap and foil. Store for at least 2 weeks before slicing and serving. The flavor will improve over time!

Notes

1. Dough Tips: Let the yeast foam up well before adding the other ingredients to ensure optimal fermentation. Give the dough enough time to double in bulk, both during the first and second rise. To help with rising, place the dough in an unheated oven with a pan of hot water one level below the dough (but not directly beneath it).
2. To make brown butter, melt unsalted butter over low heat, allowing the milk solids to brown at the bottom of the pan. Strain and use the liquid in the recipe.
3. If you prefer a lighter coating, dust with powdered sugar and almond flour, starting and ending with powdered sugar.
4. For better accuracy, use metric measurements when baking. If using cup measurements, remember to spoon and level the flour, rather than scooping it directly from the container.
5. Warm milk should be between 120-130°F (50-54°C) for fast-acting yeast, but always refer to the yeast package for specific instructions.

Nutrition

Serving: 1Slice | Calories: 241kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 13mg | Sodium: 55mg | Potassium: 232mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 344IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 48mg | Iron: 1mg

Did you make this recipe?I would love to know about it. Tag me @thedeliciouscrescent.