Poppy seed stollen is so easy to make and oh sooo scrumptious. This stollen does not have to be made weeks in advance like a traditional stollen, because the flavors need to develop yet. No, you can enjoy this stollen directly, or to put it another way, you should enjoy the stollen directly, because it tastes best fresh.
I like the stollen on its own or with a little butter on top and a cup of coffee…perfect. You can of course serve some whipped cream or whatever you like with it.
Tools & Equipment
- Grinder
- Large baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Pastry brush
- Silicone spatula
- Small saucepan
- Stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment
Recipe Tips
No Grinder: in case you do not own a grinder or a food processor, you can also pestle the poppy seeds in a mortar. Alternatively, you can use a ready-to-bake poppy seed filling from the grocery store.
Poppy Seed Filling: if you are not a big poppy seed fan, you can use marzipan, chocolate chips, raisins, cranberries, or nuts for the filling instead. Use of Marzipan: shape 200g of marzipan paste into a roll about 25cm long and place it in the center of the rolled out dough. Fold one long side of dough over the marzipan, then fold the other long side over it.
Quark: if you do not have quark handy, you can substitute it for the same amount of sour cream.
Directions – How to Make Poppy Seed Stollen
Make the Poppy Seed Filling
In a food processor or grinder, ground the poppy seeds. Weigh the rest of your ingredients.
Warm milk, butter and sugar on low-medium heat until the butter is melted and the sugar is nearly dissolved. Then bring to a boil slowly and add the ground poppy seeds, stir well. Remove from heat and let the mixture cool down.
Make the Stollen
Preheat the oven to 190°C / 375°F and gather your ingredients for the stollen. Mix together flour and baking powder and set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer beat the butter, sugar, cinnamon and salt on medium speed until creamy. Add the egg and quark and beat on medium speed until combined. The dough may look a little curdled, that’s fine.
Add the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until combined. Remove the dough from the bowl and knead it well with your hands on a lightly floured surface.
On a lightly floured piece of parchment roll out the dough to a rectangle of 25x20cm / 10×8-inch. Spread the cooled poppy seed filling evenly on top and fold one long side of the dough to the center, press it down.
Tightly roll up the other side and place it over the first fold. Use some water to seal the seam. Lift the parchment and carefully transfer the stollen to the baking sheet. Bake for 40-45 minutes until golden brown.
Remove from oven and place on a wire rack. Brush with melted butter while still hot and then let the stollen cool completely. Finish with a generous coating of powdered sugar before serving.
Storage: this poppy seed stollen tastes best the day it is baked. However, you can keep the stollen well wrapped in aluminum foil at room temperature for up to 1 week. You can freeze the stollen for up to 3 months, first wrapped in aluminum foil and then in a freezer bag.
My Summary for Poppy Seed Stollen
Difficulty: easy.
Taste: the stollen tastes sweet and buttery, with a hint of cinnamon.
Texture: the inside is tender and moist with this delicious poppy seed filling.
PROS: this poppy seed stollen is so wonderful for the holiday season. Unlike a traditional Christstollen made with yeast, this one is prepared quickly and there is no need to let it sit before it develops its flavor.
CONS: none.
More “Christmassy” Recipes
- Chocolate Cranberry Walnut Bundt Cake
- Chocolate Truffles
- Cranberry Orange White Chocolate Fudge
- Gingerbread Cookies
- Speculoos Cheesecake
- Vanilla Crescents