Experience the magic of German Christmas traditions with this delightful German Quark Stollen Recipe. Stollen, a traditional bread-like cake filled with nuts, dried fruits, and spices, is a beloved treat during the holiday season. The addition of quark cheese (or Greek yogurt) makes this version extra moist and irresistible.
Follow our visual walk-through of this recipe to recreate this authentic German delicacy in your own kitchen.
With no yeast, it takes less time to prepare Quarkstollen than traditional Stollen, or Christstollen, as this holiday fruit cake is called in Germany.
Every holiday season, my German mom and I bake countless Stollen loaves including Traditional Stollen Bread, Mini Stollen, Chocolate Stollen, Poppy Seed Stollen.
A Slice of History on Your Plate: Understanding the Cultural Significance of German Stollen and Varieties Such as Quark Stollen
German stollen, a traditional fruitcake-like bread consumed during the Christmas season, has a rich history that dates back centuries.
Originating in 15th century medieval Germany, this beloved pastry has become an iconic symbol of holiday celebrations across the country and beyond.
Initially a fasting bread eaten during Advent, the very first Stollen bread only contained flour, yeast and water. It did not contain butter because in Catholic Germany, people were not allowed to eat animal byproducts during fasting.
The butter ban was eventually lifted in the 16th century when Germany became Protestant.
Today Stollen Comes in Many Flavors
With its distinctive shape and rich flavor, Stollen has evolved into a beloved sweet bread served at Christmas time. Shaped by cultural traditions and regional variations, there are a variety of traditional German Stollen recipes.
So, you’ll find classic Dresdner Christstollen with and without marzipan and countless variations including Quark Stollen and Chocolate Stollen featuring chocolate chips instead of raisins.
As for the candied fruit, it’s usually made with candied lemon peel and/or orange peel. But if you don’t like candied citrus peel, you can also use dried cranberries or even dried blueberries.
This year, we decided to reinvent our Quark Stollen recipe and baked a second one that literally rings in the holidays. We love the round outcome of the tube pan which invokes a Christmas wreath! After all, who said you can’t bake Stollen in a tube pan?
Breaking Tradition: Why Quark Stollen Has Become a Modern Holiday Favorite
Quark Stollen takes less time to make than traditional German Stollen, because it doesn’t contain any yeast. In other words, you don’t have to cover the dough with plastic wrap or a towel and wait for it to rise.
Quarkstollen also contains less butter than traditional Christmas Stollen, since Quark or Greek yogurt replaces much of the butter in Quark Stollen.
Almond flour comprises one-third of the flour used in this Quark Stollen recipe, so it’s lower in carbs than the classic German Stollen loaf.
Are you a fan of German yeast doughs? Try German Bee Sting Cake (Bienenstich)
Ingredients in Quark Stollen
You’ll find these simple ingredients at your local grocery store. If you don’t make your own candied citrus peel, you may have to go to a health food store to find it.
For the Optional Marzipan Filling
- Marzipan (optional) – A tube of marzipan is often folded into the Quark Stollen bread. You can use store-bought marzipan or make my easy Stollen marzipan recipe which even has a sugar free option.
The Raisin Mixture
- Candied Lemon and Orange Peel: Store bought or make candied citrus peel in advance from scratch.
- Raisins: Or a mixture of raisins and golden raisins (sultanas).
- Almonds: Blanched and sliced. To blanch almonds, put them in boiling water for 1–2 minutes. Then, drain, pinch off the skin and slice.
- Dark Rum or Fresh-Squeezed Orange Juice or Water: Softs the raisins. If you use alcohol, it also acts as a preservative.
The Quark Stollen Dough
- All-Purpose Flour: White refined flour.
- Almond Flour: Adds the tasty flavor of almonds and is naturally low in carbs and high in nutrients.
- Sugar or Granulated Sweetener of Choice: Stollen dough traditionally doesn’t contain a lot of sugar. However, Quark Stollen contains quark or Greek yogurt, so the recipe needs its share of sugar. If calories are an issue, you could use a sugar substitute such as zero-calorie monk fruit.
- Salt
- Cinnamon: Use level spoonfuls of the spices.
- Cardamom: A typical Stollen spice.
- Mace or Nutmeg: Dresden Stollen is made with mace, but nutmeg also tastes great. Mace and nutmeg are, in fact, both derived from the fruit of the nutmeg tree: mace from the seed’s crimson covering and nutmeg from the seed.
- Egg
- Unsalted Butter
- Quark or Greek Yogurt: Use 2%, 4% or whole Greek yogurt. Don’t make Quarkstollen with regular yogurt which is runnier.
- Vanilla Extract
- Lemon Zest: From a fresh lemon
Topping and Decoration for Quarkstollen
- Butter: To brush on the hot baked cake.
- Powdered Sugar (also called Icing Sugar or Confectioners’ Sugar): To sprinkle on the buttery, baked Quark Stollen. For fewer calories, opt for a zero-calorie powdered sugar substitute such as powdered monk fruit.
How to Make German Quark Stollen Cake
This is how you make one large Stollen.
1. In a medium bowl, marinate the raisins, candied citrus peel and blanched sliced almonds in dark rum, fresh-squeezed orange juice or water for at least an hour or overnight, so all the liquid is absorbed.
2. In a large bowl or the mixing bowl of a stand mixer, combine the dry ingredients: white flour, almond flour, sugar (or a zero-calorie sugar replacement such as monk fruit), salt, cinnamon, cardamom and nutmeg or mace.
3. Mix the ingredients.
4. Add melted butter, Quark or Greek yogurt, egg, vanilla and lemon zest to the large mixing bowl.
5. Mix dough by hand or in a stand mixer with dough hook. The dough should quickly and easily come together on the hook. The dough should be a little tacky but not too tacky.
The variance in stickiness is due to the type of yogurt you use. Some yogurts are runnier than others. So, if you used a runnier yogurt, you may find that you have to add a little bit of flour, in other words, a tablespoon or so. Also, lightly wet your hands so the dough doesn’t stick.
6. There shouldn’t be any extra liquid in the raisin mixture but if there is, drain it, so the dough doesn’t get too sticky. Then mix the raisin mixture into the dough by hand or spatula.
Shaping the Dough for Quark Stollen
7. Put the dough on parchment paper that is a little bigger than your baking tray. You will eventually trim the edges and slide the parchment paper onto the tray.
The dough needs to be a little sticky, but not too sticky. Just keep shaping it with your hands or a spatula until it fully absorbs the raisin mixture and forms a ball.
TIP: If the dough is too sticky, add 1-3 tablespoons of flour, one at a time, until the dough feels right.
REMEMBER: The dough’s consistency needs to be such that you can peel it off of parchment paper.
8. At this point, you can shape the dough into a loaf and pop it in the oven. However, if you want the Quark Stollen to look traditional and if you want to add a marzipan tube, then cover with another sheet of parchment paper.
Then, with your rolling pin or a wine bottle, roll the dough into an oval shape.
Next, make an indentation with the rolling pin – this is where you’ll put the marzipan.
10. Use the parchment paper to help you fold the left side of the Quark Stollen over the right side.
11. Use your hands to shape the Quark Stollen, creating the typical Stollen form with a slight hump, if desired. Before baking until golden brown, poke the raisins into the dough so they are covered. Otherwise, they may burn or fall off. I actually forgot to poke in the raisins when I made this one.
TIP: You may need to cover the Stollen hump with some aluminum foil during the last 10 minutes of baking. It’s higher than the rest of the German Stollen and will bake more quickly, so keep an eye on it.
Butter and Decorate Quarkstollen
12. After baking the cake in the oven, immediately use a skewer or toothpick to poke holes in the Stollen. Then, brush your German cake with melted butter. The holes will help the butter penetrate the Quark Stollen.
13. Next, sift powdered sugar onto the Quark Stollen, tapping the sugar with a spoon as you generously coat the hot, buttered Stollen. If calories are a concern, use a zero-calorie sugar replacement such as powdered monk fruit.
14. Let the Stollen cool completely at room temperature on a cooling rack or wire rack. While it’s even more flavorful the next day, you can enjoy it as soon as it has cooled.
Or try unique and jiggly Milk Jello.
Equipment You’ll Need to Make This Quarkstollen Recipe
Here’s what you’ll need to make Quarkstollen.
- A Stand Mixer with Dough Hook: You can use your hands and a spoon or spatula, but it will take longer. As for a food processor, I haven’t made this recipe before in a food processor.
- A Spatula
- A Baking Sheet: You can also bake Quark Stollen in bread pans or German Stollen pans.
- Parchment Paper: To shape the Quark Stollen and to line the baking sheet.
- A Sieve: To evenly sift the powdered sugar onto the Stollen cake.
How to Store German Holiday Quark Stollen
Store Quarkstollen in an airtight bag or container in a cool place for a few days
Refrigerate Quark Stollen
Refrigerate Quark Stollen in an airtight container for up to a week.
Freeze Quarkstollen
You can also freeze Quarkstollen in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Want More Healthy Recipes Like This?
Try my other delicious cake and dessert recipes you might enjoy!
- Chocolate Avocado Mousse
- Keto Coconut Cake
- Keto Chocolate Chip Pecan Pie
- Orange Angel Food Cake
- Sugar Free Mexican Milk Jello
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Quark Stollen Recipe for the Holidays (Best German Quarkstollen)
Equipment
- 1 Stand Mixer with Dough Hook – You can use your hands and a spoon or spatula, but it will take longer. As for a food processor, I haven't made this recipe before in a food processor.
- 1 Spatula
- 1 Baking Sheet
- Parchment Paper
- 1 Sieve
Ingredients
Marzipan filling (optional)
- 4 Ounces marzipan You can use store-bought marzipan or make my easy Stollen marzipan recipe which even has a sugar-free option.
Raisin Mixture: Marinate At Least an Hour but Make the Day Before If Possible.
- 3 Ounces Candied Lemon and Orange Peel – Store bought or make it in advance from scratch.
- 4½ Ounces Raisins
- 1½ Ounces Chopped, Blanched Almonds
- 4 Tablespoons Dark Rum or Fresh-Squeezed Orange Juice or Water
The Dough
- 2 Cups Flour
- 1 Cup Almond Flour
- ¾ Cup Granulated Sweetener of Choice
- ½ Teaspoon Salt
- ½ Teaspoon Cinnamon
- ½ Teaspoon Cardamom
- ½ Teaspoon Nutmeg or Mace
- 1 Egg
- 4 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
- 1 Cup Quark or Greek yogurt
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 Teaspoon Lemon Zest
Butter & Decorate the Stollen
- 2 Tablespoons Butter
- Powdered Sugar or a Powdered Sugar Substitute
Instructions
See the VISUAL WALK-THROUGH OF THIS RECIPE in the Post.
Marinate the Raisins the Night Before If Possible
- Marinate the raisins, candied citrus peel and blanched sliced almonds in dark rum, fresh-squeezed orange juice or water for at least an hour or overnight, so all the liquid is absorbed.
- Make the Dough
- Combine the flour, almond flour, sugar (or a zero-calorie sugar replacement such as monk fruit), salt, cinnamon, cardamom and nutmeg or mace in a large mixing bowl and mix the ingredients.
- Add melted butter, Quark or Greek yogurt, egg, vanilla and lemon zest.
- Mix dough by hand or in a stand mixer with dough hook. The dough should quickly and easily come together on the hook. The dough should be a little sticky but not too sticky. The variance in stickiness is due to the type of yogurt you use. Some yogurts are runnier than others. So, if you used a runnier yogurt, you may find that you have to add a tablespoon or so of flour. Also, lightly wet your hands so the dough doesn't stick.
- There shouldn't be any extra liquid in the raisin mixture but if there is, drain it, so the dough doesn't get too sticky. Then mix the raisin mixture into the dough by hand or spatula.
Shaping the Dough & Placing on Parchment Paper
- Put the dough on parchment paper that is a little bigger than your baking tray. You will eventually trim the edges and slide the parchment paper onto the tray. The dough needs to be a little sticky, but not too sticky. Just keep shaping it with your hands or a spatula until it fully absords the raisin mixture and forms a ball. Tip: If the dough is too sticky, add 1-3 tablespoons of flour, one at a time, until the dough feels right. Remember: The dough's consistency needs to be such that you can peel it off of parchment paper.
- At this point, you can shape the dough into a loaf and pop it in the oven. However, if you want the Quark Stollen to look traditional and if you want to add a marzipan tube, then cover with another sheet of parchment paper. Then, with your rolling pin or a wine bottle, roll the dough into an oval shape. Next, make an indentation with the rolling pin – this is where you'll put the marzipan.
- Peel away the parchment paper and insert the marzipan tube.
- Use the parchment paper to help you fold the left side of the Quark Stollen over the right side.
- Use your hands to finish shaping the Quark Stollen, creating the typical Stollen shape with a slight hump, if desired. Before baking until golden brown, poke the raisins into the dough so they are covered. Otherwise, they may burn or fall off. TIP: You may need to cover the Stollen hump with some aluminum foil during the last 10 minutes of baking. It's higher than the rest of the Stollen and will bake more quickly, so keep an eye on it.
- Bake the Stollen at 350℉ (180℃) degrees for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown.
How to Butter & Decorate the Baked Stollen Bread
- After removing the cake from the oven, immediately use a skewer or toothpick to poke holes in the Stollen. Then, brush it with melted butter. The holes will help the butter penetrate the Quark Stollen.
- Sift powdered sugar onto the Quark Stollen, tapping the sugar with a spoon as you generously coat the hot, buttered Stollen. If calories are a concern, use a zero-calorie sugar replacement such as powdered monk fruit.
- Allow the Stollen to cool completely on a cooling rack at room temperature.
Notes
We loved this thanks. We used candied fruit from the store and it turned out great.