Poppy Seed Stollen (Mohnstollen)

Do you love Poppy Seed Stollen Cake? You’re in luck because I have a delicious recipe that will satisfy your craving for this European holiday treat called Mohnstollen in Germany. With straightforward directions and step-by-step photos, it’s sure to become a staple for years to come.

You might also like my Authentic German Stollen Recipe, where you’ll also find my mouthwatering Chocolate Chip Stollen Recipe.

Poppy Seed Stollen is a holiday favorite in countries including Germany, Austria and Poland (Makowiec). In fact, nothing beats the flavor of homemade poppy seed filling rolled in tasty dough topped with a sprinkling of powdered sweetener.

You might also like German Black Forest Cake (Schwarzwälderkirschtorte).

Ingredient notes 

You will find the measurements for this Poppy Seed Stollen recipe below in the Recipe Card. If you have a kitchen scale, use the gram measurement provided for the flour, so you don’t use too much flour which could dry out the cake.

• Poppy seeds – pulverized in a food chopper.
• Milk – Use whole milk, since the dough needs the fat.
• Raisins – or a mixture of raisins and golden raisins (sultanas).
• Vanilla extract
• Dark rum or water 
• Sugar or granulated sweetener of choice – Stollen dough traditionally doesn’t contain a lot of sugar, but you can still reduce the cake’s calories by using a zero-calorie sugar substitute such as monk fruit or erythritol.
• Lemon zest
• Almonds – blanched and sliced. To blanch almonds, put them in boiling water for 1–2 minutes. Then, drain, pinch off the skin, and slice.
• Active dry yeast
• All-purpose flour
• Salt
• Cinnamon – When making Poppy Seed Stollen, use level spoonfuls of the spices.
• Cardamom
• Mace or nutmeg – Mace and nutmeg are both derived from the fruit of the nutmeg tree: mace from the seed’s crimson covering and nutmeg from the seed.
• Unsalted butter
• Egg
• Powdered sugar – to sprinkle on the baked stollen. For fewer calories, opt for a zero-calorie, powdered sugar substitute such as powdered monk fruit or erythritol.

Or try Homemade Marzipan.

How to make stollen cake with poppy seeds (Mohnstollen)

These are the steps I follow when I make Poppy Seed Stollen. This is a tried-and-tested recipe which I make year-round. The photos below illustrate the process for one Poppy Seed Stollen. However, I always double the recipe and make two at a time, since it’s a lot of work and you can always freeze one.

1. Pulverize the poppy seeds in a food chopper. Then marinate the poppy seeds, hot milk, raisins, vanilla extract, rum or water, granulated sweetener of choice, lemon zest and blanched sliced almonds for at least an hour or overnight. I usually marinate the poppy seed mixture overnight, so the liquid is fully absorbed.

2. Mix the yeast, warm milk and sugar in a small bowl until it has a foamy head. Usually 10-15 minutes.

3. Then, combine the flour, sugar (or monk fruit or erythritol), salt, cinnamon, cardamom, and nutmeg or mace in a large mixing bowl.

4. Mix the ingredients.

5. Add melted butter, egg, vanilla, lemon zest, and the yeast mixture.

6. Then, mix dough in a stand mixer with dough hook. The dough should quickly and easily come together on the hook. I don’t add extra flour.
If, for some reason (i.e., due to humidity), the dough is sticky and doesn’t form a ball, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Slowly sprinkle light amounts of flour, one light handful at a time, into the sticky areas and kneed it manually for 1-2 minutes using the push-and-pull method demonstrated in this Stollen film at minute 1:33. Then, form into a ball. Note: Be careful that you don’t add too much flour. If you add too much, you will dry out the bread and alter the flavor profile.

How to shape poppy Stollen bread (Mohnstollen)

7. Brush your bowl lightly with a flavorless oil (about a teaspoon). Put the dough ball in the bowl and cover with a kitchen towel and let it rise in a warm place until it has doubled in size. Usually 1–2 hours.

8. With your rolling pin, roll the Stollen dough out on a flourless work surface, creating a large rectangle. For example, mine measures 14 x 11 inches.

9. Spread the poppy seed filling on the dough, leaving a one-inch border on all sides. Note that the poppy seed filling should be about half as thick as the dough.

10. To shape the Poppy Seed Stollen, roll the shorter sides inwards.

11. A rolled up Poppy Seed Stollen.

12. Then, place on baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Lightly cover with plastic wrap and let it rise for another hour. It will get a bit bigger but won’t double in size.

13. Or use bread pan(s): Spray one larger or two smaller bread pans with baking spray and put the Stollen in the bread pan(s). Lightly cover with plastic wrap and let it rise for another hour. The Stollen will get a bit bigger but won’t double in size.

14. Before baking, slice the top of each side with a knife. Then, bake at 350 F for 30-35 minutes until golden brown.

How to butter & decorate baked Poppy Seed Stollen cake

1. When the Poppy Seed Stollen (Mohnstollen) comes out of the oven, immediately use a skewer or toothpick to poke holes in the Stollen. This will help the Stollen absorb the butter.

2. Immediately brush 3–4 tablespoons of melted butter on the hot Poppy Seed Stollen.

3. Then, immediately sift powdered sugar on the Stollen, tapping the sugar with a spoon as you generously coat the hot, buttered Poppy Seed Stollen. If calories are a concern, use a zero-calorie sugar replacement such as powdered monk fruit or erythritol.

4. Let the poppy seed bread fully cool and enjoy the Stollen.

Equipment corner

• A food chopper – to pulverize the poppy seeds
• A stand mixer with dough hook
• A spatula
• A baking sheet or bread pan(s)
• Parchment paper – for baking
• A sieve – to sift the powdered sugar onto the Poppy Seed Stollen

Or try Chocolate Chip Pecan Pie.

How to store your poppy Stollen (Mohnstollen)

To store: Store in an airtight bag or container in a cool place for a few days or in the refrigerator for up to a week.
To freeze: You can also freeze the cake in a sealed bag or container for up to 3 months. In fact, I recommend making a double batch and freezing one.

DID YOU MAKE THIS POPPY SEED STOLLEN RECIPE (Mohnstollen)?
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