Discover the delicious flavors of Poppy Seed Stollen (Mohnstollen) with our mouthwatering recipe and step-by-step instructional photos to make the perfect German poppy seed roll.
Every holiday season, my German mom and I come up with a new Stollen creation. Over the years, we’ve made everything from Dresdner Stollen and Quark Stollen to Gluten Free Stollen and even Chocolate Chip Stollen.
Poppy Seed Stollen is a TRADITIONAL holiday treat in Germany and many Eastern European countries.
This delicious German poppy seed roll is filled with a sweet poppy seed filling and often topped with powdered sugar, making it an IRRESISTIBLE dessert.
With detailed instructions and step-by-step photos, this Poppy Seed Stollen recipe is sure to become your favorite too.
The History and Origins of Poppy Seed Stollen: A Delicious Tradition
Poppy Seed Stollen is a holiday favorite in countries including Germany (Mohnstollen), Austria (Mohnstriezel), the Czech Republic (maková roláda), Hungary (mákos bejgli) 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.
The history of this delightful cake, in fact, dates back centuries to the Middle Ages when poppy seeds were widely used in baking.
Poppy seeds have, in fact, long been associated with fertility and prosperity, which made them a popular ingredient for special occasion cakes such as Poppy Seed Stollen.
In Germanic and Eastern European countries, Poppy Seed Stollen is often exchanged as a gift or served as part of Christmas celebrations. Its rich and COMFORTING FLAVORS make it a beloved dessert that brings joy to many households during this festive time of year.
So, why not try your hand at baking this traditional Old World delight? Let this festive Stollen dessert light up your table too.
You might also like Black Forest Mini Cake.
Why Make Homemade Poppy Seed Stollen Instead of Buying It at Lidl?
While Lidl US offers German poppy seed rolls during the holidays, nothing compares to homemade. The flavor, freshness, and customization options make all the difference.
With homemade Mohnstollen, you can tailor the recipe to your needs – for instance, using zero-calorie monk fruit sweetener to make it diabetic-friendly and lower in carbs and calories.
The bread dough itself isn’t overly sweet. So, when you pair it with a rich, homemade poppy seed mixture, it’s unbeatable. Ready-made poppy seed mix, on the other hand, is often loaded with refined sugar – another reason homemade wins every time!
Ingredients in This Poppy Seed Stollen Recipe
You will find the measurements for this recipe below in the Recipe Card.
If you have a kitchen scale, I recommend using the gram measurement provided for the flour, to avoid adding too much, as excess flour can dry out the German poppy seed roll.
- Poppy Seeds: Finely ground using a food chopper for better texture and flavor. If your local grocery store doesn’t carry them, try a health food store.
- Milk: Use whole milk to provide the fat needed for a soft, rich dough.
- Raisins: Or try a blend of regular and golden raisins (sultanas) for added variety.
- Vanilla Extract: Enhances the overall flavor of the Stollen.
- Dark Rum or Water: To soak the raisins, infusing them with moisture and extra flavor.
- Sugar or Granulated Sweetener of Choice: The dough isn’t overly sweet, but you can reduce the calories by using a zero-calorie sweetener such as monk fruit allulose blend.
- Lemon Zest: Adds brightness to balance the rich ingredients.
TIP: If you don’t have a zester, use a vegetable peeler or box grater to finely grate your citrus peel. If necessary, also chop the lemon peel. - Almonds: Fresh, blanched and sliced almonds. To blanch, boil the almonds for 1–2 minutes, drain, remove the skins, and slice.
- Active Dry Yeast: Helps the dough rise and gives the Stollen its fluffy texture.
- All-Purpose Flour (White Wheat Flour): Forms the dough’s structure; weigh it for best results.
- Salt: Balances the flavors.
- Cinnamon: Use level spoonfuls of the spices to avoid overpowering the delicate flavors.
- Cardamom: Is a typical Stollen spice that adds warm, aromatic notes to this Mohnstollen recipe.
- Nutmeg: Complements the spices for a deeper flavor profile.
- Unsalted Butter: Provides richness and moisture to the dough.
- Egg: Binds the ingredients and helps create a smooth, cohesive dough.
- Powdered Sugar: To sprinkle on the baked roll. Use a zero-calorie powdered sugar substitute, like powdered monk fruit, for a lighter option.
Trending now: Sugar-free Keto Marzipan.
How to Make a German Poppy Seed Roll with Step-by-Step Photos
Here’s how to make this delicious tried-and-tested German Mohnstollen recipe.
1. To make Poppy Seed Stollen, pulverize the poppy seeds in a food chopper or Cuisinart coffee mill. Then, in a medium bowl, 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.
TIP: Overnight marination is recommended, so the raisin mixture fully absorbs the liquid.
2. Mix yeast, warm milk and sugar in a small bowl until it has a foamy head. Usually 10-15 minutes.
NOTE: In my experience, warm milk causes it to foam up faster than lukewarm milk. Just be sure to avoid using hot milk.
3. In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer, combine flour, sweetener, salt, cinnamon, cardamom, and nutmeg in a large bowl.
4. Mix the dry ingredients.
5. Add softened butter, egg, vanilla, lemon zest, as well as the yeast mixture to the flour mixture.
6. Then, mix dough in a stand mixer with dough hook. The yeast dough should quickly and easily come together on the hook. I don’t add extra flour to the smooth dough.
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 work surface. Slowly sprinkle a little flour, one light handful at a time, into the sticky areas and kneed it manually for 1-2 minutes. Then, form into a ball.
NOTE: Be careful not to add too much flour. If you add too much, you will dry out the bread and alter the flavor profile.
How to Shape Poppy Seed Stollen
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. Then 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 (35 x 28 cm).
9. Drain any excess liquid, then 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 Poppy Seed Stollen, roll the long sides inwards.
11. The rolled dough: Each long side meets in the middle. On the whole, it still retains the typical Stollen shape.
12. Then, tuck the shorter sides of the rectangle, and place on a lined baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Lightly cover the poppy seed Stollen 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 Poppy Seed Stollen in the bread pan(s). Lightly cover with plastic wrap and let it rise for another hour. The Poppy Seed 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 in a preheated oven set to 350℉ (177℃) for 30-35 minutes until golden brown.
NOTE: If the top of your stollen browns too quickly before the inside is fully baked, loosely cover it with aluminum foil during the last 10–15 minutes of baking.
How to Butter and Decorate Poppy Seed Stollen
1. When the Poppy Seed Stollen comes out of the oven, immediately use a skewer or toothpick to poke holes in the Poppy Seed Stollen. This will help the roll absorb the butter.
2. Immediately brush 3–4 tablespoons of melted butter on the hot Poppy Seed Stollen.
3. Then, immediately sift powdered sugar onto the Poppy Seed 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.
4. Let the poppy seed bread cool fully at room temperature and enjoy the treat.
Serving Tips for German Mohnstollen
This delectable treat pairs wonderfully with a warm cup of coffee or tea, making it the perfect dessert to share with loved ones during the holiday season.
Equipment to Make This German Poppy Seed Stollen Recipe
- Food Chopper, Coffee Grinder or Cuisinart Coffee Mill: Is the best way to grind the poppy seeds to a fine consistency.
- Stand Mixer with Dough Hook: To knead the dough effortlessly.
- Spatula: For scraping down the bowl and folding ingredients.
- Baking Sheet, Bread Pan(s) or a Loaf Pan: A baking tray and bread pans both work.
- Parchment Paper: To line the baking sheet and prevent sticking.
- Sieve: For dusting the Stollen with powdered sugar evenly.
Or try Cherry Meringue Pie in an almond flour crust.
How to Store Your German Poppy Seed Roll
Store in an airtight container in a cool place for a few days.
Refrigerate Mohnstollen
Refrigerate Mohnstollen in an airtight container for up to a week.
Freeze This German Poppy Seed Roll
You can also freeze the German poppy seed bread in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
You might also like Black Sesame Pie Crust, Candied Lemon Peel and Orange Peel or Keto Lemon Poppy Seed Cake.
Recipe Card
Poppy Seed Stollen Recipe: How to Make German Mohnstollen
Equipment
- 1 Food Chopper or Coffee Grinder – To pulverize the poppy seeds.
- 1 Stand Mixer with Dough Hook
- 1 Spatula
- 1 Baking Sheet or Bread Pan(s)
- Parchment Paper
- 1 Sieve – To sprinkle the powdered sugar onto the baked Poppy Seed Roll.
Ingredients
Poppy Seed Filling: Marinate At Least an Hour or Overnight
- 1 Cup Poppy Seeds
- ½ Cup Hot Whole Milk
- ¼ Cup Raisins
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 Teaspoon Rum or Water
- ¼ Cup Granulated Sweetener of Choice – Sugar or Monk Fruit
- ½ Teaspoon Lemon Zest
- 1 Ounce Blanched, chopped almonds – To blanch: Toss almonds in boiling water for 1-2 minutes. Drain. Then pinch off skin and chop.
The Yeast Mixture
- 1 ½ Teaspoons Active Dry Yeast
- ½ Cup Hot Whole Milk
- 1 Tablespoon Sugar
The Dough
- 2 ⅓ Cups All-Purpose Flour – For one Poppy Seed Roll, this is 325 grams.
- 4 Tablespoons Granulated Sweetener of Choice
- ½ Teaspoon Salt
- ½ Tablespoon Cinnamon – Use level spoonfuls of the spices.
- ½ Teaspoon Cardamom
- ½ Teaspoon Nutmeg
- ½ Cup Unsalted Butter, soft
- 1 Egg
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 Teaspoon Lemon Zest
Butter & Decorate the Poppy Seed Stollen
- ½ Cup Unsalted Butter – To generously brush on the Stollen.
- Powdered Sugar or a Powdered Sugar Substitute – To coat the baked Poppy Seed Roll.
Instructions
Please See the Step-by-Step Instructional Photos in the Post
Poppy Seed Filling: Marinate At Least an Hour or Overnight
- Grind the poppy seeds in a food chopper and pour into a bowl. The poppy seeds don't have to be ground into powder. They just need to be a bit finer.
- Add the hot milk, raisins, vanilla extract, rum, granulated sweetener of choice, lemon zest, blanched chopped almonds.
- Mix well and cover. Let the ingredients marinate at least an hour or overnight.
Make the Yeast Mixture
- Combine the yeast, warm milk and sugar until it has a foamy head. Usually 10-15 minutes.
Make the Dough: See the Post for Step-by-Step Instructional Photos.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg.
- Add the softened butter, egg, vanilla, lemon zest and yeast mixture.
- 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., 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. 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.
- 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.
Roll Out the Dough
- With your rolling pin, roll the dough out on a flourless work surface, creating a large rectangle that measures roughly 14 x 11 inches.
- Drain any excess liquid from the poppy seed filling. Spread the poppy seed filling on the dough, leaving a one-inch border on all sides.
- Roll the longer sides inwards and tuck the shorter sides.
- Put some parchment paper on a baking sheet and put the Poppy Seed Roll on it. Or use bread pan(s): Spray one larger or two smaller bread pans with baking spray and put the Stollen in one bread pan or cut it in half and put it in two smaller bread pans.
- Lightly cover with plastic wrap and let it rise for another hour. It will get a bit bigger but won't double in size.
- Bake at 350℉ (177℃) for 30-35 minutes until golden brown.NOTE: If the top of your stollen browns too quickly before the inside is fully baked, loosely cover it with aluminum foil during the last 10–15 minutes of baking.
How to Butter & Decorate Baked Poppy Seed Roll
- When you take the Poppy Seed Roll out of the oven, immediately use a skewer or toothpick to poke holes in it. This will help it to better absorb the butter.
- Immediately brush 3–4 tablespoons of melted butter on the hot Poppy Seed Roll.
- Then use a sieve to immediately sift powdered sugar onto the Poppy Seed Roll, tapping the sugar with a spoon as you generously coat the hot, buttered Stollen.
- Let it cool and enjoy.
Notes
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Thanks for this recipe. The amount of poppy seeds is just perfect. It turned out great! Thank you. I look forward to trying your other recipes soon too