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The best stollen for Christmas 2024
This is the tastiest supermarket stollen, according to the GHI panel
Tested by Callum BlackFood and Drink Testing Manager
Stollen makes a great alternative sweet treat to Christmas cake or panettone. The traditional German Christmas bread has a similar flavour profile, consisting of candied vine fruit and nuts, but it tends to be less dense than the festive fruitcake, and not as tall or light as its Italian counterpart.
For those partial to a slice of the rich fruity bread, which often comes with a marzipan core, the Good Housekeeping Institute has rounded up the best shop-bought versions for 2024, so you can stock up safe in the knowledge you’re buying the best ahead of the big day.
Best stollen for Christmas 2024
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Best stollen slices
Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Chocolate & Hazelnut Stollen Slices 6pk
Read review - 5
How we test stollen
The Good Housekeeping Institute presented a panel of experts and consumers with a range of supermarket and specialist bakery stollens in a bid to find the tastiest ones for 2024.
Each one was tasted blind to avoid brand bias and served as suggested. They were looking for well-balanced bakes with classic festive flavours, including soft, buttery sponge, nutty marzipan and dried fruit.
These were the ones that came out on top.
Score: 89/100
Granted, this is not your traditional stollen loaf. Instead, this innovative bake combines traditional festive spice, chunky nuts and juicy dried fruit within a buttery biscuit base. Our panel loved the seasonal twist and warming cinnamon and ginger, awarding it first place.
Score: 83/100
Traditionalists may prefer Aldi’s bake, which has a rich, nutty flavour, balanced with hints of spice, toasted flaked almonds and marzipan top. It smells incredible straight out of the pack, and at this price, it offers great value too.
Score: 81/100
Morrisons has infused this year’s stollen with a generous glug of Jamaican rum. However, the classic festive flavours are still present — most notably cherry, cinnamon, almonds and plenty of dried fruit.
Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Chocolate & Hazelnut Stollen Slices 6pk
Score: 79/100
Chocolate isn’t a standard stollen ingredient, but our panel approved of the decadent addition, likening it to a certain hazelnut spread. The individual sticky slices make serving a doddle; however, testers felt this product would be best reserved for those with a seriously sweet tooth.
Score: 76/100
Selfridges has brought back a favourite from last Christmas. The traditional rich, buttery bake is full of warm cooking spices and is finished with a layer of marzipan. It’s a showstopper with a slightly denser, Christmas cake-like appeal.
Score: 74/100
Fancy a tipple in your treat? Introducing Waitrose’s No.1 Stollen, made with cherries, apricot and citrus zest, plus a dash of amaretto for a luxurious twist on the traditional bake. Our testers enjoyed the full-flavoured marzipan layer, and crisp flaked almonds, which provided a textural contrast.
Available: 1st November 2024
Score: 73/100
Asda’s “Exceptional” range is the supermarket’s most premium offering, and is created with the best ingredients and techniques. Part of the range is this deliciously fruity stollen, which has been spiked with rum and coated with marzipan.
Our panellists said it had a cake-like texture and recommended serving with a drizzle of cream.
Score: 70/100
Testers approved of the marzipan to fruit cake ratio in this Lidl stollen, describing it as having an authentic flavour, while successfully locking in moisture. And at this price, what more can you ask for?
Stacey looks after all food and drink reviews — from coffee pods and veg boxes, to natural wine and tequila. Stacey is also founder of Crummbs, where she’s written nearly 2,000 restaurant and hotel reviews since 2013. Prior to this, Stacey wrote hundreds of in-depth buying guides for the Independent, i newspaper and BBC Good Food, as well as reviewing restaurants and interviewing celebrities in her column at Balance Magazine. Stacey has also appeared in BAFTA-nominated BBC documentary Blood, Sweat & Takeaways, where she investigated South East Asia's food production industry, appearing on both Newsnight and BBC World Service to share her findings. Regularly checking out the latest restaurants, bars and product launches, Stacey also loves experimenting with recipes at home, and is a WSET-certified wine and spirits expert, with over 10 years of experience in the business. You can follow Stacey on Instagram @crummbs_uk
Callum is our Food and Drink Testing Manager and has been part of the world of professional catering for 10 years, from cheffing to food manufacturing. While working in manufacturing he specialised in bespoke product and menu development for several start-ups and well-known brands such as Wrap It Up! and HOP Vietnamese. He holds the WSET Level 2 in wine, a Level 3 in spirits and has a particular interest in agave spirits.
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