Gluten-free Stollen Bites Recipe (dairy-free option)

Gluten-free Stollen bites recipe, anyone? A must-try for the festive season and you can make it from start to finish in 30 minutes. Best of all, you’d never know they were Coeliac-friendly and wheat-free too!

Gluten-free Stollen bites recipe – you can’t find one in supermarkets (or anywhere for that matter) but guess where you can find one? In your own kitchen! This one is super easy to make dairy-free too.

I have to give a massive credit to Andrea Cooney in my Facebook group who 100% inspired me to make these. She rather ingeniously adapted my gluten-free scones to make this… which is such an amazing idea.

So you can all thank her that my gluten-free Stollen bites recipe exists! And especially when you STILL can’t buy gluten-free Stollen in supermarkets, making your own during the festive season is mandatory in my eyes.

And now you can all make them whenever you like! Trust me – you’ll be glad you did.

Here’s a few reasons you need to make my gluten-free Stollen bites recipe…

Why make gluten-free Stollen bites?

• You can get that wonderful festive flavour of Stollen in just 30 minutes from start to finish.
• ANYBODY can make these – this recipe is totally beginner friendly, even if if you’ve never baked before.
• You don’t even need an electric mixer for this recipe – it’s super easy to make by hand.
• Nobody would ever know that these are gluten-free – yep, even muggles will enjoy these and never notice the difference!
• This recipe is incredibly easy to make dairy-free – just use Stork hard margarine and dairy-free milk. That’s it!

So what do gluten-free Stollen bites taste like? They’re like taking a big ol’ bite out of Christmas!

They’re lovely and crisp on the outside, with a light, fluffy crumb in the middle that nobody would ever know is gluten-free.

Then, you’re instantly hit with all those festive flavours – sweet sultanas, marzipan, almond and citrus flavours with a blizzard of icing sugar on top.

One bite is never enough!

Here’s everything you’ll need for this recipe, keep scrolling until you see the recipe card for the measurements and method ??

Gluten-free Stollen bites recipe: Ingredients

• Gluten-free self raising flour: We want to encourage a little rise in our Stollen bites so that they’re light and risen, and gf self-raising is the way to go for that.
• Xanthan gum: Whilst there’s always a little xanthan gum in gluten-free self-raising flour, a little extra goes a long way as a gluten-replacement.
• Gluten-free baking powder: Again, there’s also baking powder in gluten-free self-raising flour! But supplementing that helps to seal the deal in terms of making your Stollen bites light and fluffy in the middle.
• Butter: You can’t beat the taste of butter in something like this, but if you’re dairy-free, Stork hard margarine also works perfectly too.
• Caster sugar: Stollen isn’t traditionally a super-sweet thing, so you won’t need a lot of sugar considering the amount of Stollen bites you’re baking here.
• Ground almonds: Ground almonds aren’t just for flavour – they give a lovely, super soft texture to the crumb.
• Marzipan: By grating this into your Stollen dough, you add the wonderful flavour of marzipan throughout every bite – which I much prefer to having a big ball in the middle.
• Dried fruit: I used sultanas here, but you can use whatever you like, as long as any bigger pieces are well chopped up.
• Large egg: You’ll only need one here to help with binding everything together.
• Milk and lemon juice: Believe it or not, I actually use these two to make homemade buttermilk, not necessarily to add a lemon flavour! Buttermilk again adds a fluffier, lighter texture to your bakes.
• Almond extract: A little goes a long way in terms of getting that ultimate festive flavour.
• Orange or lemon (optional): Trust me, you’ll be glad that you added this if you love a little more of a citrus flavour in your festive bakes.
• Icing sugar: Last but not least, finish your Stollen bites with a layer of sweet sleet!

So I thought I’d kick things off with a little frequently asked questions section – if you just want the recipe, then keep scrolling.

But I’ve thrown in some tips here that will be really helpful if this is your first time making this, or you want to adapt it. So here they are!

Gluten-free Stollen bites recipe: Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this recipe gluten-free?

It is gluten-free, though nobody would know just by tasting it – trust me!

Bear in mind that minimising cross-contamination is hugely important if you’re Coeliac or making this for someone who is. Here’s some tips from Coeliac UK on minimising the risk of cross contamination.

Also, make sure that all ingredients used don’t have any gluten-containing ingredients. Then make that that they also don’t have a ‘may contain’ warning for gluten, wheat, rye, barley, oats (which aren’t gf), spelt and khorasan wheat (aka Kamut).

Here’s some more info from Coeliac UK on identifying safe gluten-free products.

Can I make your gluten-free Stollen bites recipe dairy free?

You can make this dairy-free, simply by:

• Using Stork hard margarine instead of butter. Definitely don’t use the type of margarine you’d spread on toast however, it will NOT work.
• Then use dairy-free milk. That’s it!

Can I make your gluten-free Stollen bites recipe vegan?

Yes! Follow the advice above to make these dairy-free, then all you’re left to contend with is a single egg.

Here’s a few ideas you can use as egg replacements, so each of these = 1 egg. I’d recommend using aquafaba or an egg replacement powder.

• 3 tablespoons of aquafaba (whisked until frothy) – water from a can of chickpeas. Keep the chickpeas for a future dinner!
• Egg replacement powder – I’d recommend using Orgran as it’s gluten free.
• 1 tablespoon of chia/flax seeds mixed with 2 tablespoons of water and left for 10 minutes in the fridge.
• 3 tablespoons of applesauce.

I haven’t tested all of these egg-replacements so let me know how you get on in the comments below this post.

Is this recipe nut-free?

Sadly not as it contains ground almonds (as does marzipan) which are not suitable for those with a tree-nut allergy.

Is your gluten-free Stollen bites recipe low FODMAP?

Unfortunately, due to the amount of ground almonds in this recipe (and in the marzipan), this recipe isn’t suitable for the elimination phase of the diet without making some changes.

To make this recipe low FODMAP, start by using lactose-free milk and omit the marzipan. If you use sultanas as the dried fruit, one Stollen bite is a safe low FODMAP serving size during the elimination phase of the diet.

What is Stollen? Where do you usually find it?

Stollen is a traditional German bread enjoyed during the festive period leading up to Christmas, commonly called ‘Weihnachtsstollen’ – which literally means ‘Christmas Stollen’.

It often features festive flavour combinations like candied peel, raisins, almonds, marzipan cinnamon and cardamom to name a few, though many variations exist.

Muggles can just buy a Stollen in supermarkets, but when you’re gluten-free – that’s definitely not the case! Fortunately, you can make these with ease whenever you like and they probably taste even better.

Can I put marzipan in the middle of your gluten-free stollen bites?

Of course you can – for a traditional finish, you can always add a small ball of marzipan to the middle of each dough ball – then proceed to flatten them down a little before baking.

Do I need any special equipment to make your gluten-free Stollen bites recipe?

Nope – just a baking tray and some non-stick baking paper. That’s it!

Do I need weighing scales to make your gluten-free Stollen bites?

In short… yes, yes and yes! And I wouldn’t advise attempting any my recipes without them.

A lot of work went into fine tuning ratios and quantities and for me, baking is all about consistency and precision. I want you to make this recipe and for it to turn out EXACTLY like mine did.

I’d recommending using digital cooking scales like these so you know you’re getting an accurate measurement and replicating my recipe as accurately as poss.

Can I make this recipe without xanthan gum?

You can probably get away without adding the xanthan gum if necessary as there’s a little in gluten-free self-raising flour anyway.

However, I would always advise adding it if possible, otherwise the end result can be much more crumbly and loose in texture than desired.

In case you didn’t know, xanthan gum acts as a gluten replacer, helping to bind together the mixture in the absence of gluten. It’s a key ingredient in a lot of gluten-free baking!

Can I make this recipe using other gluten-free flours like buckwheat flour or coconut flour?

There’s a big difference between ‘gluten-free plain/self-raising flour’ and a *singular* type gluten-free flour. When I say ‘gluten-free plain or self-raising flour’ in a recipe, I mean a BLEND of gluten-free flours, not just one, singular flour.

Most gluten-free flour you buy in the supermarket typically contains a blend of rice flour, potato flour, maize flour, tapioca flour AND buckwheat flour. They all have different properties that help to simulate ‘real’ wheat flour as much as possible.

So to replace it with just one specific type of flour… that’s not going to cut it at all. Definitely go for a gluten-free flour blend. I used Doves Farm gluten-free plain flour in this recipe.

5 tips for the perfect gluten-free Stollen bites

• Don’t overwork the dough. Don’t treat this dough like pastry dough, re-rolling it out tons of times – this will result in a denser, tougher texture.
• Make sure any larger dried fruit used is well chopped up. Huge chunks of dried fruit can prevent the bites from binding together properly – ensure they’re chopped up if needed.
• Ensure your butter is as cold as possible. If it’s too warm, you won’t be able to rub it in properly. Even if you feel like you CAN rub it in with warm butter, trust me – don’t. It won’t turn out well.
• Roll your flattened dough balls to be an equal size. The closer in size each ball is, the better – otherwise smaller ones will brown faster in the oven, before the bigger ones even start to turn golden.
• Once they’re golden on the outside, they’re done. If you over-bake these, they’ll become very hard on the outside and dry in the middle. I’d prefer you to under-bake these than over-bake them!

How to store your gluten-free Stollen bites

Once cooled, store in an air-tight container for 4-5 days. If you wish to freeze them, you can also store them in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.

To thaw your frozen gluten-free Stollen bites, allow to thaw at room temperature for around an hour. Then, you can bake them in the oven at 120C (fan) for 3-5 minutes before serving.

Gluten-free Stollen bites recipe: Method

Oh and here’s a printable version of my gluten-free Stollen bites recipe. Please remember to give it 5 stars if you tried it and enjoyed it as it helps people know it’s worth trying too! ⭐️

Gluten-free Stollen Bites Recipe (dairy-free option)

Gluten-free stollen bites recipe - a festive treat that's easy to make and you'd never know they're Coeliac-friendly and wheat-free.

SERVINGS: 15 -20

PREP TIME: 15 minutes mins

TOTAL TIME: 30 minutes mins

PRINT RECIPE

4.66 from 90 votes

Ingredients  

1x2x3x

• 340 g gluten-free self raising flour
• 1/4 tsp xanthan gum
• 1 tsp gluten-free baking powder
• 85 g butter very cold and chopped (use Stork hard margarine if dairy-free)
• 60 g caster sugar
• 50 g ground almonds
• 150 g marzipan grated
• 100 g dried fruit chopped finely (I used sultanas but it’s your choice!)
• 1 egg I used a large egg
• 150 ml milk dairy-free if necessary
• 3 tsp lemon juice
• 2 tsp almond extract
• zest of 1 lemon or orange optional
• Icing sugar for dusting

Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 200C Fan / 220C. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment / baking paper.
• Place your gluten free self raising flour, baking powder and xanthan gum in a bowl. Chop your cold butter into cubes and add that to the flour. Rub it in with your fingers till it forms what looks like breadcrumbs. If the butter isn’t really cold it won’t be possible to rub it in properly!
• Stir in your caster sugar, ground almonds, grated marzipan and chopped dried fruit. If you are going to add the zest of an orange or lemon - do this now too.
• Gently warm your milk in a jug (I pop it in the microwave for about 35 seconds, don't let it get really hot, just lukewarm). Then add your lemon juice and allow to stand for 1-2 minutes - it should curdle a little. This is your buttermilk.
• Add your egg and almond extract to your ‘buttermilk’. Beat together so your egg is combined.
• Make a well in the middle of your dry mixture. Pour in the milk/egg mixture and work it in using a metal fork or knife. Keep working it till it forms a dough (it might be a little sticky/soft).
• Dust your hands in a little flour and your work surface. Take a doughball sized amount of your mix and roll it into slightly flattened balls (not really flattened as they spread a little in the oven). Place these on your prepared tray with gaps between each.
• Bake in your preheated oven for 12-15 minutes until golden.
• Remove from the oven and allow to cool briefly on the tray before transferring to a cooking rack.
• Dust heavily with icing sugar and enjoy cold or slightly warm if you can’t wait!

Notes

You can make these bigger if you want, if so cook them a little longer - more like 15 minutes rather than 12.

You can switch up your dried fruit to whatever you like, or you could also add in chopped nuts too if you wish.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 262kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Sodium: 370mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 23g

Any questions about the recipe? Please do let me know by following me on Instagram and leaving me a comment on a recent photo!

Thanks for reading,

Becky xxx

Oh and don’t forget to pin this for later!