In our household, stollen is a Christmas staple. Unlike heavy mince pies or rich yule logs, stollen offers a festive treat that you can enjoy daily without feeling weighed down. This traditional German Christmas fruit bread—packed with raisins, spices, and marzipan—is a cherished delicacy, especially reminiscent of the Birmingham German Christmas Market.
Eager to find the best supermarket stollen, I purchased loaves from Tesco, M&S, Aldi, Lidl, Asda, and Morrisons. With the help of my kids, we taste-tested each one to determine our favourite. Alongside flavour, we examined price, shelf life, nutritional values, and place of production to judge their authenticity. Here’s what we discovered:
Tesco – Deutsche Hallo Backerei Stollen (£3.75 for 500g)
At 75p per 100g, this stollen boasts an 11-week shelf life. It contains 399 calories, 7g saturated fat, 38g sugar, and 0.38g salt per 100g. Made in Germany with 24% raisins, 12% marzipan, 4% almonds, and citrus peels, it had a traditional bready texture and soft marzipan. However, the fruit flavor was underwhelming. Overall, it was an average loaf, earning 3 out of 5 stars.
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Morrisons Stollen (£3.75 for 500g)
Also priced at 75p per 100g, this stollen lasts two months and contains 327 calories, 1.8g saturated fat, 32.6g sugar, and 0.26g salt per 100g. Produced for Morrisons in Dublin, it contains 25% raisins and 12% marzipan. Though fruit-heavy, it felt dry with insufficient marzipan and minimal icing sugar, lacking the traditional stollen look and taste. We rated it 1 out of 5 stars.
Lidl Stollen (£3.99 for 700g)
A standout at just 57p per 100g with a two-month shelf life, Lidl’s stollen has 394 calories, 7.5g saturated fat, 29.9g sugar, and 0.23g salt per 100g. Made in Germany with 23% raisins, 12% marzipan, candied peel, hazelnuts, and almonds, it delivered an excellent bready texture that wasn’t dry. It featured a generous dusting of icing sugar and a large, soft marzipan core. This well-balanced cake was our unanimous favourite, earning a perfect 5 out of 5 stars.
Aldi Stollen (£5.99 for 600g)
At £1 per 100g, Aldi’s stollen comes with the longest shelf life — 12 weeks — and is the most calorific, with 413 calories, 9g saturated fat, 32.3g sugar, and 0.21g salt per 100g. Manufactured in Germany, it includes 22% marzipan, 14% raisins, 10% glace cherries, almonds, apricots, brandy, Jamaican rum, and spices. The almond topping gave it a festive appearance. Though moist with marzipan throughout, its texture strayed from traditional stollen, and the flavour was somewhat uninspired. We gave it 3.5 out of 5 stars.
M&S Stollen (£10 for 600g)
The priciest option at £1.67 per 100g, M&S’s stollen has a short shelf life of four weeks. It contains 351 calories, 2.6g saturated fat, 41.3g sugar, and 0.23g salt per 100g. Made in the UK with 27% sultanas and raisins, 12% marzipan, flaked roasted almonds, glace cherries, apricot jam, rum, pecan nuts, and spices, it looked decadent, studded with nuts. A thick marzipan bar down the centre gave it a Christmas cake vibe rather than traditional stollen. It was moist with a strong rum flavour and felt very special. We awarded it 4.5 out of 5 stars.
Asda Stollen Slices (£2.64 for 6 slices)
No loaves were available, so we tried slices costing 44p each. They have a six-week shelf life and contain 141 calories, 2.9g saturated fat, 12g sugar, and 0.12g salt per slice. Made in the UK with 27% sultanas, 17% marzipan, candied peel, and Jamaican rum, these slices were moist with ample fruit, marzipan, and a dusting of icing sugar. More reminiscent of a Mr Kipling-style cake than traditional stollen, they earned 3.5 out of 5 stars.
The Verdict
While M&S’s version was indulgent and delicious, its high price and short shelf life made it less appealing. Lidl’s stollen delivered the most authentic taste and texture at the best price, making it our clear winner. Kudos to Lidl for capturing the true spirit of a German Christmas market treat.