1950’s Vintage Christmas Bread Recipes

Last updated on December 11th, 2024

These vintage cookie recipes are from my Better Homes & Gardens Holiday Cook Book (1959) has recipes organized by holidays, anniversaries, birthdays, buffets, and parties.

Vintage Christmas Breads:

• Tuttifruitti Ring
• German Stollen
• French Raisin Bread
• Orange Bubble Loaf
• Snowball Loaf

German Stollen

Author: Better Homes & Gardens Holiday Cook Book (1959)

Print Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 package active dry yeast or 1 cake compressed yeast
• 1/4 cup water
• ½ cup butter or margarine
• 1 cup milk scalded
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
• 4 to 5 cups sifted enriched flour
• 1 egg
• 1 cup seedless raisins
• ½ cup currants
• 1/4 cup chopped mixed candied fruits
• 2 tablespoons grated orange peel
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
• ¼ cup chopped blanched almonds

Instructions

• Soften active dry yeast in 1⁄4 cup warm water or compressed yeast in ¼ cup lukewarm water.
• Melt butter in hot milk; add sugar, salt, and cardamom; cool to lukewarm.
• Stir in 2 cups of the flour.
• Add egg and beat well.
• Stir in softened yeast, fruits, peels, and nuts.
• Add remaining flour to make soft dough.
• Turn out on lightly floured surface.
• Cover and let rest 10 minutes.
• Knead 5 to 8 minutes or till smooth and satiny.
• Place in lightly greased bowl, turning once to grease surface.
• Cover; let rise in warm place till double, about 1½ hours.
• Punch down; turn out on lightly floured surface and divide in 3 equal parts.
• Cover; let rest 10 minutes.
• Roll each part into a 12×7-inch rectangle.
• Without stretching dough, fold long side over to within 1 inch of opposite side to make typical stollen shape; seal edges.
• Place on greased baking sheets.
• Cover, and let rise till almost double, about 30 to 45 minutes.
• Bake in moderate oven (375°) 20 to 25 minutes, or till golden brown.
• While warm, brush with butter; sift confectioners’ sugar over; or glaze as below.

Vintage Christmas Cakes:

• Noel Brazil Loaves
• Fruitcake-ettes
• Fruitcake Balls
• Pineapple Glaze for Fruitcake
• White Fruitcake
• Dark Fruitcake
• Ring Fruitcake

Christmas Candy:

• Old-time Fudge
• Old-time Fudge (larger recipe)
• Rocky Road
• Remarkable Fudge
• Panocha
• Toffee Butter Crunch
• Stuffed Dates
• Divinity
• Creole Pralines

Images from Better Homes & Gardens Holiday Cook Book (1959)

For more Vintage Recipe Clips: