Quick German Braided Sweet Bread

Made with no yeast dough and filled with hazelnut almond marzipan chocolate filling, this beautiful looking German braided sweet bread aka. Nusszopf is fluffy, moist, tastes amazing and it will definitely make you feel like a pro in the kitchen.

No yeast nut braid – a speedy version of the German nut braid that’s made with yeast. This nut braid on the other hand is made with a no yeast dough that’s packed with baking powder, yogurt, oil, milk, flour and sugar and filled with nut filling that’s made with a mixture of hazelnuts and almonds, hazelnut chocolate spread and marzipan.

No “waiting time” just make the filling and the dough, then roll out the dough, cut it into portions, spread it with homemade nut filling, roll it into long ropes, then braid and bake. Just what you need for Easter brunch or at anytime of the year.

What you’ll need to make the German sweet braided nut bread

Ingredients for the yogurt oil dough

• 6 tablespoons milk
• 6 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 600 g (1.3 lbs/ about 4 cups + 1 tablespoon) plain flour (all purpose flour)
• 75 g (1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons) sugar
• 2 tablespoons vanilla sugar
• 2 medium eggs Germany, large US
• 1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder
• 300 g (10.6 oz) Greek yogurt

For the filling:

• 200 g (7.1 oz) marzipan
• 200 g (7.1 oz) ground nuts, hazelnuts or almonds or a mixture of the two
• 125 g (4.4 oz) hazelnut chocolate spread
• 120 ml (4 fl.oz/ ½ cup) whipping cream
• 1 egg (you just want the egg white. The egg yolk is for brushing the braid before baking).

You’ll also need for the topping

• 1 egg yolk (from the filling)
• a dash of milk
• powdered sugar and lemon juice/ milk or rum for coating

How to make German Easter sweet bread recipe

How to make chocolate nut filling with marzipan

Begin by making the nut filling: Simply warm the hazelnut chocolate spread in the microwave. While the chocolate spread is getting melted to make it easier to use, separate the egg (keep the egg yolk aside for later) & cut marzipan into smaller slices.

In a bowl add the nuts, followed by marzipan. Then stir in whipping cream, egg white and nut chocolate spread. Combine well and let the filling infuse in the fridge while making the yogurt oil dough.

How to make no yeast dough for Nusszopf

In a bowl combine all the ingredients for the dough and knead for about 1 to maximum 2 minutes (you don’t want to over knead the dough!). Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead for another minute.

Slightly flour the dough as well as the working surface and roll it with a lightly floured rolling pin into a rectangle about 30 x 40 cm (approximately 11.8 x 15.7 inches)).

How to portion, fill, roll and braid sweet braided bread

Cut the rolled out dough cross – wise (short side) into five parts. Such that in the end you have five rectangles. Next take the nut filling out of the fridge and mix it very well.

Then add the filling on every rolled out dough part.Using the back of the spoon spread the nut marzipan chocolate filling leaving a 1/2 cm (0.2 inches) (lengthwise, on each rectangle) without the filling.

Brush the remaining 1/2 cm (0.2 inches) on each rolled out dough with water and then roll each rectangle lengthwise into a long roll. Always end with the side with a part that’s free from the filling.

• It’s very important that you dust your hands every time before rolling the dough portions into long ropes or rolls.
• Use the spatula to help you roll the rolled out dough parts into long rolls.
• Don’t let the rolled out dough sit for so long, because the longer it sits, the stickier it becomes.
• Once the rolls are rolled just make sure that they’re on a surface dusted with flour.

Now preheat the oven to 170 °C (338 °F), with both top and bottom heat. Next bring the three middle long rolls next to each other and plait into a one long braid, starting from the middle and pinch the ends together on both sides.

Transfer the braid to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Then brush with the egg yolk (that you previously kept aside) mixed with a dash of milk.

Now twist the remaining two long rolls and place the twist directly in the middle of the braid that’s brushed with an egg wash. Then brush the twisted dough with an egg wash as well.

Bake for about 50 minutes or until nicely golden brown. Let cool for a few minutes and drizzle with drizzle the braid with icing. Enjoy!

Love this German Braided Sweet Bread Recipe? Try my Nusszopf recipe with yeast, too.

Did you make this German nut braid without yeast recipe? I’d love to hear from you! Simply write a review and add rating to it.