This Apfelstrudel recipe is the German apple strudel I learned to make in a class in Vienna. Homemade dough, stretched by hand until it’s thin enough to read through. Toasted butter breadcrumbs and cinnamon apples get rolled up inside. It’s easier than it looks, and it doubles beautifully for a crowd.
The Strudel I Flew Home From Vienna Determined to Make
Neither of my Omas ever made strudel. Not once! And that’s with German roots on both sides of the family.
My love for it came later, as an au pair in Berlin. I ate way too much strudel. Okay, “way too much” is an understatement. 😜
Years later, I took a schnitzel and strudel class in Vienna. We stretched the dough with our own two hands, so thin you could read through it. I came home determined to make it myself.
There was a snag. The class recipe made two giant strudels, all in metric. Cue a lot of mental math! I even tried pastry flour for a lighter crust. Way too stretchy. Good old all-purpose flour won, sifted first.
Then I had my girlfriends from the trip over for a strudel party (that’s us by the recipe card!). We got into a heated debate: raisins or no raisins? No raisins won, pretty much unanimously. But if you’re Team Raisin, I’ve got you covered.
Serve it as the grand finale of a German dinner night, right after schnitzel and Rotkohl (sweet and sour red cabbage). I promise, you can do this. I’ll walk you through every step and cheer you on the whole way.
Everyone needs a good apple strudel recipe. This one’s mine!
There are almost as many different versions of Apfelstrudel out in the world as there are variations on chocolate chip cookies. Basically endless! Some are old standbys that have been passed down from generation to generation, while others are a bit more modern. Every last one of them is delicious in its own unique way.
Mine is the one I learned in Vienna, and it’s a keeper. No passport needed! If you’ve ever wanted to pull a warm strudel from your own oven and feel like you’re sitting in a Viennese café, this is the one.
What is Apple Strudel?
Apfelstrudel is simply German for apple strudel. Same dessert, two names!
It’s Austrian at heart, but you’ll find it all over Germany and Central Europe too. The dough gets stretched by hand until it’s paper-thin, then rolled around spiced apples and baked golden. Kinda like a rolled up apple pie!
The traditional version uses homemade stretched dough, not phyllo or puff pastry. That’s how I learned it in Vienna, so that’s what you’re getting here.
German Apple Strudel ingredients
For the Dough
- Flour: All-purpose flour works great here. I always use unbleached, organic all-purpose flour!
- Sea Salt: Adds flavor to the dough.
- Vegetable Oil: This adds tenderness to the dough. Make sure it’s a neutral-tasting vegetable oil, I typically use avocado oil.
- Egg: Helps the dough hold its shape. Make sure it’s room temperature. I use large eggs in all of my baking.
- Lukewarm Water: To bind all the ingredients together!
Breadcrumb Layer
- Breadcrumbs: Plain breadcrumbs will help absorb some of the moisture from the apples, preventing the crust from getting soggy.
- Butter: To make the breadcrumbs buttery and toasted.
Apple Filling
- Apples: Choose a sturdy apple like Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, Braeburn, or Golden Delicious. Sweet-tart apples work best. My friend and I who took the class thought it wasn’t quite sweet enough, so I’m giving options to increase the sugar based on your preference.
- Sugar: I use all-natural cane sugar to sweeten up the filling.
- Cinnamon: All you need for that warm spice.
- Butter: Adds richness to the filling!
- Rum: Optional, for a slightly deeper flavor in the filling.
- Raisins & Walnuts: Optional, if you want add-ins for the filling! If adding raisins, try rum-soaked raisins!
Get the full recipe in the recipe card below.
How to make Apfelstrudel
Looking for an authentic apple strudel recipe with real pastry dough and a warm spice filling? Here’s exactly how I make it, in six steps.
Step 1: Make the Dough
In a mixer bowl, combine flour, salt, oil, and egg. Slowly add water until you form a soft, slightly sticky dough. Knead for 10 minutes (by hand or in a mixer) until you form a smooth, elastic dough ball. Throw it down on the counter a few times, which helps the gluten develop, giving you a very stretchy dough; it’s so satisfying! Shape into a disc, cover, and let the dough rest for 30–90 minutes.
Step 2: Toast the Breadcrumbs
Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add breadcrumbs and stir constantly until golden brown. Cool completely.
Step 3: Prep the Apple Filling
Peel, core, and finely dice the apples into a big bowl. Combine apples with cinnamon sugar, rum, raisins*, and nuts (if using).
Team Raisin? If you love raisins, soak them in a few tablespoons of rum or warm water while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
Step 4: Stretch the Dough
Cover your work surface with a large, clean cloth (such as a large kitchen towel or a clean, lightly floured tablecloth) and dust lightly with flour. Using a rolling pin, roll dough into a rectangular shape, then stretch it gently with the back of your hands until it is paper-thin. The dough is very elastic, and you should be able to read through it! It’s a super flaky crust. Be sure to remove any rings, and if you have any rough nails, trim them!
Step 5: How to Assemble & Roll Strudel
Spread the cooled breadcrumbs about 3–4 inches from one shorter edge of the stretched dough, leaving space on the sides. Spoon the apple mixture evenly over the top. Brush the remaining dough lightly with melted butter. Using the cloth to help, start from the apple-topped end and roll the dough up tightly like a jelly roll, tucking in the sides as you go.
Step 6: Bake & Enjoy
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Transfer the strudel to it, seam side down. Brush with melted butter. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 35 to 45 minutes, until golden and crisp. Let it cool 15 to 30 minutes before slicing.
Dust with powdered sugar and serve warm with whipped cream, vanilla sauce, or a scoop of ice cream.
Best Apple Strudel Recipe Tips
- Rest your dough! Letting the dough rest helps relax the gluten, making it easier to stretch without tearing. If your dough springs back a lot after you roll it out, give it more time to rest.
- Stretch slowly. Don’t rush the process! Use the backs of your hands, not your fingertips (unless you’re using just your palms), to gently pull the dough outward. Fingertips are more likely to poke holes! But don’t worry about the tiny holes or a tear; don’t try to patch it- it’ll get wrapped up!
- Breadcrumbs are key to the right texture! It might seem like a random addition to the strudel, but it helps keep the crust nice and crisp as it absorbs the juices from the apples.
How to Serve this Apfelstrudel Recipe
Apple strudel is best served warm, dusted generously with powdered sugar. Add one of the following to the top of the strudel: a dusting of powdered sugar, and/or softly whipped cream, vanilla sauce, crème anglaise (similar to German Vanilla Sauce), or a scoop of vanilla ice cream for an extra special treat!
I also highly recommend serving it with a cup of coffee, just as you would enjoy it in Europe! For a crowd, pair it with the rest of my traditional Oktoberfest recipes.
German Apple Strudel Recipe storage
- Storage: Keep cooled strudel loosely covered at room temperature for 1–2 days. For longer storage, refrigerate up to 4 days.
- Recrisping: Strudel softens as it sits. To revive the flaky, crisp layers, place the slices on a baking sheet and warm in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 10–15 minutes. Avoid microwaving, as this makes it soggy.
- Make Ahead: Make the dough up to 2 days ahead and keep it wrapped in the fridge. Let it come to room temperature before you stretch it. You can toast the breadcrumbs a day early too. I don’t recommend assembling it the night before; the apple juices soak into the dough. To get fully ahead, freeze it unbaked (below).
- Freezing (Unbaked): Prepare the strudel up to the point of baking. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap, then foil. Freeze up to 3 months. Bake straight from frozen at 375°F (190°C) for 40–50 minutes, brushing with a little extra butter halfway through.
- Freezing (Baked): Let strudel cool completely. Wrap well in plastic wrap and foil, then freeze up to 2 months. Reheat in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 20–25 minutes until hot and crisp.
German Apple Strudel FAQs
They sound alike, but they’re totally different! Strudel is paper-thin dough stretched by hand, rolled around a filling, and baked into a log. Streusel is a crumbly topping of butter, sugar, and flour sprinkled over cakes and muffins.
Austria! Apfelstrudel is widely considered Austria’s national dessert. It took off in Habsburg Vienna, and the oldest known handwritten strudel recipe dates back to 1697. Vienna’s city library still keeps it!
Today it’s loved across Austria, southern Germany (especially Bavaria), Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and South Tyrol in northern Italy. Each region puts its own spin on it, with different apples, nuts, or dough.
Yes, as a shortcut, though I haven’t tested this recipe with phyllo myself. Phyllo is the closest match to real strudel dough, since it bakes up thin and flaky. Brush each sheet with melted butter, stack them, then fill and roll as written. Puff pastry works too, but it bakes thicker and puffier, more like a turnover. Either way, keep the toasted breadcrumbs to soak up the apple juices. If you love phyllo, try my Baklava next!
Here’s the deal: to stretch the dough paper-thin, you actually need gluten. So my best recommendation is to find a gluten-free phyllo dough or puff pastry, roll it as thin as you can, and then roll it as described above. Swap out the breadcrumbs for gluten-free breadcrumbs or coarse almond flour.
Usually it’s too much flour or not enough rest. Spoon and level your flour, then sift it. Add the water slowly until the dough feels soft and a little sticky. Knead the full 10 minutes, then let it rest at least 30 minutes.
I tested this dough three times here in Denver, at 5,280 feet, and it was a dream to work with. Except once! I got impatient and cut the rest short, and it fought me and tore while I stretched it. Lesson learned. If yours keeps springing back, cover it and give it 5 more minutes. Small holes are fine. They roll right up inside where nobody sees them!
Apfelstrudel Variations & Substitutions
Strudel has its strongest roots in Austria, Germany (especially Bavaria), and Hungary, where bakers have stretched tissue-thin dough for centuries. It was once considered a showpiece dessert, proving the baker’s skill by how thinly they could stretch the dough. Try a few of these traditional seasonal twists:
- Swabian Apple Strudel: from Southern Germany, sometimes enriched with cream or sour cream for a richer filling. I made one with a little lightly sweetened sour cream, and it was yummy!
- Cheese Strudel: filled with sweetened quark or farmer’s cheese, often dotted with raisins. Try the filling from my Danish Kringle recipe.
- Plum Strudel: made with tart Italian plums, especially in late summer.
- Cherry Strudel: bursting with juicy cherries, often paired with vanilla sauce.
- Rhubarb Strudel: tangy and bright, sometimes softened with strawberries.
- Almond Variation: Some recipes use finely ground almonds instead of breadcrumbs to soak up apple juices, adding a nutty, delicate flavor.
- Peach, apricot, nectarine, pear; use your creative “juices” and get things going!
A few of our Favorite International Recipes
And there you have it, I hope you now feel the confidence to make this homemade apple strudel on your own! Have a strudel-making party like I did! Here’s the promised picture of me and my friends who came over to help make the strudel!
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Ingredients
Strudel Dough
- 1 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour unbleached, spooned and leveled and sifted
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 2 ½ tablespoons vegetable oil I used avocado oil, but any neutral oil will work
- 1 large egg room temperature, beaten if mixing by hand
- ⅓ – ½ cup lukewarm water
Breadcrumb Layer
- ⅔ cup plain breadcrumbs fine bread crumbs
- 3 tablespoons salted butter
Apple Filling
- 2 pounds apples peeled, cored, diced thin ⅛-¼ inch dices (about 6-8 cups, see notes)
- ½ – ¾ cup granulated sugar I use all-natural cane sugar, add more or less based on how sweet you like your desserts, it's still not overly sweet!
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ tablespoon rum optional, but traditional
- ½ cup raisins dark or golden, optional (if adding increase rum to ¼ cup and soak raisins for 30 minutes (up to overnight) to speed the process, heat 15-30 seconds in the microwave, discard rum and just use raisins.
- ½ cup walnuts or hazelnuts finely chopped (optional)
For Brushing
- 3 tablespoons salted butter melted, for brushing
Instructions
Make the Dough
- Sift flour into the bowl of a stand mixer. Add salt, oil, and beaten egg. If making in mixing bowl, using a wooden spoon, mix until all ingredients are combined.
- With the mixer on low, slowly add water until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms. Knead one of two ways:⅓ – ½ cup lukewarm water
- By hand: Knead on the counter for 10–15 minutes until smooth and elastic, picking it up now and then and throwing it down on the counter (this helps relax the gluten and develop it so it becomes stretchy).In mixer: Switch to a dough hook and knead 10 minutes on medium-low speed. Then knead the dough on the counter for 2–3 minutes, lifting and smacking it against the counter until it is smooth and elastic.
- Shape into a disc, cover with plastic wrap, and rest for 30-90 minutes. May be made up to 2 days ahead of time, keep in fridge and bring to room temperature before trying to stretch the dough.
Toast the Breadcrumbs
- Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add breadcrumbs and stir constantly until the mixture is dark golden brown. Set aside to cool.⅔ cup plain breadcrumbs, 3 tablespoons salted butter
Prepare the Apples
- Peel, core, and thinly dice apples (about ¼-⅛ inch dices). Place in a large bowl. Mix sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Add to apples along with rum (if using), raisins, and nuts. Toss well to coat. If waiting to use the apples, toss a few teaspoons of lemon juice to prevent browning.2 pounds apples, ½ – ¾ cup granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, ½ tablespoon rum, ½ cup raisins
Stretch the Dough
- Cover a table or counter with a large pastry cloth, clean sheet, or tablecloth. Sprinkle with flour.
- Place the dough in the center, pat it into a square, and using a rolling pin, roll it into a rectangle.
- Remove all jewelry. With lightly floured hands, slide your closed fists under the dough and gently stretch it from the center outward using the backs of your hands (not fingertips). You can do this by lifting it up at first, rotating around, and allowing the weight of the dough to stretch it naturally. Then lie flat on the table. If needed, oil hands lightly.
- Move around the table as you stretch. The dough should eventually be as thin as tissue paper, allowing you to read something when placed underneath it.Trim any thick edges with kitchen scissors. If dry spots appear, lightly brush with oil.
Finish the strudel
- About 3 to 4 inches in from the short edge of the dough, spread the cooled breadcrumbs, leaving about 1 to 2 inches on the sides.
- Spoon the apple mixture evenly over the breadcrumbs. If using nuts, sprinkle on top. Some of the juices from the apples is okay, but not too much.½ cup walnuts or hazelnuts
- Sprinkle or lightly brush the remaining dough lightly with some of the melted butter, you'll use the rest to brush the top after rolling.3 tablespoons salted butter
- Using the tablecloth, starting at the apple side, fold the dough excess over the apples, then fold in the sides. Then using the cloth, lift up and using the natural weight to roll the pastry (like a jelly roll) until the seam side is down.
- Carefully transfer strudel (seam side down) to a parchment-lined or greased baking sheet (18×13 inch). If too long, place diagonally or shape into a horseshoe or “L." Brush with melted butter 2–3 times.
Bake
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) or 350°F Convection (175°C convection).
- Bake on the upper middle rack for 35 to 45 minutes, until golden brown and crisp. Rotate the pan halfway if needed. (Mine was done around 40 minutes.) Cool 15 to 30 minutes before slicing. If you want firmer apples, bake a little shorter; softer apples bake longer.
- Serving: Dust with powdered sugar and serve with whipped cream, vanilla sauce, or vanilla ice cream (especially good on warm strudel)!
Notes
Nutrition
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