Apple Strudel
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This easy apple strudel recipe skips the fuss of traditional strudel dough, opting for store-bought phyllo pastry to wrap a delicious filling of apples, walnuts, and brandy-soaked raisins. The result? A dessert that’s just as delicious but much simpler to make—perfect any time of day with a cup of coffee!
Apple strudel is a Viennese pastry filled with brandy-soaked raisins, apples, and chopped walnuts. In a traditional apple strudel recipe, the dough is made from scratch, rolled, and stretched until it’s paper-thin—a process that can be as tedious as it sounds! For this easy apple strudel recipe, I use store-bought phyllo dough, a convenient modern shortcut often used in European and Middle Eastern pastries like baklava and spanakopita. While there are a few tricks to working with phyllo dough, once you get the hang of it, this strudel comes together quickly. Perfect for dessert or paired with coffee any time of day, it’s great served on its own, with a dollop of whipped cream, or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Bonus: the recipe can be multiplied for a crowd, prepared ahead of time, or frozen to bake at a later date.
“I learned to make strudel dough with my Slovenian mom when I was a child. This is SO much easier!”
What You’ll Need To Make Apple Strudel
- Baking apples: They hold their shape during baking and provide the sweet, juicy filling. Granny Smith, Golden Delicious, Honeycrisp, and Fuji are all great options; if possible, use a mix of different varietals for better flavor.
- Granulated sugar: Adds sweetness to balance the tartness of the apples.
- Cinnamon: A classic spice that adds warmth complements the apples.
- Apple brandy or regular brandy: Adds depth and enhances the flavor of the apples and raisins.
- Raisins: Sweet, chewy bites that give the filling a nice texture and added flavor. Regular or golden raisins may be used.
- Walnuts: Very finely chopped for a subtle crunch and nutty flavor.
- Phyllo dough: Thin, flaky pastry that gives the strudel its signature crisp crust. You can find phyllo dough it in the freezer section of most grocery stores (be sure to thaw it overnight in the refrigerator before using).
- Unsalted butter: Brushed between the layers of phyllo for a rich, golden texture.
- Panko bread crumbs: Absorb the moisture from the filling and help keep the phyllo crisp.
- Confectioners’ sugar: For a light dusting on top, adding sweetness and a pretty finish.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Unlike most strudel recipes, this one calls for cooking the apples first before rolling them up in the dough. This ensures that they soften adequately, and also ensures that they don’t exude too much liquid while baking, which would make the pastry soggy.
To begin, in a large skillet, combine the apples, granulated sugar, cinnamon, brandy, raisins, and salt.
Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the liquid from the apples dissolves and the apples are soft, 10 to 12 minutes.
Stir in the walnuts.
Set aside to cool.
Wet and wring out a clean dishtowel. Have a small bowl of melted butter nearby with a brush. Unroll the phyllo and cover it with the plastic wrap from the package or a sheet of wax paper, followed by the damp towel; keep it covered as you work so it doesn’t dry out.
Place 1 phyllo sheet on a clean work surface with the long side facing you. Brush the sheet with melted butter.
Layer with four additional phyllo sheets, brushing each layer with the melted butter. (You should have a stack of five buttery sheets.)
Spread half of the panko in a 3 by 10-inch rectangle about 2 inches from the bottom of the phyllo sheets and about 2 inches from each side.
Spread half of the apple mixture on top of the panko.
Fold the sides of the phyllo over the filling, then fold the bottom edge of the phyllo over filling.
Roll up jelly-roll style and carefully transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Brush the top of the strudels with the remaining butter.
With a sharp knife, cut diagonal slits in 2-in intervals through the top layers of the dough just to the filling.
Place in the oven and bake until the strudels are golden brown, about 30 minutes.
Let cool for at least 20 minutes, then transfer to a cutting board and slice each one into thirds or quarters. Dust with confectioners’ sugar, then serve warm or room temperature.
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Apple Strudel
This easy apple strudel recipe skips the fuss of traditional strudel dough, opting for store-bought phyllo pastry to wrap a delicious filling of apples, walnuts, and brandy-soaked raisins. The result? A dessert that’s just as delicious but much simpler to make—perfect any time of day with a cup of coffee!
Ingredients
- 3 large (about 1½ lbs) baking apples, peeled, cored and sliced ⅛-in thick (see note)
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons apple brandy or regular brandy
- ½ cup raisins
- Pinch salt
- ½ cup walnuts, very finely chopped
- 10 (9x14-in) sheets phyllo dough, thawed
- 1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter
- ¼ cup panko bread crumbs
- Confectioners' sugar, for dusting
Instructions
- In a large skillet, combine the apples, granulated sugar, cinnamon, brandy, raisins, and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the liquid from the apples dissolves and the apples are soft, 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in the walnuts and set aside to cool.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Line a 13 x 18-inch baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Wet and wring out a clean dishtowel. Have the melted butter nearby with a brush. Unroll the phyllo and cover it with the plastic wrap from the package (it's usually rolled in a sheet of plastic) or a sheet of wax paper, followed by the damp towel; keep it covered as you work so it doesn’t dry out. (Note: if you work quickly, you don’t need to be quite as careful about this.)
- Place 1 phyllo sheet on a clean work surface with the long side facing you. Brush the sheet with melted butter. You may find it easier to drizzle a bit of butter on the dough with the brush and then spread it across the dough in gentle strokes. Layer with four additional phyllo sheets, brushing each layer with the melted butter. (You should have a stack of five buttery sheets.)
- Spread half of the panko followed by half of the apple mixture (on top of the panko) in a 3 by 10-inch rectangle about 2 inches from the bottom of the phyllo sheets and about 2 inches from each side. Fold the sides of the phyllo over the filling, then fold the bottom edge of the phyllo over the filling. Roll up jelly-roll style and carefully transfer to the prepared baking sheet, seam side down. Repeat the process with the remaining phyllo sheets and apple filling. Brush the top of the strudels with the remaining butter. With a sharp knife, cut diagonal slits in 2-in intervals through the top layers of the dough just to the filling.
- Bake until the strudels are golden brown, about 30 minutes. Let cool for at least 20 minutes. Transfer the strudels to a cutting board and slice each one into thirds or quarters. Dust with confectioners' sugar, then serve warm or room temperature.
- Note: Readily available baking apples include Granny Smith, Golden Delicious, Fuji, Jonagold, and Honey Crisp. Use a mix of different varieties for best results.
- Note: Phyllo is more forgiving than you think. If it tears, just patch it back together with your fingers.
- Make-Ahead & Freezing Instructions: You can prepare the strudel rolls and refrigerate them for up to 2 hours before baking. You can also wrap the individual rolls in heavy-duty aluminum foil and freeze for a few months; just keep in mind that frozen strudel rolls will take a bit longer to cook. (Leftovers reheat well in a 300°F oven or toaster oven.)
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (6 servings)
- Serving size: 8
- Calories: 294
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated fat: 8 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Sugar: 20 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Sodium: 158 mg
- Cholesterol: 31 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Hi, this recipe looks fantastic. Unfortunately, I purchased puff pastry instead of phyllo dough. Can I use puff pastry and if so, what changes would I have to make?
Hi Lanie, I’ve never made it with puff pastry, but I think it should work with no modifications. Please LMK how it turns out!
Can you make this with currents instead of raisens?
Sure, Debra, that’s fine — enjoy!
This got raves from my family. I learned to make strudel dough with my Slovenian mom when I was a child. This is SO much easier! I’ll always use your method of cooking the filling first, as I used to worry that the apples wouldn’t be done.
What purpose does the panko serve? Does it just add some crunch? If I don’t have panko, do you have a substitute recommendation? I love your site and have been making your recipes for years! Thank you
Hi Elizabeth, So glad yo you like the recipes! The panko helps soak up the excess juice that the apples give off while baking. If you don’t have panko, you can use plain bread crumbs.
Can you use puff pastry here?
Hi Beth, I’ve never tried it with puff pastry, but I think it should work. Please LMK how it turns out!
Delicious and easy. My four-year-old helped me to butter the sheets and roll the strudels. Thank you for sharing another great recipe!
i dont have brandy. what can i use instead?
Hi Scott, you can just replace the brandy with water – it will still be really good. Enjoy!