Apple Strudel
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This apple strudel recipe uses store-bought phyllo instead of homemade strudel dough, making the classic pastry much easier to pull off at home.
Apple strudel is a classic Viennese pastry filled with brandy-soaked raisins, apples, and chopped walnuts. Traditionally, the dough is made from scratch, rolled, and stretched until it’s paper-thin—a process as tedious as it sounds. For this easy apple strudel recipe, I use store-bought phyllo dough instead, which gives you those crisp, flaky layers without all the work.
And don’t be intimidated by the phyllo. With a few simple pointers, it’s easier to work with than you might think—even if a sheet tears here and there. The strudel is wonderful with coffee or served for dessert with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, and it can be assembled ahead of time or frozen to bake later.
“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
- Apples: Choose firm, tart-sweet apples that hold their shape when cooked. Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Golden Delicious, Fuji, or a combination work well.
- Raisins and brandy: Soaking the raisins in brandy plumps them up and adds another layer of flavor. If you prefer not to use alcohol, you can soak them in warm water instead.
- Walnuts: Add crunch and a slightly earthy flavor that balances the sweet apple filling. Pecans would also work well.
- Cinnamon: Adds warmth and pairs naturally with the apples.
- Phyllo dough: A convenient shortcut for traditional homemade strudel dough. Keep it covered with a damp towel while you work so the thin sheets don’t dry out.
- Butter: Brushed between the phyllo sheets to help create crisp, flaky layers and encourage browning.
- Panko bread crumbs: Absorb some of the juices from the apple filling, helping the phyllo stay crisp rather than soggy.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
How To Make Apple Strudel
Make the apple filling: Combine the apples, sugar, cinnamon, brandy, raisins, and salt in a large skillet. Cook until the apples are tender and the liquid they release has cooked away. Stir in the walnuts, then set the filling aside to cool.
Layer the phyllo: Layer the phyllo sheets, brushing each one with melted butter as you go. Keep the unused sheets covered so they don’t dry out, and don’t worry about an occasional tear—the layers are very forgiving.
Add the filling: Sprinkle the panko near the bottom of the layered phyllo, then spoon the cooled apple filling over top. The panko absorbs any juices from the filling and helps keep the pastry crisp.
Roll the strudel: Fold in the sides first to contain the filling, then bring the bottom edge up and roll the strudel into a neat log. Place it seam side down on the baking sheet and assemble the second strudel the same way.
Bake and cool: Brush the strudels with butter and cut a few diagonal vents across the tops to let steam escape. Bake until the phyllo is crisp and deeply golden brown, then let the strudels cool before slicing. Dust with confectioners’ sugar before serving.
More Apple Desserts You’ll Love
Apple Strudel
Ingredients
- 3 large baking apples (about 1½ lbs), peeled, cored and sliced ⅛-in (3-mm) 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-inch) 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 (175°C) 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 3x10-inch rectangle about 2 inch 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-inch 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.
Notes
- Readily available baking apples include Granny Smith, Golden Delicious, Fuji, Jonagold, and Honey Crisp. Use a mix of different varieties for best results.
- Phyllo is more forgiving than you think. If it tears, just continue layering and it will all work out.
- 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
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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The strudel was delicious. I needed 1 1/2 sticks of butter to fully coat the 10 sheets of phyllo dough. Thanks for this recipe, Jenn!
Can this be made a day ahead?
Yep 🙂
I have made this a few times and its always fabulous, thank you! Making tomorrow on request for daughter in laws birthday. She loves the taste of ground almonds so would it work better to add ground almonds or almond essence please?
Glad you liked it! I’d just substitute almonds for the walnuts. Happy birthday to your daughter-in-law. 😊
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.
Hi would dusting some flour work? I cross a recipe I often make uses flour which I assume would be for the same reason?
Hi Sherrie, I haven’t tried it, but I think that should work.
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!