Apfelstrudel (Austrian Apple Strudel)

Traditional Austrian apple strudel (apfelstrudel) made with hand-stretched dough is the authentic way to make this classic dessert! It's easier than you think to make homemade apple strudel from scratch. This is the flakiest, most intensely apple apfelstrudel around.

(This recipe was originally published in November 2016, but was updated with new photos and content in 2020)

The word strudel means whirlpool in German, with the dish’s origins dating back to 1696 in Austria. The name refers to the swirling shape of thin layers of dough wrapped around a filling.

Although strudel is often mistaken as a German invention, it’s considered to be one of the national dishes of Austria with its epicenter in Vienna. It’s also popular throughout various countries in Central Europe including Germany, of course, and the Czech Republic.

There are many shortcuts to making apple strudel, such as using phyllo dough and even puff pastry, but making hand-stretched strudel dough from scratch is the authentic way to make it. Stretching the dough is actually the most fun part of the process, so definitely give it a try!

"This is better than the strudel my grandmother used to make!" - my half-German brother-in-law

Ingredient notes

• Apples: You want to use cooking apples (the kind you’d also use for pie). Some varieties of apples that would work well here include Granny Smith, Cortland, McIntosh, Pink Lady, Bramley, and Northern Spy. If you want to use a variety of different types of apples, your apple strudel will have an even more complex flavored filling!
• Raisins: I recommend using black or red raisins (anything with a darker color) as it will provide a great color contrast in your filling as opposed to golden raisins which will blend in more with the apples.
• Unseasoned Dried Bread Crumbs: These act as a base for your apfelstrudel filling. Use store-bought or make your own. To make them yourself add cubes of stale bread to a food processor and process until the bread is reduced to crumbs. Then transfer the crumbs to a baking sheet. Toast the bread crumbs in the oven at 250 degrees F for about 20 minutes give or take, stirring periodically so they toast evenly.
• Vanillezucker: This is used to sweeten the bread crumb mixture. You can actually purchase this traditional vanilla sugar online, or you can make it yourself. Here’s how: bury a whole or scraped vanilla bean in 2 cups granulated sugar. Store in an airtight container for 1 to 2 weeks before using as regular, granulated sugar. Don’t be tempted to use vanilla extract here. It’s liquid and will potentially make your bread crumbs soggy instead of crispy.

How to make it

Begin by soaking raisins in rum overnight. I like where this is going! 

Next, make the strudel dough. Combine flour and salt, then pour in some oil followed by water. Stir with  your finger until it comes together, then knead the dough until it is supple and smooth. Shape it into a ball, cover it, and let it rest on your work surface for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the apple strudel filling by combining thinly sliced apples, lemon juice, sugar, cinnamon, and the rum-soaked raisins. When the time comes, you want to make sure you use a slotted spoon when transferring the filling to the stretched strudel dough. Those extra juices will make your strudel soggy.

In a small pan melt some butter and then add unseasoned dried bread crumbs, vanillezucker (vanilla sugar), and a pinch of salt. Stir and toast until the bread crumbs are golden brown and fragrant. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper. Melt more butter in a pan and set it aside.

Here comes the fun part, stretching the strudel dough! On your work surface, spread out a clean cotton or linen kitchen towel that measures at least 24 by 32-inches. I use a folded bed sheet. The long side of the towel should be horizontal and the short side vertical; this is how you want the dough to be positioned later when you fill it.

Sprinkle flour lightly over the towel. Place the strudel dough in the middle of the towel and roll it out several times in both directions with a rolling pin until it’s about 10 by 13 inches (PHOTOS 1-2).

Then ball your hands to loose fists, put them under the rolled-out dough, and gently start stretching out the dough using the back of your hands (PHOTO 3). Alternate with pulling on the dough gently with your fingers to continue stretching the dough.

This takes patience and some confidence. You don’t want the dough to rip, but you do need to stretch out the dough with some assertiveness. If it does rip, press the dough together again around the rip. Continue stretching out the dough evenly until it measures 16 by 24 inches and is thin enough that you can see the pattern of the towel through it. Make sure you pull the edges of the dough as thin as you can, too. The dough should be uniformly thin all over (PHOTO 4).

Brush the surface with some of the melted butter. On the right side of the rectangle, distribute the toasted, now-sweetened bread crumbs from top to bottom over one-quarter of the dough, leaving 1 ¼-inch border at the edges on the top, bottom, and right (PHOTO 5). They will create a barrier between the apple filling and the dough. You're almost there! 

Drain off any juices that have accumulated at the bottom of the bowl of apples and raisins, and then pile the apple mixture evenly over the bread crumbs (PHOTO 6). 

If you have an extra set of hands, it will help when rolling the apple strudel. Gently pull the top and bottom edges of the dough over the sides of the filling, stretching slightly if necessary, and then pull the right edge of the dough up and over the filling as far as it will go without tearing. Working carefully, use the towel to roll up the strudel all the way.

Using the towel as a sling, gently roll the strudel onto the baking sheet with the bread crumbs and the seam on the bottom. I’ve learned the hard way that if the seam isn’t on the bottom, your strudel can leak. Do your best to finagle it to get it right.

If the strudel roll feels sturdy enough, you can instead transfer the roll with your hands. If the strudel is lumpy or larger at one end than the other, use your hands gently but firmly to form the strudel into a uniform shape–it should be the same thickness all the way along its length.

Slather the top and sides with more melted butter, and you're ready to bake!

Brush butter on the apple strudel at 15 minute intervals throughout baking, ensuring a beautifully golden, crispy crust. The apple strudel should take about 45 minutes total baking time.

Remove from the oven and let it cool for at least 20 minutes. Dust with confectioners' sugar (powdered sugar) and slice into 2-inch slices to serve. You may serve this apfelstrudel as is or with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream on the side.

The exterior is crisp and flaky, and the apple and raisin filling practically melts in your mouth. Even if your apple strudel doesn’t look perfect, it will taste amazing!

This Austrian apple strudel is best the day it is made, but will keep for 1 to 2 days at room temperature if necessary. Re-crisp leftovers for a few minutes in the oven before serving to freshen them up.

Please scroll to the bottom of the post for the full recipe (in a printable recipe card) including ingredient amounts and detailed instructions.

Expert tips and FAQs

Although this traditional apple strudel recipe can seem intimidating, it's really not that difficult. I usually have a bit of kitchen help peeling, quartering, and coring the apples while I simultaneously slice them. If you have some help, the process of making apple strudel from scratch will be a lot faster and easier than you'd think!

Otherwise, I only spend about 1 ½ hours on the entire process before my traditional apple strudel goes into the oven. That includes, making the dough, resting the dough, preparing the apple filling, toasting the breadcrumbs, stretching the dough, and assembling and rolling the strudel (and taking photos).

"This is better than apple pie!" - my American, pie-loving sister

Other recipes you may like

• Vanillekipferl (Austrian Vanilla Crescent Cookies)
• Cremeschnitte (Austrian Cream Slices)
• Topfenstrudel (Quark Strudel / Cheese Strudel)
• Donauwelle Kuchen (Danube Wave Cake / Snow White Cake)
• Buchteln (Austrian Stuffed Sweet Rolls)
• Appelflappen (Dutch Apple Turnovers)
• Tarte aux Pommes (French Apple Tart)
• Gâteau Invisible aux Pommes (Invisible Apple Cake)
• Browse all Dessert Recipes

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Apfelstrudel (Austrian Apple Strudel)

Traditional apple strudel (apfelstrudel) made with hand-stretched dough is the authentic way to make this classic Austrian dessert! It's easier than you think to make homemade apple strudel from scratch. This is the flakiest, most intensely apple apfelstrudel around.

4.91 from 11 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Austrian, German

Prep Time: 45 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 35 minutes minutes

Servings: 7 servings (based on a 2-inch cut on a 14-inch strudel)

Calories: 569kcal

Author: Victoria

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Ingredients

Raisins:

• ▢ ½ cup (75 grams) raisins
• ▢ 2 tablespoons dark rum

Dough:

• ▢ 1 ¼ cups scooped and leveled, minus 1 tablespoon (150 grams) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• ▢ Pinch of salt
• ▢ 3 tablespoons sunflower oil or other neutral vegetable oil
• ▢ ⅓ cup (80 ml) water

Apple Filling:

• ▢ 2 ¼ pounds (1 kg) apples (about 6 or 7 medium)
• ▢ Juice of 1 lemon
• ▢ ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons (75 grams) granulated sugar
• ▢ ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ▢ 8 tablespoons (115 grams) unsalted butter
• ▢ ½ cup (60 grams) unseasoned dried bread crumbs
• ▢ 1 tablespoon Vanillezucker (vanilla sugar)
• ▢ ⅛ teaspoon salt

Finishing:

• ▢ Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
• ▢ Schlagsahne (whipped cream) or vanilla ice cream, for serving

Instructions

Raisins:

• The day before you plan to bake, place the raisins and rum in a small nonreactive bowl and cover. Set aside for 24 hours.

Dough:

• The day of baking, make the dough. Combine the flour and salt in a small bowl. Pour the oil into the flour mixture, and then slowly add the water, using your index finger to stir. The mixture will be very wet.
• Continue to stir with your fingers, and as soon as the dough has come together, dump it out onto a work surface (you may lightly flour it if needed, but once you get started with kneading, you won’t need to add more) and start kneading the dough.
• Knead for 10 minutes (set a timer; the time will pass faster than you think). At the end of the kneading, the dough should be soft, supple, and silky to the touch. Form it into a ball and place it on the work surface. Invert the bowl over the dough and let it rest for 30 minutes.

Filling:

• While the dough is resting, prepare the apple filling: Peel, quarter, and core the apples. Slice the quarters thinly, and then cut the slices in half crosswise. Place in a large bowl and toss with the lemon juice, sugar, and cinnamon. Add the plumped raisins and any rum left in the bowl.
• Melt 3 tablespoons (40 grams) of the butter in a small pan over medium-high heat; add the breadcrumbs, Vanillezucker, and salt. Stir to coat and then cook the bread crumbs, stirring constantly, until they are golden brown and very fragrant, 5 to 8 minutes. Don’t let the bread crumbs burn. Set aside.

Assembly and Baking:

• Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper.
• Melt the remaining 5 tablespoons (75 grams) of butter in a small pan and set aside.
• On your work surface, spread out a clean cotton or linen kitchen towel that measures at least 16-by-24-inches (40-by-60-cm). The long side of the towel should be horizontal and the short side vertical. This is how you want the dough to be positioned later when you fill it.
• Sprinkle flour lightly over the towel. Place the dough in the middle of the towel and roll it out several times in both directions with a rolling pin until it’s about 10-by-13-inches (25-by-33-cm). Then ball your hands to loose fists, put them under the rolled-out dough, and gently start stretching out the dough using the back of your hands. Alternate with pulling on the dough gently with your fingers to continue stretching the dough. This takes patience and some confidence. You don’t want the dough to rip, but you do need to stretch out the dough with some assertiveness. If it does rip, press the dough together again around the rip.
• Continue stretching out the dough evenly until it measures 16-by-24-inches (40-by-60-cm) and is thin enough that you can see the pattern of the towel through it. Make sure you pull the edges of the dough as thin as you can, too. The dough should be uniformly thin all over.
• Brush the dough evenly all over with some of the melted butter. On the right side of the rectangle, distribute the toasted, lightly sweetened bread crumbs from top to bottom over one-quarter of the dough, leaving 1 ¼-inch border at the edges on the top, bottom, and right.
• Drain off any juices that have accumulated at the bottom of the bowl of apples and raisins, and then pile the apple mixture evenly over the bread crumbs. Gently pull the top and bottom edges of the dough over the sides of the filling, stretching slightly if necessary, and then pull the right edge of the dough up and over the filling as far as it will go without tearing. Working carefully, use the towel to roll up the strudel all the way.
• Using the towel as a sling, gently roll the strudel onto the baking sheet with the bread crumbs and the seam on the bottom. If the strudel roll feels sturdy enough, you can instead transfer the roll with your hands. If the strudel is lumpy or larger at one end than the other, use your hands gently but firmly to form the strudel into a uniform shape–it should be the same thickness all the way along its length. Brush the strudel liberally and thoroughly with more of the melted butter.
• Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake the strudel for 15 minutes; remove from the oven and brush the strudel thoroughly all over with more of the melted butter. Rotate and bake for another 15 minutes; remove again and brush liberally with the remaining butter. Rotate again and bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes. When ready, the strudel should be crisp to the touch and a deep golden brown.
• Remove the baking sheet from the oven and put it on a rack to cool for at least 20 minutes before serving. Slice into 2-inch pieces using a serrated knife, dust with confectioners' sugar, and serve with schlagsahne (whipped cream) or vanilla ice cream alongside. Strudel is best the day it is made, but it keeps 1 to 2 days at room temperature. Before serving, crisp up leftover strudel in a 350°F (180°C) oven for a few minutes.

Notes

• For the apples you want to use cooking apples (the kind you’d also use for pie). Some varieties of apples that would work well here include Granny Smith, Cortland, McIntosh, Pink Lady, Bramley, and Northern Spy. If you want to use a variety of different types of apples, your apple strudel will have an even more complex flavored filling!
• I recommend using black or red raisins (anything with a darker color) as it will provide a great color contrast in your filling as opposed to golden raisins which will blend in more with the apples.
• Use store-bought dried bread crumbs or make your own. To make them yourself add cubes of stale bread to a food processor and process until the bread is reduced to crumbs. Then transfer the crumbs to a baking sheet. Toast the bread crumbs in the oven at 250°F for about 20 minutes give or take, stirring periodically so they toast evenly.
• To make your own Vanillezucker (vanilla sugar) bury a whole or scraped vanilla bean in 2 cups granulated sugar. Store in an airtight container for 1 to 2 weeks before using as regular, granulated sugar.
• Adapted from Classic German Baking

Nutrition

Serving: 1piece | Calories: 569kcal | Carbohydrates: 98g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 34mg | Sodium: 134mg | Potassium: 517mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 56g

*All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.*

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