Topfenstrudel (Quark Strudel or Cheese Strudel) is a classic Austrian dessert. It features flaky, paper-thin layers of hand-stretched dough wrapped around a creamy filling of fresh farmer cheese flavored with lemon and vanilla and finished with sweet raisins.

Two slices of cheese strudel with raisins topped with powdered sugar on small white plates.

While perhaps the most famous strudel to originate in Austria is apfelstrudel or apple strudel, the strudel that has stolen my heart is actually topfenstrudel. This translates into English as quark strudel, cheese strudel, or even cream cheese strudel.

Believe it or not, topfenstrudel is (in my opinion) easier to make than its sister apfelstrudel. No need to peel and slice apples for this one. This filling comes together more easily. It features a combination of creamy quark (fresh cheese), eggs, sugar, lemon zest, vanilla, and raisins.

A quark strudel is to an apple strudel as a cheese danish is to a fruit danish. I personally always pick the cheese danish when given the choice! There is just something about that slightly sweet creamy filling that wins me over time and again. Similarly, this cheese strudel encompasses that feeling.

One final note, do not be discouraged by the idea of hand-stretching the strudel dough. Although it's tempting to take a shortcut and use phyllo dough or puff pastry, the result using homemade strudel dough is far superior. I actually think stretching the dough is the most fun part of this recipe!

Ingredient notes

Ingredients for quark strudel on a white marble background.

Quark:
- Quark is a type of fresh cheese, sometimes called farmer cheese or curd cheese. It is very traditional in Baltic, Germanic and Slavic-speaking countries.
- The word "quark" actually translates to "curds" in German. In Austria it's called topfen (hence topfenstrudel), in French it's fromage blanc (white cheese) or fromage frais (fresh cheese), in Polish it's twaróg, in Czech and Slovak it's tvaroh, and in Russian it's tvorog (творог). German-style quark has more of a creamy texture than Russian tvarog, which is a bit more dry and crumbly.
- The type of quark available in Germany and Austria may be more difficult to find in the United States unless you have a German market in your area. I initially tried this recipe with Vermont Creamery Quark. It was way too thin (like yogurt in texture) for the filling. The result was a mess and completely leaked out of my strudel as I attempted to roll it. Because of that experience, I strongly encourage you to seek out thicker quark for this recipe.
- I used Russian-style tvarog and found it to be much better than my previous attempts, even though it's a bit thicker than what is used in Austria for quark strudel. I purchased mine at the European Food Market in Rhode Island (photo below is of their selection).
- Because the curds are slightly more dry, I would recommend first pureeing tvarog-style quark in a food processor with the other filling ingredients (minus the raisins) to yield a creamier and smoother result rather than only mixing it by hand. In these photos I mixed it by hand, but have used a food processor subsequent times and I highly recommend that additional step. If you don't, the filling may appear slightly lumpy before baking as some of the curds remained distinct rather than homogenous in the filling.

A variety of packages of farmer cheese in a grocery display.

Semolina Flour: The addition of semolina flour provides a bit more structure to the topfenstrudel filling and ensures it thickens and sets. If your quark is very thick, you may not need this ingredient, but adding it won't hurt either.
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 quark.

A slice of quark strudel with flowers and a bottle of vanilla extract behind it.

How to make it

First, make the dough. Combine flour and salt in a small bowl. Pour the oil into the flour mixture (PHOTO 1). Then slowly add the water, using your index finger to stir. The mixture will be very wet (PHOTO 2).

Step-by-step photos of mixing strudel dough in a metal mixing bowl.

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.

A ball of strudel dough held in someone's palm over a white marble background.

Meanwhile, make the filling. Place quark, eggs, granulated sugar, semolina, salt, lemon zest, and vanilla in a bowl (PHOTO 3) and whisk or stir until smooth. If your quark is a bit more firm/dry like Russian tvarog, you may place the ingredients in a food processor instead and puree until smooth (to ensure it's not lumpy with curds). Then finally stir in the raisins and set aside (PHOTO 4).

Before and after photos of mixing quark strudel filling in a metal mixing bowl.

Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper.

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) (PHOTOS 5-8).

Step-by-step photos of rolling out dough on a kitchen towel with a rolling pin.

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. Continue stretching out the dough evenly until it measures 16-by-24-inches (40-by-60-cm) (PHOTOS 9-12).

Step-by-step photos of stretching strudel dough by hand on over a kitchen towel.

Brush the dough evenly all over with some of the melted butter (PHOTO 13). Spread the quark filling onto about ¼ or ⅓ of the dough on either of the short sides, leaving about a 2-inch (5 cm) border on that side as well as the top and bottom (PHOTO 14).

Step-by-step photos of brushing melted butter on strudel dough and topping with quark filling.

Gently pull the border strip of dough up and over the filling, using the towel to help lift it. Pull the top and bottom edges of dough up and over the filling as well. Working carefully, use the towel to roll up the strudel all the way (PHOTOS 15-18).

Step-by-step photos of rolling quark strudel into a long cylinder shape using a kitchen towel.

Carefully transfer the topfenstrudel to the baking sheet (use the towel if necessary), making sure the seam is on the bottom (PHOTOS 19-20).

Step-by-step photos of transferring an unbaked cheese strudel roll onto a baking sheet.

Using the parchment paper as a sling, drag the strudel to the edge of the baking sheet so the long side of the quark strudel is up against the long side of the baking sheet with some of the parchment paper between it and the baking sheet.

Place an inverted pan such as a loaf pan or a small rectangular pan (mine is 8-inches wide and works perfectly) on the other side of the strudel. Leave some parchment paper between the strudel and the other pan to keep it from sticking.

An unbaked strudel penned between the edge of a sheet pan and an inverted rectangular pan.

The quark strudel should now be penned in on both sides. This will help it retain its shape and not flatten out too much while it bakes. Brush the strudel gently and evenly with more of the melted butter all over.

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 15 to 20 minutes. When ready, the strudel should be crisp to the touch, starting to flake, and a deep golden brown.

Remove the baking sheet from the oven and put it on a rack to cool topfenstrudel for at least 30 minutes before serving. Trim the ends, then slice into 6 equal pieces. Dust with confectioners’ sugar and serve just slightly warm or at room temperature.

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

Two slices of powdered sugar topped strudel on white square plates on a yellow gingham towel.

Expert tips

Topfenstrudel is best the day it is made, but can be kept 1 additional day at room temperature, lightly wrapped in foil. Before serving, crisp up leftover strudel in a 350°F (180°C) oven for a few minutes.

I'm repeating a note from above in the Ingredient Notes section as I think it's especially important. Because the curds of Russian tvarog-style quark are slightly more dry, I would recommend first pureeing it in a food processor with the remaining filling ingredients (minus the raisins). This will yield a creamier and smoother result rather than only mixing it by hand for the filling. With that said, it will be delicious even if you only mix by hand (which is what I did in these photos), but if you have a food processor it's worth the extra step.

If you are a bit short on quark (farmer cheese) you can make up the difference with some sour cream. I've done this before and it works great and adds a slight tanginess to the topfenstrudel filling. Just weigh or measure out the missing amount with sour cream until you have enough total.

It is very important to knead the dough for as long as the recipe calls for because you need to develop a lot of gluten in the dough (which is achieved by kneading it). If you don't develop enough gluten, you won't be able to stretch it so thin without it easily tearing. If your dough tears, just patch it back together. It's surprisingly easy to work with.

Closeup of a slice of cheese strudel with raisins with flowers in the background.

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