Easy Apple Strudel Recipe

This Easy Apple Strudel Recipe brings the cozy warmth of a bakery treat right to your kitchen. With a golden, flaky crust that shatters delicately with each bite, it’s filled with tender, cinnamon-spiced apples that melt in your mouth.

Perfect for a weekend brunch or a comforting dessert, it’s surprisingly simple to make in just over an hour. The aroma of baked apples and buttery pastry will fill your home, making it impossible to resist a slice straight from the oven. Whether you’re a seasoned baker or a beginner, this recipe promises a delightful result every time.

In just 30 minutes of prep and 50 minutes of baking, you’ll create a dessert that feels both indulgent and effortless. The contrast of the crisp, golden layers with the soft, sweet apple filling is pure perfection.

A dusting of powdered sugar adds a final touch of elegance, making it as beautiful as it is delicious. Share it with loved ones or savor it solo—this strudel is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. It’s the kind of recipe that turns ordinary moments into something truly special, all without spending hours in the kitchen.

Ingredients for Easy Apple Strudel

• ⅓ cup (1 ½ oz/43 g) raisins
• 2 tablespoons dark rum (or water, as a substitute)
• 3 large Granny Smith apples (1 lb 8 oz/675 g), peeled, cored, and chopped
• 1 cup (2 ½ oz/71 g) fresh breadcrumbs (or ½ cup/1 ¼ oz/35 g dried breadcrumbs)
• 8 tablespoons (4 oz/113 g) butter, melted (divided into 2 tablespoons and 6 tablespoons)
• 5 tablespoons granulated sugar (divided into 3 tablespoons and 2 tablespoons)
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 6 large sheets (13×18 inch / 33×46 cm) phyllo dough (thawed, if frozen)
• Creme Anglaise (for serving)

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Prepare the raisins: In a microwave-safe bowl, combine raisins and rum (or water). Microwave for 20 seconds, then set aside to plump.
3. Make the apple filling: In a large bowl, combine apples, breadcrumbs, 2 tablespoons melted butter, 3 tablespoons sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, and salt. Add the soaked raisins and set aside.
4. Prepare the butter and sugar: Place the remaining 6 tablespoons melted butter and 2 tablespoons sugar in separate small bowls.
5. Assemble the strudel: Place one sheet of phyllo dough on the prepared baking sheet. Keep the remaining sheets covered with a damp cloth to prevent drying. Brush the sheet with butter and sprinkle with about 1 teaspoon sugar. Repeat with the remaining sheets, but do not butter or sugar the final sheet.
6. Add the filling: Position the baking sheet with a narrow end closest to you. Scoop the apple filling onto the narrow end, spreading it into a 3-inch wide strip. Leave a 2-inch border of dough on the bottom and sides.
7. Roll the strudel: Fold the sides of the dough over the apples. Starting from the bottom, roll the dough away from you to enclose the apples. Place the roll seam-side down on the baking sheet.
8. Brush and sprinkle: Brush the strudel with the remaining melted butter and sprinkle with the remaining sugar.
9. Bake: Bake for 50-60 minutes, rotating halfway through, until the pastry is golden brown.
10. Cool and serve: Let the strudel cool. Serve with a drizzle of Creme Anglaise. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Re-crisp in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 15 minutes before serving.

Perfect Pairings: Sauce and Topping Ideas

While the recipe suggests serving your apple strudel with a drizzle of Creme Anglaise, there are plenty of other delicious options to try. For a warm, comforting touch, serve it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream.

If you’re feeling adventurous, a caramel or butterscotch sauce adds a rich, decadent twist. For a lighter option, dust the strudel with powdered sugar or serve it with a side of fresh berries.

Storage and Reheating Tips

Leftover apple strudel can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. To re-crisp the pastry, place it in a preheated 300°F (150°C) oven for about 15 minutes. Avoid microwaving, as it can make the pastry soggy.

For longer storage, you can freeze the strudel (before baking) for up to 1 month. Just wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and foil, then bake directly from frozen, adding an extra 10-15 minutes to the cooking time.

Time-Saving Tricks for Busy Bakers

If you’re short on time, consider using pre-sliced apples or a food processor to speed up the prep work. You can also skip plumping the raisins in rum and simply soak them in warm water for 5 minutes.

To make assembly quicker, keep your phyllo dough covered with a damp cloth to prevent it from drying out while you work. These small adjustments can save you precious minutes without compromising the final result.

Recipe Variations to Try

Feel free to get creative with this versatile recipe! Swap the Granny Smith apples for a mix of sweet and tart varieties like Honeycrisp or Fuji. Add a handful of chopped nuts, such as walnuts or pecans, for extra crunch. If you’re not a fan of raisins, try dried cranberries or apricots instead. For a savory twist, reduce the sugar and add a pinch of nutmeg or cardamom to the filling.

Essential Equipment Guidance

To make this recipe a breeze, you’ll need a few key tools. A sharp knife or apple corer will make peeling and chopping the apples much easier. A pastry brush is essential for evenly coating the phyllo dough with butter.

A large baking sheet lined with parchment paper ensures the strudel bakes evenly and doesn’t stick. Finally, a damp cloth is a must for keeping the phyllo dough pliable while you work.

Easy Apple Strudel Recipe

Shaziya

This Easy Apple Strudel Recipe brings the cozy warmth of a bakery treat right to your kitchen. In just 30 minutes of prep and 50 minutes of baking, you’ll create a dessert that feels both indulgent and effortless.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 50 minutes mins

Total Time 1 minute min

Servings 8 people

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• ⅓ cup raisins (1 ½ oz/43 g)
• 2 tablespoons dark rum (or water)
• 3 large Granny Smith apples (1lb 8 oz/675 g) peeled, cored and chopped
• 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs (or ½ cup/1 ¼oz/35 g) dried breadcrumbs)
• 2 tablespoons butter (1 oz/28 g) plus 6 tablespoons (3 oz/85 g) butter, melted
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 6 large sheets phyllo dough (13×18 inch / 33×46 cm) (thawed, if frozen)

Creme Anglaise

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• To Make the Apple Filling In a microwave-safe bowl, combine raisins and rum (or water), and microwave for just 20 seconds. Set aside to plump.
• In a large bowl, combine apples, breadcrumbs, 2 tablespoons (1 oz/28 g) melted butter, 3 tablespoons sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, and salt. Add in the soaked raisins and set aside while you prepare the pastry.
• Place the remaining 6 tablespoons (3 oz/85 g) of melted butter and 2 tablespoons sugar in two separate small bowls.
• Assembling the Strudel Place one sheet of phyllo dough on your prepared baking sheet, leaving the remaining sheets under a damp cloth to keep from drying out.
• Brush the sheet of phyllo dough with butter and sprinkle with about a teaspoon of sugar.
• Place the second sheet of phyllo dough on top of the first and again, brush with butter and sprinkle with sugar. Continue to stack, butter and sugar with the remaining sheets of dough, but do not butter or sugar the final sheet of dough.
• Position the baking sheet with a narrow end closest to you.
• Scoop the filling onto the narrow end of the stacked dough nearest to you.
• Spread the apples into a 3-inch wide strip, leaving a 2-inch border of dough from the bottom and sides of the apple strip.
• Fold the sides of the dough over the apples, and then, starting from the bottom, start to roll the dough with the apples inside away from you until the dough is rolled up and the apples are enclosed inside.
• Place the roll, seam side down, in the center of the baking sheet and then brush with the remaining melted butter and sprinkle with the remaining sugar.
• Bake for about 50-60 minutes, rotating halfway through, until the pastry is a golden brown.
• Let cool. Serve with a drizzle of Creme Anglaise. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Re-crisp in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 15 minutes.

Keyword apple, baking, dessert, pastry, strudel

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!