Authentic German Apple Strudel

This authentic German apple strudel is based on my great-grandma's recipe. There are alternating layers of apple and pastry, instead of heaping all the filling into one pile. And while homemade strudel dough may seem intimidating, I have included tons of helpful tips for a foolproof & impressive dessert!

My Grandpa grew up with his mom making apple strudel from scratch, and his love of authentic German apple strudel never diminished. Any time he was at a restaurant or bakery, he’d order apple strudel, but end up disappointed. He lament, “this isn’t apfelstrudel! This is apple pie, gosh darn it!” 

Most apple strudel found in the U.S. is really just a pie crust or puff pastry filled with apple pie filling. However, authentic German apfelstrudel is made of thin, flaky layers of dough mixed with thinly sliced apples.

While growing up in Germany, my Grandpa would tell us stories about how his mom would roll out the dough so thin that it would cover their entire wooden dining table! 

And while making such a thin dough may sound intimidating, don’t worry. The dough is super stretchy, and I have tips below for working with it, so keep reading! And the flavor of homemade Apfelstrudel from scratch just can’t be beat. 

But if you really don't want to make the dough from scratch, don't worry. You can substitute store bought phyllo dough, which I use to make mini apple strudel, strawberry strudel, and sweet cheese strudel.

My family's strudel recipe is unique from others online, because it’s traditional to the way my great-grandma made it, layering the apples and pastry.

Ingredients and Notes

Dough

• All purpose flour - Creates a stretchy dough. Using heartier types of flour like wheat flour will create dough more likely to tear when stretching and shaping the strudel.
• Salt - I recommend using table salt or fine sea salt to best distribute into the dough.
• Vegetable oil - The higher fat content in vegetable oil compared to butter keeps the dough moist and soft, so it's less likely to tear when stretching it out.
• Water - You want to use warm water, around 105°F to 115°F, which helps enhance gluten formation, which will keep your dough stretchy and less likely to tear.

Filling

• Raisins - You can use purple (regular) or gold raisins. They're soaked to plump up and provide bursts of fruity sweet flavor.
• Apples - I recommend using Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Gala, or Jonagold since these varieties hold their shape in the oven and won't become too mushy once baked.
• Lemon juice - Prevents the apples from turning brown when they’re exposed to oxygen.
• Granulated sugar - Sweetens the filling. I don't recommend using brown sugar, which could add too much excess moisture.
• Ground cinnamon and nutmeg - Add warm, spiced flavor that taste delicious with apples.
• Unsalted butter - Adds a rich flavor, and makes the pastry flaky and crispy.
• Unseasoned bread crumbs or Panko - Helps soak up excess moisture so the pastry doesn’t become soggy.

Topping

• Powdered sugar - Adds a necessary additional layer of sweetness, and covers any imperfections in your baked strudel dough, just like Vanillekipferl.

How to Make Apple Strudel

For the full step-by-step directions and ingredient measurements, scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Recipe Tips

• Try to cut the apples as thinly and uniformly as possible with a sharp kitchen knife. If the apple slices are different sizes in thickness, they’ll cook at different times. Larger apple slices will still be crunchy and uncooked while the thin slices will be soft and juicy. 
• If you’re kneading the dough by hand and the gluten in the dough seizes up (it feels really tense and hard to knead) throw the dough ball down on your work surface a few times from about one foot in the air. This will help relax the gluten so you can continue kneading.

Recipe Variations

• Nuts: You can add chopped like almonds or walnuts to the strudel filling to add a crunchy texture.
• No Raisins: Feel free to leave out the raisins, or substitute golden raisins for a milder flavor.
• Soaked Raisins: For more flavor, soak the raisins in rum, apple juice, or port wine instead of hot water.
• Other Fillings: Once you can make strudel dough, the possibilities are endless! Swap out the apples for other seasonal fruit like blueberry strudel. Or make a savory filling with mashed potatoes and peas.

Storing

Apple strudel is best on the day it’s made, while the crust is still crispy.

However you can store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. I recommend warming it in the oven or a toaster oven, and sprinkling it with a little extra powdered sugar or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Tips for Stretching Strudel Dough

• Place the dough on top of something like a newspaper or patterned tablecloth to help determine how thin to stretch it. Germans will say that your strudel dough isn’t thin enough until you can read the newspaper through it! 
• Knead the dough for at least 8 minutes to develop a lot of gluten, which will help the dough become stretchy and less likely to tear. 
• Allow the dough to rest after kneading it for at least 30 minutes, so the gluten can relax. This will make the dough softer and more pliable as you stretch it out. If the gluten isn’t relaxed, the dough will keep bouncing back and it won’t stay stretched out. 
• Remove any jewelry before stretching the dough. Rings or bracelets could get caught on the thin dough and rip it. 
• If your dough does tear while stretching it out, don’t panic. Just gently use your fingertips to press the dough back together. You can also cut a piece of dough off an edge and use that to patch any holes. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you freeze apple strudel?

Yes, you can freeze leftover strudel. Allow it to cool completely, then tightly wrap it in plastic cling wrap, then in aluminum foil. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight, then reheat in the oven on a low temperature.

Can I use frozen puff pastry instead?

If you don’t want to make the apfelstrudel dough from scratch, you could use store bought premade dough. However, I personally recommend using thawed phyllo dough (or filo dough).
Phyllo dough will create super thin, flaky layers like traditional German apple strudel. Puff pastry will make a thick crust, more like apple pie.
For more helpful tips on working with phyllo dough, check out my baklava recipe.
Or you can also use puff pastry, like in my braided cherry strudel.

Can I make this recipe gluten free?

Substituting all purpose flour with gluten free flour in the strudel dough won’t work, since gluten is required to be able to stretch the dough without tearing it. However, you can make gluten free apple strudel with store bought gluten free phyllo dough.

Where did Apple Strudel Originate?

My Grandpa’s family is from Slovenia, and when we lived in Germany, my Grandpa said he finally found real apfelstrudel, so I consider my family’s recipe an authentic German apple strudel. 

This delicious dessert is said to have initially originated in Austria, where it’s considered an iconic Viennese dessert. 

But believe it or not, the super thin pastry dough that makes a traditional strudel was inspired by phyllo or yufka pastry from the Middle East, which came to central Europe during the Ottoman Empire.

More German Recipes Featuring Apples

• Zwiebelkuchen (Onion and Apple Pie)
• Apfelmuskuchen (Applesauce Cake)
• Easy Homemade Applesauce
• Apfeltaschen (Apple Hand Pies)
• Bratapfel (Baked Apples)
• Mini Apple Strudel
• German Apple Pie
• Apple Streusel Bread