Based on my Oma's traditional Apfelstrudel, these mini apple strudel are made with phyllo dough to create thin, flaky layers in just one hour. The easy filling is made with fresh apples, sweet raisins, crunchy nuts, bright lemon, and cozy cinnamon.
Oma's Apple Strudel with a Time-Saving Shortcut
German Apfelstrudel was my Grandpa's favorite dessert, and anything from a restaurant or bakery could never live up to my great-grandma's version. She would roll out the Strudelteig dough as large as their dining table, and slice the apples paper-thin.
Most recipes pile apple chunks in a big mound inside the dough, which was just apple pie according to my Grandpa. So I created these mini apple strudel to carry on the tasty memories of my family's strudel, while adjusting the method to fit my busy schedule as a toddler mom.
And if you're looking for another easy pastry made with phyllo dough, try my blueberry strudel next! Or if you've got a box of puff pastry in your freezer, I recommend making my braided cherry strudel, which is perfect for sharing at a party.
My Notes on Some Ingredients
- Phyllo pastry dough - Filo or phyllo dough can be found in the frozen aisle at most grocery stores.
- Raisins - Golden raisins work great, but I prefer the visual contrast with dark raisins.
- Chopped nuts - Walnuts or almonds are what I usually reach for, but feel free to swap in what you have in your pantry.
- Bread crumbs - This is my secret to prevent soggy bottoms! Unseasoned bread crumbs, Panko, or even crushed graham crackers absorb excess moisture from the apples as they bake, so don't skip them.
- Powdered sugar - This adds a bakery-style finish in one minute. Or serve your mini strudel with traditional vanilla sauce.
Step-by-Step: Individual Apple Strudels
Recipe Tips
- I recommend peeling the apples so they can become really soft as they bake, to contrast the flaky phyllo pastry. In testing, when I skipped peeling them, they remained a little chewy in the short bake time.
- To prevent phyllo dough from sticking, allow your frozen dough to defrost overnight in the fridge. If you try to defrost it from frozen at room temperature, it'll create too much condensation and stick together.
- Note that phyllo dough is different from puff pastry. You can swap them for these mini apple strudel, but I would consider that an apple hand pie or apple turnover instead.
Mini Apple Strudel with Phyllo Dough
developed & tested by:
These mini apple strudels are made with phyllo dough for super thin, flaky layers. Thinly sliced apples along with raisins and chopped nuts make these delicious and as close to my great-Grandma's authentic German apfelstrudel as possible.
Equipment
- Pastry Brush
Ingredients
- 6 sheets phyllo pastry dough, thawed in the fridge (store bought)
- â…“ cup raisins
- ¼ cup chopped nuts (such as walnuts or almonds)
- 1 pound apples (I recommend using Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Gala, or Jonagold)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice (from half a medium lemon)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- ¼ cup unseasoned bread crumbs or Panko bread crumbs
- â…“ cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Cover the raisins with hot water or apple juice in a bowl and allow them to soak for at least 30 minutes, or overnight. (Or you can microwave the raisins and water in a microwave safe bowl for 1 minute then let them sit for 10 minutes.)
- Peel and thinly slice the apples. Discard the cores. (You want the apple slices as thin and as evenly sliced as possible, so use a sharp kitchen knife or a mandoline slicer.)
- In a large bowl, mix the soaked and drained raisins, apple slices, chopped nuts, lemon juice, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Separate one sheet of thawed phyllo dough and place it on your counter. Use a pastry brush to brush a little melted butter on the dough.
- Fold the sheet of phyllo dough in half widthwise (hold a shorter edge and bring it to meet the other short edge). Brush a little more butter on the top of the phyllo dough.
- Spread about 2 teaspoons of the bread crumbs evenly over the folded dough. Scoop out a few large spoonful's of the apple filling in a line down the center of the dough width-wise.
- Fold the edges and sides of the phyllo dough over the apple filling. Place it seam-side-down on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining sheets of phyllo dough and apple filling. (You should have 6 mini apple strudels in total.)
- Brush the top of your mini apple strudels with the remaining melted butter.
- Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the strudels are golden and crispy. Allow your strudels to cool for 10 minutes, then dust the top with sifted powdered sugar and serve.
Notes
- Serve fresh: Mini apple strudel are best eaten fresh, warm, and crispy from the oven. After a day, they become soggy and the powdered sugar dissolves into the phyllo pastry.
- Storing: Store cooled strudel at room temperature in airtight container at room temperature for 1 day or in the fridge for up to 3 days. I don't recommend freezing mini apple strudel, since they become pretty soft and soggy as they defrost.
- Reheating: You can warm leftover mini strudels in the oven or a toaster oven, and sprinkle the top with a little extra powdered sugar.
- Phyllo Dough Tips: To avoid phyllo dough sticking together, allow your frozen dough to slowly defrost overnight in the fridge, not at room temperature. To avoid phyllo dough from tearing, keep it covered with plastic wrap and then a damp kitchen towel.Â
Nutrition
Serving: 1 strudel (of 6)Calories: 322kcalCarbohydrates: 45gProtein: 3gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 30mgSodium: 115mgPotassium: 196mgFiber: 3gSugar: 23gVitamin A: 393IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 25mgIron: 1mg
Did you make this recipe?Leave a comment below - I love hearing from you!
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emma says
Could this be frozen after putting it together and then baked from frozen? I am trying to prepare for a party and do as much as I can ahead of time.
Carissa Erzen says
Hi Emma! I haven't tried that before, so I'm not sure how the texture of the apples & pastry would hold up. I'd suggest preparing the apple filling the day prior, since that's the part of the recipe that takes the most amount of time. I hope you have a fun party!
Lee says
Thank you for sharing this recipe
Carissa Erzen says
Thank you for reading!