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Apple strudel is all about those crisp, buttery layers of pastry and the tender cinnamon apples inside. This recipe uses store-bought phyllo dough, so you get that flaky crunch without making and stretching the dough. Just brush the sheets with melted butter, stack them, and roll them around the apple filling.
Toasted Breadcrumbs Keep the Apple Filling in Place
Phyllo keeps it manageable. I used store-bought phyllo for thin, buttery layers without making and stretching strudel dough.
Toasted breadcrumbs absorb the juices. They help keep moisture from the apples from soaking into the pastry, and toasting them in butter adds flavor.
Lemon balances the filling. A little juice and zest brighten the sweet apples and warm cinnamon.
For another apple-filled pastry, try these apple empanadas, made in individual portions.
Ingredient Notes
Apples: Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, and Braeburn work well here. Use a combination of tart and sweet apples if you like a more balanced filling.
Phyllo dough: I used Athens phyllo sheets, which measure about 9 × 14 inches. They weren’t large enough for one big strudel, so I made two smaller ones. One individually wrapped roll of 18 sheets makes both strudels.
Breadcrumbs: Use plain dry breadcrumbs so you don’t add savory seasonings to the filling. They absorb some of the apple juices, and toasting them in butter adds flavor.
Nuts and raisins: Walnuts or pecans add a little crunch, while raisins bring extra sweetness. The raisins are optional, so leave them out if they’re not your thing.
Recipe Tips
Thaw phyllo completely: Follow the package directions and keep it wrapped until fully thawed. Trying to unroll partly frozen sheets can cause them to crack.
Keep the sheets covered: I cover the stack with plastic while I work so the phyllo stays flexible without getting damp or sticky.
Slice the apples thinly: Aim for about ⅛ inch thick. The strudel bakes fairly quickly, so thicker slices may still be firm when the pastry is done. I used an apple peeler/corer/slicer to speed things up.
Brush lightly: A thin coat of melted butter between each sheet is enough. Brush gently to avoid tearing the phyllo.
Leave excess liquid behind: The apples release juice as they sit. Spoon the filling onto the phyllo without pouring in the liquid at the bottom of the bowl.
Vent before baking: Cut diagonal slits where you plan to slice the strudel. They let steam escape and make it easier to cut through the crisp pastry after baking.
Cool before slicing: Let the strudels cool for at least 20 minutes so the filling can settle, then slice along the cuts you made before baking.
Serve It Warm and Crisp
Serve apple strudel warm, with a dusting of powdered sugar and a scoop of homemade vanilla ice cream. The ice cream melts into the cinnamon apples, and a drizzle of salted caramel sauce is a good addition if you want to go all in.
If you like apples tucked into pastry, try my apple frangipane tart or Dutch apple pie with oatmeal streusel.
Crisp Phyllo, Tender Apples
A package of phyllo makes apple strudel a much more approachable baking project. There’s a little buttering, stacking, and rolling involved, but the payoff is a golden pastry that crackles when you cut into it, with plenty of cinnamon apples in every slice.
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Apple Strudel
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Ingredients
- 8 tablespoons butter, divided, 113 grams
- ½ cup breadcrumbs, 50 grams
- 4 medium apples, about 1 ½ pounds, 680 grams
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest, finely grated
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- ½ cup walnuts, or pecans, chopped 55 grams
- ⅓ cup raisins, optional, 50 grams
- 18 sheets phyllo dough, thawed according to package directions
- powdered sugar, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the breadcrumbs and cook, stirring frequently, for 3 to 4 minutes, until golden brown and toasted. Transfer to a large bowl and let cool.
- Peel and core the apples, then slice them thinly, about ⅛ inch thick. Place them in the bowl with the breadcrumbs. Add the sugar, cinnamon, salt, lemon zest, lemon juice, walnuts, and raisins. Toss until evenly combined.
- Melt the remaining 7 tablespoons of butter. Lay a large sheet of parchment paper on the work surface. Place one sheet of phyllo on top with a long side facing you. Keep the remaining phyllo covered with a sheet of plastic while you work.
- Lightly brush the phyllo with melted butter. Place another sheet of phyllo on top and brush lightly with butter. Repeat until you have a stack of 9 sheets.
- Spoon half of the apple filling in a compact mound along the long edge of the phyllo closest to you, leaving about a 1-inch border along the edge and at both ends. Leave any excess liquid that has accumulated in the bowl behind.
- Fold the short sides of the phyllo over the filling. Using the parchment paper to help, roll the strudel up around the filling. Transfer it to the prepared baking sheet with the seam side down.
- Repeat with the remaining 9 sheets of phyllo and the remaining apple filling to make a second strudel. Place it on the baking sheet, leaving a few inches between the two strudels.
- Brush the outside of both strudels with the remaining melted butter. Cut diagonal slits across the top of each strudel where you plan to slice it for serving. The slits allow steam to escape and make the crisp phyllo much easier to cut after baking.
- Bake for 28 to 35 minutes, until the phyllo is crisp and golden brown and the apples are tender when pierced through one of the vents.
- Let the strudels cool on the baking sheet for at least 20 minutes. Dust with powdered sugar, then slice along the pre-cut lines and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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