Apfelstrudel Recipe (Viennese Apple Strudel)

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Paper-thin, flaky layers of golden pastry wrapped around tender cinnamon apples, buttery toasted breadcrumbs, and rum-soaked raisins. This is Apfelstrudel, the classic apple strudel loved all across Austria and Germany.  One bite and you’ll understand why people have been making it the same way for hundreds of years.

Making strudel dough from scratch may sound scary, but it’s really just a simple dough of flour, water, oil, and salt. The magic is in stretching it so thin you can almost see through it. Take your time, follow the steps, and you’ll have a strudel that tastes as if it came straight from a cozy European café.

What Is Apfelstrudel?

Apfelstrudel means “apple strudel” in German. It’s a traditional dessert made with a very thin, stretched dough rolled around a sweet apple filling. The word Strudel means “whirlpool,” which describes the swirly layers you see when you slice it.

Apfelstrudel comes from Austria, but it’s just as popular in Germany. The two countries share a long history. For hundreds of years, they were part of the same empire, and they still share the same language. So it’s no surprise that many favorite dishes, like apple strudel, are loved on both sides of the border. You’ll find it in bakeries, cafés, and home kitchens all over both countries.

What makes a true Apfelstrudel special is the dough. It’s not puff pastry or phyllo. It’s a soft, stretchy dough that’s pulled by hand over a big table until it’s thin enough to read a newspaper through. That’s an old saying among bakers, and it’s still the goal today!

The filling is made with apples, cinnamon, sugar, raisins, and Butterbrösel, breadcrumbs toasted in butter and sugar. The breadcrumbs soak up the apple juices, so the pastry stays crisp instead of soggy. There’s also an old-fashioned version with walnuts and sour cream added to the filling.

Ingredients You Need

This recipe has three parts: the dough, the filling, and the butter for brushing. Here’s what you’ll need. Using a kitchen scale gives you the best results.

For the strudel dough:

• Flour: The original recipe uses Austrian or German wheat flour (type 700 or 550). In the U.S., bread flour or all-purpose flour works well.
• Lukewarm water: Helps make a soft, stretchy dough.
• Sunflower oil: Makes the dough smooth and easy to stretch. Any neutral oil works.
• Salt: Adds flavor and strengthens the dough.

The filling:

• Apples: Use tart, firm apples like Granny Smith, Braeburn, or Boskoop. Peel them and slice them very thin.
• Lemon juice: Keeps the apples from browning and adds a fresh tang. Use a little more if your apples are very sweet.
• Breadcrumbs: Plain, fine, dry breadcrumbs soak up the apple juice and keep the strudel from getting soggy.
• Butter: For toasting the breadcrumbs.
• Granulated sugar: Sweetens the filling and helps the breadcrumbs turn golden.
• Ground cinnamon: The classic strudel spice. Use more or less, depending on how much you love cinnamon.
• Raisins: Soaked overnight in rum so they’re plump and juicy.
• Rum: The original recipe uses Inländerrum, a spiced Austrian rum. In the U.S., use dark rum.

For finishing:

• Melted butter: For brushing the dough and the top of the strudel.
• Rye flour or all-purpose flour: Just a little, for dusting the cloth.
• Powdered sugar: For dusting the baked strudel.

Equipment You Need

The most important tools for strudel are a big table and a clean cloth. Here’s everything you’ll need:

• Large table: You’ll need a lot of space to stretch the dough. A kitchen or dining table is perfect.
• Large cotton tablecloth: The dough is stretched on top of it and rolled up with it.
• Kitchen scale: For measuring the ingredients exactly.
• Rolling pin: For rolling out the dough before stretching.
• Pastry brush: For brushing the dough with melted butter.
• Large skillet: For toasting the breadcrumbs.
• Large mixing bowls: For the dough and the apple filling.
• Large baking sheet: Big enough to fit the whole strudel.
• Parchment paper: For lining the baking sheet.
• Kitchen scissors or a sharp knife: For trimming the thick dough edges.

How to Make Apfelstrudel

This recipe takes a little time and patience, but each step is simple. Remember to soak the raisins the night before! Click here for instructions!

The Night Before

1: Soak the raisins. Mix the raisins and rum in a small bowl. Cover and let them soak overnight at room temperature.

Make the Strudel Dough

2: Mix the dough. Sift the flour into a bowl. Add the lukewarm water, sunflower oil, and salt, and stir until a rough dough forms.

3: Knead. Turn the dough out onto your counter and knead it for about 10 minutes, until it’s very smooth, soft, and stretchy. The dough should feel slightly warm, about 77 to 81°F.

4: Rest the dough. Shape the dough into a smooth ball, place it in a bowl, and brush it with a little oil. Cover it and let it rest for at least 30 minutes. This relaxes the dough so it stretches without tearing.

Make the Filling

5: Toast the breadcrumbs. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sugar and breadcrumbs and stir often until the breadcrumbs turn light golden brown. Watch closely so they don’t burn. Let them cool.

6: Prepare the apples. Peel and core the apples, then slice them very thin. Put them in a large bowl and toss with the lemon juice.

7: Mix the filling. Add the cooled buttery breadcrumbs, cinnamon, and rum-soaked raisins to the apples and mix everything together. For the old-fashioned version, also add the chopped walnuts and sour cream.

Stretch the Dough

8: Heat the oven. Preheat your oven to 420 to 445°F (conventional bake, not convection). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

9: Prepare the cloth. Spread a large cotton cloth over your table and dust it very lightly with rye flour or all-purpose flour.

10: Roll out the dough. Place the dough in the middle of the cloth and roll it out with a rolling pin as far as you can.

11: Stretch the dough. Take off any rings or watches. Slide your hands under the dough with your palms facing down, and gently stretch it from the middle outward using the backs of your hands. Walk around the table and keep stretching little by little until the dough is very thin and almost see-through.

12: Stretch it over the edges. Gently pull the edges of the dough over the sides of the table. Try not to leave any thick edges. If there are thick spots around the outside, trim them off with kitchen scissors.

13: Brush with butter. Gently brush the whole sheet of dough with melted butter.

Fill and Roll

14: Add the filling. Spread the apple filling in a long, thick row along the bottom edge of the dough, closest to you.

15: Fold the sides. Fold the dough at the short ends over the filling to close it in.

16: Roll it up. Lift the cloth with both hands and use it to roll the strudel up and away from you. The cloth does the work, so you never have to touch the delicate dough.

Bake

17: Move to the baking sheet. Carefully roll the strudel off the cloth and onto the lined baking sheet, seam side down. If it’s too long, gently bend it into a horseshoe shape.

18: Butter the top. Brush the top of the strudel generously with melted butter.

19: Bake. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the strudel is golden brown and crisp.

20: Cool and serve. Let the strudel cool until it’s just warm. Dust with powdered sugar and serve with vanilla whipped cream.

Variations & Substitutions

Here are a few ways to make this strudel your own:

• Old-fashioned Apfelstrudel: Add ½ cup chopped walnuts and a scant ½ cup sour cream to the apple filling for a richer, creamier strudel.
• No rum: Soak the raisins in warm apple juice or water instead.
• No raisins: Leave them out, or use dried cranberries.
• Short on time? Use store-bought phyllo dough. Brush each sheet with butter and stack 6 to 8 sheets. It won’t be quite the same, but it’s still delicious.
• Pear strudel: Swap half the apples for firm pears.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are the questions I hear most about Apfelstrudel.

Is Apfelstrudel German or Austrian?
It comes from Austria, but it’s just as loved in Germany. The two countries share a long history and the same language, so it’s a favorite in both.

How thin should the dough be?
Very thin! The old bakers’ saying is that you should be able to read a newspaper through it.

My dough keeps tearing. What am I doing wrong?
The dough may not have rested long enough, or you’re stretching too fast. Let it rest for at least 30 minutes, and stretch slowly with the backs of your hands. A few small holes are totally fine.

Why are there breadcrumbs in the filling?
They soak up the juice from the apples so the pastry stays crisp instead of soggy. They also add a wonderful buttery, toasty flavor.

What kind of apples should I use?
Tart, firm apples like Granny Smith, Braeburn, or Boskoop hold their shape and balance the sweetness.

Can I use puff pastry or phyllo instead?
You can use phyllo for a quicker version, but homemade strudel dough is what makes it a true Apfelstrudel. Puff pastry makes a very different, heavier strudel.

Can I make it without rum?
Yes! Soak the raisins in warm apple juice or water instead.

How do I serve apple strudel?
It’s traditionally served warm with powdered sugar and vanilla whipped cream. Vanilla ice cream or warm vanilla sauce are delicious too.

Can I make it ahead of time?
Yes! Bake it, let it cool, and freeze it. Reheat in the oven until warm and crisp.

More Recipes You’ll Love

If you love apple desserts, try these next:

• Easy German Apple Cake (Apfelkuchen)
• German Sunken Apple Cake (Versunkener Apfelkuchen)
• Easy Homemade Applesauce

Pull Up a Chair!

There’s something so special about pulling a golden, flaky apple strudel out of your own oven. It takes a little patience, but stretching that dough by hand and rolling it up with the cloth is part of the fun. Serve it warm with a dusting of powdered sugar and a big spoonful of whipped cream, put the coffee on, and invite someone to share it with you.

If you make it, I’d love to see it! Tag me on Instagram or pin it to your German baking board on Pinterest.

Enjoy every bite,