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Authentic German Apfelstrudel Recipe
Authentic German Apfelstrudel is a classic European dessert featuring delicate, paper-thin pastry wrapped around a warm, spiced apple filling. Made from scratch with a traditional elastic dough, this homemade apple strudel delivers a perfectly flaky texture and rich flavor. Served with a creamy vanilla sauce, this timeless German recipe brings the taste of Vienna-style cafés right to your kitchen.
Ingredients
For Dough
- 2 cups All-purpose Flour
- 1 pinch Salt
- 3 tbsp Neutral Vegetable Oil Avocado or Sunflower oil
- 1 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
- ½ cup Warm Water
- Extra Oil For coating the dough
For Spiced Filling
- 3-4 large Tart Apples thinly sliced
- ½ cup Breadcrumbs Roasted in 2 tbsp Butter
- ½ cup Chopped Walnuts or Hazelnuts
- ½ cup Raisins
- ¼ cup Sugar
- 1 tbsp Cinnamon
- 1 tbsp Lemon Juice
For Vanilla Sauce
- 2 cups Milk Divided: 1 ¾ cups and ¼ cup
- 1 tbsp Starch Cornstarch or Potato starch
- 2-3 tbsp Sugar
- 2 large Egg Yolks
- 1 tbsp Vanilla Extract or ½ a scraped Vanilla Bean
Instructions
Knead and Rest the Dough
- Combine flour, salt, oil, vinegar, and warm water. Knead for 10 minutes until smooth and slightly sticky.
- Shape into a ball, coat with a layer of oil, and cover tightly. Let it rest in a warm spot for at least 1 hour.
This allows the gluten to relax so you can stretch it paper-thin without tearing.
Prepare the Filling
- Roast the breadcrumbs in butter until golden and fragrant. Peel, core, and slice the apples very thinly.
- Mix the apples with nuts, raisins, and lemon juice.
Wait until the last possible second to add the sugar and cinnamon to prevent the apples from getting soggy.
Stretch the Dough
- On a floured kitchen towel, roll the dough out slightly.
- Then, using the backs of your hands, gently stretch the dough from the center outward until it is so thin you can see the pattern of the towel through it.
- Brush the entire surface with melted butter.
Roll and Bake
- Spread the apple mixture (now mixed with sugar/cinnamon) over one-third of the dough.
- Using the towel as a guide, roll the strudel up tightly.
- Place on a parchment-lined tray, brush with butter, and bake at 400°F (200°C) for 30-35 minutes until golden brown.
Vanilla Sauce
- Heat 1 ¾ cups of milk.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the remaining ¼ cup milk with starch, egg yolks, sugar, and vanilla.
- Slowly stir this into the hot milk over low heat until it thickens into a velvety sauce.
Serving
- Dust the warm strudel with powdered sugar and serve with a generous pour of the fresh vanilla sauce.
Notes
- Roasting the breadcrumbs is vital—they act as a “sponge” to soak up the apple juices during baking.
- If you can’t find tart apples, increase the lemon juice to 1 ½ tablespoons to balance the sweetness.
Pastry Pro-Tip: If the dough is too difficult to stretch, it hasn’t rested long enough. Give it another 15 minutes.