Description
A forgiving and delicious apple strudel made with store-bought phyllo dough, spiced apple filling, and a warm vanilla sauce. It offers the flaky, buttery texture of a high-end German bakery dessert in under an hour.
Ingredients
Scale
- 6 medium apples (about 2 lbs / 900g), peeled, cored, and sliced ¼ inch thick (mix of Granny Smith and Honeycrisp/Fuji)
- ½ cup (115g) unsalted butter, melted (divided)
- ¾ cup (150g) packed brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated
- ½ teaspoon cardamom
- ½ cup (50g) plain dry breadcrumbs
- 1 package (16 oz / 450g) phyllo dough, thawed
- 1 cup (240ml) heavy cream
- ¼ cup (50g) sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a 18×13 inch baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, toss sliced apples with 2 tablespoons melted butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom. Let sit for 10 minutes, then drain excess liquid. Tapple mixture with breadcrumbs to absorb moisture.
- Unroll phyllo dough and keep covered with a damp towel. Lay out 8-10 sheets, overlapping or in a grid pattern, brushing each sheet lightly with melted butter.
- Spread the apple mixture in a log shape down the center of the phyllo, leaving a 2-inch border. Fold in the sides and gently roll the strudel away from you, brushing the top with remaining melted butter.
- Place strudel seam-side down on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 35-40 minutes until deep golden brown. Tent with foil if browning too quickly.
- While strudel bakes, make the vanilla sauce: In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla. Whisk until sugar dissolves and mixture simmers. Remove from heat and whisk in 2 tablespoons butter until smooth.
- Let strudel cool for 10 minutes before slicing into 1-inch pieces. Serve warm with vanilla sauce.
Notes
Keep phyllo dough covered with a damp towel while working to prevent cracking. Use a mix of tart and sweet apples for best texture. Do not skip the breadcrumbs as they absorb excess moisture to prevent a soggy bottom. Let the strudel cool for 10 minutes before slicing to allow the filling to set.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 35-40 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: German
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (approx. 1/8
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 22
- Fat: 16
- Saturated Fat: 8
- Carbohydrates: 42
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 4
Keywords: apple strudel, phyllo dough, german dessert, fall dessert, easy strudel, vanilla sauce, weeknight dessert, oktoberfest