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Warmly spiced apple filling is baked inside puff pastry sheets and topped with an irresistible maple glaze in this Apple Strudel recipe. Serve with whipped cream or a scoop of ice cream for an impressive fall dessert.
I love apple season and look forward to it every year. I love making desserts like apple pie, baked apples, and apple crumble. This apple strudel is another favorite. The braided pattern makes it look so fancy, but it’s shockingly simple to make. I love to serve it with a scoop of ice cream or some whipped cream for dessert!
Why This Is My Favorite Apple Strudel Recipe
- Made with puff pastry. This apple strudel recipe uses puff pastry sheets, which cuts down on prep. There’s no need to worry about making the dough from scratch. Plus, I love the flaky texture of puff pastry!
- Easy & accessible. Everyone can make this dessert! The dough is usually what intimidates people, but puff pastry sheets are so easy to work with. I’d see this is even easier to make than apple pie!
- Warm apple pie flavors. The filling used to make these apple strudels is very similar to apple pie filling. I’ll sometimes make this in place of apple pie because the slices are easier to share.
Recipe Ingredients
Here’s an overview of the ingredients needed for this recipe, split into the strudel itself and the irresistible glaze topping. Scroll down to the recipe card below for the exact measurements.
For the Strudel
- Apples – Granny Smith apples are ideal for their tartness, but you can substitute with Honeycrisp or Fuji for a sweeter flavor.
- Lemon juice – Helps keep the apples from browning.
- Brown sugar – Brown sugar sweetens the filling while adding molasses flavor.
- Cinnamon – Adds warm flavor to the filling.
- Cornstarch – Helps to thicken the filling.
- Salt – Balances out the sweet flavors.
- Butter – For cooking the apple mixture.
- Maple syrup – Be sure to use real maple syrup, not pancake syrup. Use honey or agave syrup in place of maple syrup if preferred.
- Frozen puff pastry – Thawed before using. You’ll need both puff pastries in a 17.3oz box.
- Egg – Mixed with water for an egg wash before baking.
For the Glaze
- Powdered sugar – The base of the sweet glaze.
- Heavy cream – To create a thick but pourable consistency.
- Maple syrup – Real maple syrup, not pancake syrup.
- Vanilla extract
How To Make Apple Strudel
While apple strudels may appear fancy, they’re actually quite easy to make. The printable instructions can be found in the recipe card below.
- Prep. Preheat the oven to 375F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Cook the apples. Combine the apples, lemon juice, brown sugar, cinnamon, cornstarch, and salt in a bowl. Melt the butter over medium heat. Cook for the apple mixture for 5-7 minutes, until the apples soften slightly and the mixture thickens. Stir in the maple syrup. Remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes.
- Add to the pastry sheets. Roll each puff pastry sheet into a rectangle approximately 12×10, on a floured surface. Divide the apple filling evenly between both sheets, leaving 1.5 inches on all sides.
- Fold. Cut diagonal slits 1 inch apart down both sides of the pastry sheets. Fold the strips over, alternating sides, to create a braided look. Tuck the ends in to seal.
- Add the egg wash. Whisk together the egg and water. Brush it evenly over both pastries.
- Bake. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown and puffed.
- Add the glaze. Whisk together the glaze ingredients. Drizzle over the cooled apple strudels before serving.
Recipe Tips & Variations
Here are a few things to keep in mind when making apple strudel for the first time. I’ve included a few variations, too.
- Keep the puff pastry chilled. Warm puff pastry sheets are difficult to work with and break easily, so it’s best to keep them in the fridge until you’re ready to use them.
- Don’t overfill. Keep the apple filling to the center of the puff pastry sheets and don’t cut the strips all the way to the filling. Otherwise, apples will fall out during baking.
- Cook the apples. It’s important to quickly cook the apple filling. Since this recipe bakes in just 20 minutes, they won’t soften enough in the oven. Plus it thickens the filling.
- Mix-in ideas. Add chopped nuts like walnuts or pecans to the apple filling for extra crunch. Raisins or dried cranberries can also be mixed in for added sweetness.
- Adjust the glaze consistency. Add more powdered sugar for thickness or more cream for a thinner drizzle.
- Serving ideas. I love to serve apple strudel warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream.
How To Store & Reheat Leftovers
- Fridge. Store leftover strudel in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheat. I like to pop apple strudel in the microwave for 20-30 seconds to enjoy the leftovers warm.
Apple Strudel
Warmly spiced apple filling is baked inside puff pastry sheets and topped with an irresistible maple glaze in this Apple Strudel recipe. Serve with whipped cream or a scoop of ice cream for an impressive fall dessert.
Servings: 8 people
Ingredients
- 4 cups Granny Smith apples peeled, cored, and chopped (about 4 medium apples)
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 2 Tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 17.3 ounce package frozen puff pastry thawed
- 1 egg
- 1 Tablespoon water
Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 Tablespoons heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, toss the chopped apples with lemon juice, brown sugar, cinnamon, cornstarch, and salt until evenly coated.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat and melt the butter. Add the apple mixture and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples soften slightly and the mixture thickens. Stir in the maple syrup and remove from heat. Let it cool for a few minutes.
- Roll out each puff pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface into a rectangle, about 12×10 inches. Divide the cooled apple filling evenly between the two sheets, placing the filling down the center of each, leaving about 1.5 inches on each side.
- Cut diagonal slits along both sides of each pastry, about 1 inch apart. Fold the strips over the filling, alternating sides to create a braided look. Tuck in the ends to seal.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and water to make an egg wash. Brush the egg wash over both pastries.
- Transfer the strudels to the prepared baking sheets and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown and puffed. Let them cool slightly.
- While the strudels cool, make the glaze by whisking together powdered sugar, heavy cream, maple syrup, and vanilla extract until smooth. Drizzle the glaze over the strudels before serving. Enjoy!
Last Step:
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Notes
Store leftover strudel in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
Calories: 360kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 32mg | Sodium: 184mg | Potassium: 128mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 32g | Vitamin A: 208IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 31mg | Iron: 1mg
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