German Authentic ApfelStrudel Recipe
Is there anything better than fresh-baked apple pie during fall? Yes, there is, and it is my German authentic Apfelstrudel.
This is along the same lines as the American apple pie except for a few key differences. Foremost, it is rolled and baked in a thin pastry dough. The thinner you can roll out this dough, the better. I have heard you need to make it so thin that you can read a paper behind it. That takes some talent and practice, which I have not yet mastered completely but am getting closer every time.
If you are in a time crunch and want to cheat, you can buy the Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry sheets in your grocer’s freezer section. They make a great substitute. Thaw the sheets out and roll them out on your countertop as thin as possible without ripping. I have done this before and it helps save time.
Another way this dessert differs from apple pie is that its apple mixture is more delicate. The apple slices are thin, about 1/8th inch thick or less. Sometimes when I have time, I make them paper-thin, but that isn’t often. You can use a Mandoline Slicer 
The added rum-soaked raisins and cinnamon sugar breadcrumbs also change up the dessert than traditional apple pie. I don’t know what it is about breadcrumbs and German recipes, but yes, they are put in this dessert and make it amazing.
As for the breadcrumbs, keep a close eye on your breadcrumbs when toasting. They can go from blonde to burnt in a matter of seconds. I have burnt my fair share of breadcrumbs in the oven. It is easy to get distracted and take your eyes off of it.
There is also a trick to rolling out the pastry up and have explained it in the recipe card down below.
Cost to make this recipe.
Apfelstrudel recipe may be slightly more complicated to make, but that doesn’t mean it is more expensive. I have calculated two loaves of apfelstrudel to cost about $5.02 or about $0.31 per serving slice.
As homesteaders, breadcrumbs, and apples are about the only two ingredients we grow or save for this recipe. I cut my homesteader price in half to $2.18 for two loaves or $0.14 per serving slice.
We love to hear from you, so comment and rate our recipe down below. Also, check out more of our German recipe blog posts.
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Recipe adapted
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Authentic German Apfelstrudel
Ingredients
Dough
- ⅓ cup lukewarm water …[$0]
- 1 Tbsp + ½ tsp. vegetable oil …[$0.02]
- ½ tsp vinegar or lemon juice…[$0.01]
- ⅛ tsp table salt or fine sea salt …[$0.01]
- 1 cup flour …[$0.23]
- ½ tsp vegetable oil for brushing the dough…[$0.01]
Filling
- ½ stick unsalted butter chopped and divided…{$0.50]
- ⅔ cups bread crumbs ground fine…[$0.26]
- 5 Tbsp white granulated sugar …[$0.10]
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon …[$0.02]
- 5 Tbsp raisins …[$0.17]
- 3 Tbsp rum …[$0.90]
- 2 lbs apples …[$2.58]
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice …[$0.04]
- ½ cup powdered sugar for dusting…[$0.17]
Instructions
Dough
- Mix lukewarm water, oil, vinegar and salt in a big bowl.
- Stir in about half the flour with a spoon until well combined, then gradually add the remaining flour until it comes together and you can work it with your hands. Add more flour if it is too sticky.
- Knead the dough until smooth for about 10 minutes, either in the bowl or on a working surface. Slam the dough onto the work surface a few times to enhance gluten development, yielding a very elastic dough.
- Shape the dough into two smooth balls. Brush a clean bowl with oil, put the dough into the bowl and brush it with oil.
- Cover the bowl with a lid or plastic wrap and let it sit for 1 hour at room temperature.
Filling
- Melt half of the butter in a pan over medium heat and add the breadcrumbs. Toast them, stirring constantly, until they are golden. You can also melt in the microwave, add breadcrumbs, and toast in an oven at 350 °F until golden brown. Make sure to keep an eye on it so they don’t burn. Remove from the heat and let cool.
- In a bowl, mix sugar, cinnamon, cooled breadcrumbs and set aside.
- Soak the raisins in rum and set aside in a separate bowl.
- Wash and peel apples. Slice very thin, about ⅛ inch thick. Cover in lemon juice to stop browning. Set aside in a large bowl.
Assembly
- Roll out each dough ball into a rectangle shape and make it as thin as you can without ripping.
- On half of the dough sprinkle the breadcrumb cinnamon sugar mixture on half of each dough.
- Next add apple slices and top it with rum raisins.
- Fold in the long sides first then start rolling up the short side starting with the part where all the apples are. Roll slowly to make sure the folded sides are not coming undone.
- Lay out each roll seam down on a baking sheet.
- Melt rest of butter and brush on top of the pastry roll.
- Bake at 350 °F for 20-30 minutes or until golden brown crust.
- Let cool and dust on powder sugar on top. Slice and enjoy.
Authentic Apfel Strudel
Ingredients
Dough
- ⅓ cup lukewarm water, …[$0]
- 1 Tbsp. + ½ tsp. vegetable oil, …[$0.02]
- ½ tsp white vinegar, or lemon juice…[$0.01]
- ⅛ tsp salt, …[$0.01]
- 1 cup all purpose flour, …[$0.23]
- ½ tsp vegetable oil, for brushing the dough…[$0.01]
Filling
- ½ stick unsalted butter, chopped and divided…{$0.50]
- ⅔ cups bread crumbs, ground fine…[$0.26]
- 5 Tbsp white granulated sugar, …[$0.10]
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon, …[$0.02]
- 5 Tbsp raisins, …[$0.17]
- 3 Tbsp rum, …[$0.90]
- 2 lbs apples, …[$2.58]
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice, …[$0.04]
- ½ cup powdered sugar, for dusting…[$0.17]
Instructions
Dough
- Mix lukewarm water, oil, vinegar and salt in a big bowl.
- Stir in about half the flour with a spoon until well combined, then gradually add the remaining flour until it comes together and you can work it with your hands. Add more flour if it is too sticky.
- Knead the dough until smooth for about 10 minutes, either in the bowl or on a working surface. Slam the dough onto the worksurface a few times to enhance gluten development, yielding a very elastic dough.
- Shape the dough into two smooth balls. Brush a clean bowl with oil, put the dough into the bowl and brush it with oil.
- Cover the bowl with a lid or plastic wrap and let it sit for 1 hour at room temperature.
Filling
- Melt half of the butter in a pan over medium heat and add the breadcrumbs. Toast them, stirring constantly, until they are golden. You can also melt in the microwave, add breadcrumbs, and toast in an oven at 350 °F until golden brown. Make sure to keep an eye on it so they don't burn. Remove from the heat and let cool.
- In a bowl, mix sugar, cinnamon, cooled breadcrumbs and set aside.
- Soak the raisins in rum and set aside in a separate bowl.
- Wash and peel apples. Slice very thin, about ⅛ inch thick. Cover in lemon juice to stop browning. Set aside in a large bowl.
Assembly
- Roll out each dough ball into a rectangle shape and make it as thin as you can without ripping.
- On half of the dough sprinkle the breadcrumb cinnamon sugar mixture on half of each dough.
- Next add apple slices and top it with rum raisins.
- Fold in the long sides first then start rolling up the short side starting with the part where all the apples are. Roll slowly to make sure the folded sides are not coming undone.
- Lay out each roll seam down on a baking sheet.
- Melt rest of butter and brush on top of the pastry roll.
- Bake at 350 °F for 20-30 minutes or until golden brown crust.
- Let cool and dust on powder sugar on top. Slice and enjoy.
Thank you for adding pictures. I made my first strudel with a different recipe but had trouble figuring out how to roll it up. After seeing your pics, I now understand !