Easy Apple Strudel with Puff Pastry
Easy apple strudel with store-bought puff pastry! Filled with cinnamon apples and walnuts, this flaky German dessert is quick, fuss-free, and impressive for holidays or cozy gatherings.
My love affair with apple strudel began during a vacation to Bavaria, where I tasted my very first authentic German strudel. The flaky, golden pastry and tender apples left such an impression, but as a busy mom, I knew I couldn’t spend hours rolling out homemade dough.
That’s why I created this fuss-free version using store-bought puff pastry—no compromise on flavor, just pure comfort in every bite. With a crisp, flaky crust and a soft, cinnamon-infused apple filling, it’s become one of the most popular desserts on my site and one I make often for my family.
Honestly, it’s hard to say which I love more—this apple strudel or my deep dish apple pie, the classic American favorite that’s just as cozy and indulgent. If you’re looking for an easy apple dessert that captures the spirit of German strudel without all the fuss, this one’s for you.
Notes on Key Ingredients
- Apple: I used Ginger Gold for this recipe because it has just the right amount of sweetness and aroma that I love. Other baking apples like Granny Smith, Golden Delicious, Gala, Honey Crisp, or Jonagold also work beautifully.
- Store-bought Frozen Puff Pastry: Allow 40–50 minutes for thawing at room temperature and watch out not to let it sit too long. Keep the puff pastry chilled until the moment you roll it out; cold dough puffs higher and bakes flakier.
- Breadcrumbs: Use plain breadcrumbs. they soak up the apple juices as the strudel bakes and help keep the pastry from getting soggy.
How to Make Apple Strudel with Puff Pastry
Step 1: Apple Filling
Toss chopped apples with sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Let them rest so the juices develop—this prevents a soggy strudel.
Step 2: Nut Mixture
Chop the walnuts and mix them with breadcrumbs and sugars.
Step 3: Assemble
Roll out the thawed puff pastry slightly. Spread the nut mixture in the center, layer the apple filling on top, and fold the pastry to seal. Place seam-side down on a parchment-lined sheet, brush with egg wash, and create slits for steam to escape.
Step 4: Bake and Serve
Bake at 375°F until golden brown, about 40–45 minutes. Let cool briefly, then dust with powdered sugar and serve warm.
Serving Tips from My Kitchen
I love to serve this apple strudel warm, dusted with powdered sugar and a scoop of vanilla ice cream—my kids say it’s the ultimate cozy treat!
It’s also great for breakfast with a cup of coffee, or on its own when you’re craving something sweet and flaky. If you want to take it up a notch, drizzle a glaze made from icing sugar and milk over the top.
If you love easy apple desserts like this puff pastry apple strudel, you might also enjoy my apple brownie bars—a chewy, cake-like treat packed with apple flavor.
Love this recipe? Rate it and share your experience in the comments below! On Instagram? Tag me to showcase your creation. For more delicious recipes, subscribe to our newsletter!
Easy Apple Strudel with Puff Pastry
Recipe Video
Ingredients
- 1 package (2 sheets, 1.1 lb or 490 g) frozen puff pastry dough, thawed in room temperature
- 2-3 baking apples, such as Granny Smith
- 4 tbsp white sugar, divided
- 2 tbsp flour
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 cup (65 g) walnuts, finely chopped
- 3 tbsp light brown sugar
- 2 tbsp breadcrumbs
- 1 beaten egg with 1 tsp water, for brushing
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Line a baking sheet with a parchment paper and set aside.
- To make the apple filling, peel, core, and chop apples into 1/2-inch cubes. You will need total 3 cups (720 ml) of chopped apples. Place them in a bowl and add 2 tablespoon of white sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Toss well and set aside for 15 minutes so the apple can release its juice.
- Meanwhile, combine nuts, brown sugar, the remaining 2 tablespoon of white sugar, and breadcrumbs in another small bowl. Stir well and set aside.
- To assemble the strudel, roll out the thawed puff pastry with a rolling pin on a lightly floured work surface to stretch out a little, about 10×12-inch. Sprinkle half of nut mixture in the center of the pastry leaving 1-inch from both sides. Spoon half of apple mixture on top of nut mixture.
- Lift the front side of pastry and fold over the filling. Lift the opposite side of pastry and fold over. Pinch the sides down to seal. Carefully transfer the strudel to a prepared baking sheet, placing the seam-side down. Tuck both ends under. Repeat the same on the other pastry sheet.
- Brush the strudels with egg wash and make slits for the steam to escape. Bake the strudel in a preheated 375˚F oven for 40-45 minutes until golden brown. Let the pastry cool for 10 minutes.
- Dust with powdered sugar and serve warm with vanilla ice cream and/or whipped cream.
Notes
Apple strudel freezes well. To freeze, assemble it up to the point of baking, then wrap tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil. It’ll keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, brush the frozen strudel with egg wash and bake it directly in a preheated oven, adding 10 minutes or so to the baking time.
I made 2 last week, easy and delicious, both were gone the same day.
Thank you
Hi Arlene
Glad that you liked my apple strudel recipe. They are still one of my favorite apple desserts and I make them often in the fall. Thanks for visiting my site.
I’m confused about the amount of cinnamon
In the ingredients it says 1/2 Tablespoon cinnamon but
In the instructions it says 2 Tablespoons,
Before I do this, will you please clarify?
Thank you
The ingredient says 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon to apple filling. The 2 tablespoon is for the white sugar only.
Hope this helps. Thanks.
Thank you for this recipe and inspiration. I made this with Honeycrisp Apples, pumpkin pie spice instead of plain cinnamon, and added a pinch of salt. Loved it best while still fresh and warm, with a dollop of whipped cream on the side. Will make this again for Christmas morning.
Finally made the Apple strudel after lusting after it forever. So impressed with the results! Made as written with Ohio apples. Will make it again, and again, and again….. thank you! Want to try with apples and canned sour cherries like a pie I make.
Really great recipe, so flavourful and easy to make even for me who is ko baker at all! Love it and family did too. Thank you 😊
how many of those thin sheets of dough do you use
Hi Marlene
There are two puff pastry sheets in a package and I used them both for this recipe.
Thanks.
This was my first time making apple strudel. I read the recipe, watched the video and gave it a try. It turned out beautiful and delicious. I like that it’s not too sweet. Will use this recipe again.
So happy to hear that your apple strudel turned out well. I hope you can make it again. Thanks for leaving me a comment.
I just made my first batch of this strudel; and let me just say, this recipe is a keeper! It involves a little bit of prep work, but all is easy. I did add some raisins to the apple mix because that’s a rule in my household. The biggest problem is to stop eating this once you start!
Hi Dossy
Your comment makes me happy. So glad to know that you loved my recipe. Yes, raisin is a great addition to the strudel. Thanks so much!
Such an easy recipe and so yummy! Will definitely make this again!
Excellent recipe. I made it half-sized, using 1 sheet of pastry, 350grams of Jona Gold apples and halving all other ingredients except the cinnamon and walnuts. Came out perfectly.
I love everything apple, but I love everything easy even more 🙂 So this strudel looks and sounds fantastic for me!
I totally agree with you, Ben. Thanks!
I was able to bake the frozen strudel straight from the freezer. I probably added about 10 minutes bake time – done when the juice bubbles clear. Saved me a lot of effort at the last minute!!
Sounds delicious! I need to make 15-20 for a church dinner, and I would like to assemble them, freeze them, and then bake the day of the event. Have you frozen an unbaked strudel, and then baked from frozen and had a good result? All suggestions welcome!
I have not tried from the frozen pre-assembled strudel, but I think it will work.
I would increase the baking time or let the strudel to thaw a little before you bake.
Hope you succeed. Let me know how it turns out if you try.
I am going to make the German strudel but I do have a in the recipe it cause for 2 tablespoons of whit sugar and on down the list it call for 2 tablespoon white sugar so do I put in sugar twice please let mary9day@ gmail.com
Hi Mary
You will need total 4 tbsp of white sugar. Half goes in with apples, and the other half goes with nut mixture. Hope that’s what you did. I revised the directions so that it will be more clear. Thanks for letting me know.
I am making your Strudel recipe for a church event but need to bake it the night before. Will that work or will it lose its crunchy pastry?
It will loose the crisp texture outside if left too long. You can prepare everything on the night before and keep them in the fridge. Then Bake just before you take to church.
I saw that the recipe makes two logs of apple strudel, yum!! But just in case we can’t eat it fast enough, have you tried to freeze it and re-heat it with any luck?
No, I have not tried freezing them. But I think you can. Just reheat in the oven to get the flaky crust back.
Ohmygoodness!!!!! I made 2 boxes worth of German Apple Strudel, so 4 logs of it, for my German-side Family Reunion today. Not many things I try actually turn out, but THIS???? It was easy, looked Fabulous, tasted Delicious, and was a very special nod to my Grandma’s German heritage, even though she died 4 Summers ago. I got sooo many compliments on it, from extended family members that I didn’t even know!!! THANK YOU for a Wonderful strudel recipe!!! I look forward to making this again and again – for home, to share with my family, to share with my coworkers, to bring to church…to rely on WHENEVER I need a Delicious dessert!!!! The Puff Pastry was really buttery and flaky and DELICIOUS!!!!! What a great recipe!!! Thank you for posting it. ❤
Another pin win!! Delicious and super easy
I made this (with only very slight alterations to suite my tastes) and it came out looking so perfect and professional. I real show-case pastry. Thank you for such detailed photographs. To accommodate my daughter’s tree nut allergy I sprinkled an apple crisp crumble topping (flour, oats, sugar, cinnamon, butter) inside mine in place of the walnut mixture. It worked out perfectly! I know the nuts are traditional and really give it that authentic German taste, but this is a good alternative for those with allergies to enjoy it too. Thank you!
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Just scrolling through Pinterest and found your strudel recipe. I made it this evening and it was wonderful!! I never made strudel before because I thought it was way to difficult, your recipe made this dessert not only an all time favorite but so easy to master. It also filled my home with the most delicious aromas!!! Autumn is here and so is apple season, thanks to you apple strudel will be on my dessert menu often.
Thak you for a great recipe!
Am a Korean-American who also loves Germany and Austria and the apple strudel in both countries so was elated to come across this recipe and the photos. What a great idea to use the puff pastry sheets. I used raisins instead of walnuts and sliced the apples on a mandolin to get very thin slices. All in all, your recipe was a huge hit!
Thank you Rachel. Hope your boyfriend enjoys it.
Your strudel looks wonderful! My boyfriend is from Austria and this is his favorite. I'll be making your recipe today, and I'll let you know how it turns out.