Homemade mini apple strudels (called Mini Apfelstrudel in German) with homemade sweet dough, hearty apple-walnut filling and a catchy look. Apple strudel recipe can be made with puff pastry too. Vegetarian, kid-friendly.
Today we’re making apple strudels – mini, German-style pastries with homemade dough, a cosy apple filling, and that irresistibly golden, swirled look. Don’t be intimidated though; they’re much easier to make than they appear, and I’ll walk you through each step below.
What I love most about these mini strudels is their size – perfectly hand-held, especially for little ones. With two hungry boys at home, that’s always a win in my book!
Fun fact: Apfelstrudel – or “apple strudel” in English – is a traditional Viennese pastry that’s also beloved in Germany and throughout Central Europe. It’s a true classic of both German and Austrian baking, and each region has its own take on it. In Vienna, you can even find cooking classes dedicated entirely to the art of making authentic Viennese strudel – paper-thin dough, buttery layers, and all.
TRY: The Balkan spin on apple strudel (with filo pastry): Apple Strudel with Phyllo pastry
Ingredients & Substitutions
Dough
- Flour – I use all purpose flour or type 00 Italian flour
- Milk – room temperature milk is preferred. If you use full fat milk (more than 3,5%) you may need to reduce the amount of flour slightly
- Egg – one egg, medium sized
- Butter – a dip of melted butter for taste
- Pinch of sugar – to make it sweet
- Yeast – I prefer to use fresh yeast, but if you do not have that use instant dry yeast instead.
- Cinnamon – just a pinch to enhance the flavor
Filling
- Shredded apples – any type works well, especially on the sweeter side.
- Walnuts, finely chopped – you can substitute with almonds or hazelnuts if you wish
- Brown sugar – to add sweetness
- Cinnamon – for perfect taste
- You can also add: raisins, other types of nuts or dried citrus peels
How to make Mini Apple Strudel
1st: Prepare the filling and set aside. Then, knead the dough, let rise. Divide in 4 equal parts, roll out each part in a circular shape (1-2cm) thick. Cut in 4 triangles, using pizza cutter (works best in my experience).
2nd: Next, make 4 lines – two on both sides, lengthwise, within each piece. Make sure not to cut all the way though the dough. Repeat for remaining dough.
3rd: Make the filling and with a spoon add filling to the middle of each triangle. Fold each end of the triangle base inwards. Brush with olive oil and bake according to instructions.
Mini Apple Strudel (Apfelstrudel)
Equipment
- 1 kitchen robot/kneading bowl
- 1 baking tray
- baking paper
Ingredients
Dough
- 2 cups flour, all purpose
- 200 ml fresh milk, no more than 3,5% fat
- 30 g melted butter
- 1 medium egg
- 2 tbsp. brown sugar
- 1 tbsp. cinnamon
- 20 g fresh yeast, or 1/2 pack instant dry yeast
Filling
- 2 cups grated apples, peeled
- 5 tbsp. brown sugar
- 100 g walnuts, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp. cinnamon
Instructions
Dough
- In a small bowl mix fresh (dried) yeast, pinch of brown sugar and 2-4 tbsp. of the milk. Cover and yeast get activated. Skip if using instant dry yeast and go onto next step.
- In the meantime, in a large bowl add all other dough ingredients, plus activated yeast when ready (or instant yeast). Knead a soft, non-stick dough. Cover with a cloth and let dough rise in a warm room (approx. 20 min/25 C).
- Next, divide the dough in 4 equal parts. Roll out each part in a circular shape (1-2 cm) thick. Cut each circle in four to make four triangles of it – using pizza cutter works best in my experience.
- Then, using (pizza cutter again) make 4 lines – 2 on both sides lengthwise within each triangle. Make sure not to cut all the way though the dough. Repeat for remaining dough.
Filling
- In a large bowl grate peeled apples, then mix with brown sugar, cinnamon and chopped nuts.
- With a spoon add equal parts of filling to the middle of each strudel triangle. Then, grab both ends of each triangle and fold one over the other. Repeat for remaining dough.
- Brush with olive oil and bake in preheated oven (180C/360F) until golden brown (approx. 15-20 min in my oven). Let cool and dust with powdered white sugar. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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