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Strudel Dough Recipe

November 3, 2017 by Helene Dsouza 43 Comments

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Helene Dsouza
Strudel dough recipe is a must in every Austrian home and in yours too if you love the flaky but firm consistency of a proper apple Strudel. Follow each step carefully if you make this for the first time. 
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
4.93 from 13 votes
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Strudel Dough Recipe - How to make Strudel Dough Pastry - Austrian Mini Apple Strudel - you can also stuff it with a savory or other sweet stuffings. see for ideas and how to make from scratch further below. www.masalaherb.com #recipe #pastry #austrian #masalaherb

This Strudel Dough Recipe is a basic dough recipe which you can use for any Strudel recipe, such as Apple Strudel!

The dough is made from scratch with just a few ingredients.

Strudel Dough Recipe - How to make Strudel Dough Pastry - Austrian Mini Apple Strudel - you can also stuff it with a savory or other sweet stuffings. see for ideas and how to make from scratch further below. www.masalaherb.com #recipe #pastry #austrian #masalaherb

Wondering what a Strudel dough is and why it’s any different to other doughs?

What is Strudel Dough and where is the Strudel originally from?

In a nutshell, Strudel is a stuffed pastry from Austria, which is also very popular in former Austrian countries (Hungary, Czech Rep. etc), Germany and Alsace (France).

A Strudel Dough is special because the dough is very thinly wrapped around a heavy filling.

Therefore, the ultimate challenge of a good authentic Strudel dough recipe is that it needs to be very thin and at the same time to be able to hold a heavy huge filing without breaking apart.

Also, the aim of a perfect Strudel dough is the flaky pastry with the various delicate layers.

That makes a perfect Strudel dough and for a perfect Strudel in general, you need a great filling.

A stuffed Strudel can be either sweet or savory.

That means that you can make a strudel dough recipe and stuff it with a savory filling and serve it as a weeknight dinner.

This is a common dinner idea in Austrian homes! (see below recipe for savory Strudel suggestions)

A sweet Strudel is usually stuffed with fruit or something that we call Topfen (Quark in Germany), which is a fresh plain cheese (kind of like Ricotta).

The most famous Sweet Strudel is the Apple Strudel, of course.

The Apple Strudel has always been the star of all Strudels, but thanks to the ingenious movie Inglorious Bastards, the apple strudel has dramatically gained in popularity over the years.

What is not a Strudel dough recipe?

Over the years another popular version of a Strudel pastry has become fashionable.

There is a certain belief making it’s round that preparing a Strudel dough recipe from scratch is difficult and time-consuming.

It’s not!

Therefore, a many have been using puff pastry or phillo dough to prepare Strudel because these doughs can be easily bought ready made in supermarkets.

Whereas, a ready made Strudel dough is less common in stores.

So the belief has taken root that apparently a Strudel is originally prepared with puff pastry dough, which is completely wrong.

The two doughs are different in the way they are made.

Puff Pastry dough VS Strudel dough recipe VS Phyllo dough

What’s the difference between Puff Pastry dough, Strudel dough, and Phyllo dough?

Puff Pastry dough

Puff Pastry dough is thought to be of French origin, although it was most probably inspired by the Arabic Phyllo dough.

Butter layers are folded into the dough, and while baking the butter and steam create layers.

Puff Pastry blows up and it’s flaky soft, it’s more sensible to the touch.

Strudel dough

The Strudel dough recipe consists of flour, water, egg and a lot of oil.

So in a way, it’s prepared the same way as a noodle dough just that it calls for a lot of oil.

In fact, the dough is left standing covered in oil.

The oil and the egg make the dough super elastic so that you can roll and pull it out to a very thin layer.

The Strudel is only a Strudel with a strong crunchy thin layer wrapped around the Strudel filling.

Only the Strudel dough can take that much filling without breaking.

Phyllo dough

Phyllo dough is a Greek, Balkan and Middle Eastern crunchy thin dough.

It’s prepared with water and flour, rolled out and brushed with oil or butter before being layered and baked.

So the difference is simple, it’s the fat! In the Puff Pastry the butter is folded in, in the Strudel dough the oil is part of the dough from the beginning and the Phyllo dough is brushed with oil before being baked.

The technique and the ingredients make the difference between these doughs and that’s why each has its purpose!

Now you know why you need to use a Strudel dough recipe to make a proper Strudel!

Strudel Dough Recipe - How to make Strudel Dough Pastry - Austrian Mini Apple Strudel - you can also stuff it with a savory or other sweet stuffings. see for ideas and how to make from scratch further below. www.masalaherb.com #recipe #pastry #austrian #masalaherb

How to make Strudel Dough Pastry from scratch?

As I mentioned just above, Strudel dough just needs a few ingredients which you have in your pantry.

You will need flour, salt, water, oil, and an egg.

Strudel dough needs to be nurtured with a lot of oil.

The aim is a stretchable dough, and the oil’s job is that.

So, to do that you prepare your dough as you always would, that means you add all the ingredients together and work it out into a smooth dough. 

I have tried to make strudel dough by using a stand mixer, however, I noticed my Strudel dough would always come out better when I would make it by hand.

The reason for that can be your body warmth, which helps in activating the gluten in the wheat and this is especially important in the case of the Strudel dough recipe because Gluten makes things more stretchable and elastic.

Once you have prepared your smooth dough to cover it with a generous layer of oil and a warm bowl.

Let rest and in the meanwhile, you can concentrate on making the filling.

Then roll out the dough the thinnest possible! 

TIP: For that reason I like to create small batches of my dough before rolling it out because then you can roll out each batch and stretch carefully the rolled out dough a little further with your fingers.

The thinner the Strudel dough is spread out the better as this will result in an equal delicious filling vs dough amount with each bite.

Then you just need to fill, close and bake the Strudel.

For the full detailed step by step instructions please see the recipe card below.

Of course, you are free to switch the filling.

This is a traditional apple Strudel filling from Austria.

Strudel Dough Recipe below:

Savory Strudel dough recipe ideas

  • Strudel stuffed with a mix of Vegetables
  • Topfen Strudel –  Fresh Cream Cheese Strudel
  • Potato Strudel
  • Meat Strudel
  • Sauerkraut Strudel

Sweet Strudel dough recipe ideas

  • Strudel with pears instead of apples
  • Zwetschkenstrudel aka Strudel stuffed with a Plum filling
  • Pumpkin Strudel
  • Cherry Strudel

How to serve Strudel?

For a savory Strudel serve with a salad. You can also have a soup as a starter and then a Strudel with a green Salad or beans Salad or sausage Salad.

For a sweet Strudel serve with Whipped Cream or with Vanilla Sauce (homemade is the best!).

More Austrian sweet delicacies to make at home!

  • Kaiserschmarren – scratch pancakes with blueberries
  • Marillenknรถdel – sweet dumplings stuffed with apricots
  • Erdbeerenknรถdel – sweet dumplings stuffed with strawberries
  • Buchteln stuffed with Hazelnut Paste and served with Vanilla sauce
Strudel Dough Recipe - How to make Strudel Dough Pastry - Austrian Mini Apple Strudel - you can also stuff it with a savory or other sweet stuffings. see for ideas and how to make from scratch further below. www.masalaherb.com #recipe #pastry #austrian #masalaherb

Dear Reader, what are you planning to make with the Strudel Dough Recipe?

Let us know in the comments below!

Strudel Dough Recipe - How to make Strudel Dough Pastry - Austrian Mini Apple Strudel - you can also stuff it with a savory or other sweet stuffings. see for ideas and how to make from scratch further below. www.masalaherb.com #recipe #pastry #austrian #masalaherb
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Strudel Dough Recipe - How to make Strudel Dough Pastry - Austrian Mini Apple Strudel - you can also stuff it with a savory or other sweet stuffings. see for ideas and how to make from scratch further below. www.masalaherb.com #recipe #pastry #austrian #masalaherb

Strudel Dough Recipe

Strudel dough recipe is a must in every Austrian home and in yours too if you love the flaky but firm consistency of a proper apple Strudel. Follow each step carefully if you make this for the first time. 
4.93 from 13 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Austrian
Keyword: How to make Strudel dough, Strudel dough recipe
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 8 slices
Calories: 116kcal
Recipe by: Helene Dsouza

Ingredients

For the dough!

  • 1 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour
  • pinch Salt
  • 1/4 cup Water
  • 1 1/2 Tablespoon Oil
  • 1 Egg
US Customary – Metric

Instructions

  • In a mixing bowl add the flour and salt, mix well. Make a well in the center and add the warm water, only 1/2 Tablespoon oil, and egg. Mix the ingredients well to a dough.
  • Take the dough to a floured working surface and knead it well and smash it if you are in the mood. The more you knead the strudel dough, the better since the gluten gets activated with the water, force, and warmth. That will help the dough to stretch well. To test if your dough is ready, take it up into your hand and if it drops quickly it’s good. 
  • Make a smooth ball. Add the remaining oil onto the surface of the dough and spread it evenly all around the ball of dough. Then keep the ball in one place and cover with a warm mixing bowl (I just place a nonmetal bowl into the micro for a few seconds to get warmish).
  • Prepare your Strudel filling.
  • To make individual mini Strudel grab your resting dough and turn it into 8 equal sized balls. For a full regular sized Strudel simply use one whole dough. Take one of the balls and keep the others aside to proceed.
    Strudel dough & Austrian Mini Apple Strudel masalaherb.com #stepbystep #recipe @masalaherb
  • Preheat your oven to 200 Celsius/ 400 Fahrenheit.
  • Roll out the dough to a square shape as thin as possible. Try to roll it out to the maximum possible and you can even stretch it a bit with your hands. It should be nearly transparent.
  • Spread the filling over 2/3s of the stretched out dough, spread the remaining melted butter over 1/3 of the stretched out dough.
  • Fold in the down part and the sides and gently roll in the strudel so that the closing is down.
  • Place the strudels onto an oven rack with oven paper and brush them equally with melted butter. Bake for 25-30 minutes at 200 Celsius (400 Fahrenheit) or until they turn golden brown on the outside.
  • To serve, sprinkle some powdered sugar over the Strudel and serve with freshly whipped cream, vanilla sauce or ice cream.

Notes

It’s important that you add your egg and oil and these things make the dough stretchable. The whole purpose of a proper Strudel dough is its flexibility and the fact that when rolled out super thin to create the delicate but strong layer, it can be wrapped around the heavy filling whiteout breaking apart.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Strudel Dough Recipe
Amount Per Serving (359 g)
Calories 116 Calories from Fat 27
% Daily Value*
Fat 3g5%
Cholesterol 20mg7%
Sodium 8mg0%
Potassium 32mg1%
Carbohydrates 17g6%
Protein 3g6%
Vitamin A 30IU1%
Calcium 7mg1%
Iron 1.2mg7%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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Comments

  1. Charlene says

    June 7, 2020 at 6:55 pm

    Helene, I am a little confused about how much butter to use. Am I suppose to cut a certain amount into the mixture, before I form the dough? Please help. I am not a baker. a beginner. Thank You.

    Reply
    • Helene Dsouza says

      June 7, 2020 at 7:20 pm

      Hi Charlene, Please excuse the confusion. There is no butter in the dough itself, there is oil instead. The recipe is for the dough. However, I also mention on how to make the filling and for the filling you need butter. I kept the filling separately because this is just the dough recipe and you can use whatever filling you like (you don’t have to add butter its just a suggestion). This is an older recipe and I’m going to rework the confusing part with the filling and the butter in the recipe instructions.

      Reply
  2. Meenakshi J says

    November 8, 2017 at 10:45 am

    O wow ….now that I know literally all about Strudels,I am gonna try this out from scratch and thanks for letting me through that reply to Pradeep.. that it can also be made sans eggs!

    Reply
  3. Ishita says

    November 6, 2017 at 1:16 pm

    5 stars
    Oh yumm yumm!! I had my first Strudel in Vienna (duh) won’t count the sad ones I ate in Delhi earlier. Love your pics ๐Ÿ™‚

    Reply
  4. Eva Taylor says

    November 4, 2017 at 12:09 am

    What a coincidence, I am posting a ricotta and apple strudel recipe on November 11! I didn’t make the dough this time, but I have made strudel pastry before on the blog.

    Reply
    • Helene Dsouza says

      November 5, 2017 at 11:04 pm

      So you are mixing Topfen and Apple into A Strudel! naughty and daring Eva! XD I wish I could have a bit of yours, it must have been a delight!

      Reply
  5. K says

    July 30, 2017 at 11:20 pm

    What’s high gluten flour ? We don’t get it in india

    Reply
    • Helene Dsouza says

      August 2, 2017 at 1:59 pm

      Just use all purpose flour aka Maida

      Reply
  6. Pradeep says

    September 9, 2014 at 11:38 am

    5 stars
    Good article.I want know can i replace egg with dry yeast & how much for same measures as per your recipe. Pleasure help me if you can. Thank you with regards

    Reply
    • Helene Dsouza says

      September 10, 2014 at 2:56 pm

      Hi Pradeep,
      Thanks for asking. To turn this recipe into an egg less version just keep out the egg. That means prepare the dough with the ingredients listed above and just ignore the egg. The dough won’t be that stretchable but it will work to a certain limit while stretching the dough to a thin layer before filling. Do not add any yeast, yeast would alter the dough and doesn’t work for a strudel.
      Hope that helps and if you have any more questions let me know.

      Reply
  7. foodwanderings says

    August 11, 2013 at 12:48 am

    Super impressive your skill at strudel dough making. I was just thinking this week heck I am not about to make phyllo dough from scratch for this recipe I am about to make and then your post here puts me to shame. ๐Ÿ™‚

    Reply
  8. [email protected] says

    August 8, 2013 at 5:51 pm

    Thanks for sharing one of my memorable pastries! I used to live in Austria, and now there is this amazing bakery that makes amazing vegan strudels and a lot of German pastries! Now I’m in the U.S., and I have to make my own…hopefully in vegan versions! ๐Ÿ™‚

    Reply
  9. Nami | Just One Cookbook says

    August 5, 2013 at 4:52 am

    5 stars
    I’m not sure if I can ever make strudel from scratch (you are so inspiring and amazing!) but I love learning the traditional cooking and thanks for sharing the process! I would love to visit you have these over tea. ๐Ÿ˜‰

    Reply
  10. Ramona says

    August 3, 2013 at 6:23 pm

    5 stars
    This looks like an amazing strudel. I would love to take a big bite. ๐Ÿ™‚

    Reply
    • Ramona says

      August 3, 2013 at 6:25 pm

      PS.. just figured out to sign up for emails so I won’t miss any more recipes. ๐Ÿ™‚ I know I’m so slow when it comes to all this computer stuff. ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
  11. Vicki Bensinger says

    August 2, 2013 at 8:44 am

    I am a huge strudel fan as well. There’s a German restaurant in town that makes the best I’ve ever had. It has a cream sauce over the top that brings it to a whole new level. Yours looks wonderful. I’ve never made it before so now that you’ve shared your recipe I think I will have to give it a whirl.

    Reply
  12. Purabi Naha | Cosmopolitan Currymania says

    August 1, 2013 at 3:38 pm

    Helene, I loved it! I have never made apple strudel at home and this recipe is a killer! Thanks, esp. for sharing the dough recipe, dear. Your strudels look so perfect, another feather in your cap! (Note: Please add this to your list of to-do’s when I visit Goa to meet you! ;)… )

    Reply
  13. Kiran @ KiranTarun.com says

    August 1, 2013 at 5:55 am

    Oh Helene! This is perfection! THanks for sharing what I thought to be a daunting dessert. I live for strudels but could never muster enough courage to make it ๐Ÿ˜€

    Reply
  14. Bintu @ Recipes From A Pantry says

    August 1, 2013 at 3:27 am

    That should be in front of me right now….

    Reply
  15. Gourmantine says

    July 31, 2013 at 9:35 pm

    5 stars
    Well, your Wednesday mornings surely sounded like a nightmare, especially if you had to eat all the strudels after that… ๐Ÿ™‚
    Strudels were my favorite to order food through most of the teens and university years, especially as they were always served with custard and ice cream. Wonderful recipe!

    Reply
  16. Paula @ Vintage Kitchen Notes says

    July 31, 2013 at 5:54 pm

    I made strudel dough only once, and I loved it. Itยดs such an accomplishment! This is a gorgeous recipe Helene! Now, Iยดm dying to make strudel again. Which is good, since itยดs winter here, and baking is the thing to be doing.

    Reply
  17. cquek says

    July 31, 2013 at 2:02 pm

    Another fabulous recipe!

    Reply
  18. Amrita @ Asian SlowCooking says

    July 31, 2013 at 3:40 am

    My Mother-in-law makes amazing strudels.. I have to yet master this art. Thanks for the recipe those look amazing.

    Reply
  19. mjskit says

    July 31, 2013 at 7:22 am

    Great story about culinary school and the strudel dough! It sounds quite complicated but it looks so light and flaky. I can smell it. In fact I can smell this apple filling as well. I’m very, very impressed with your skill, but mostly your patience. I’ll have to wait and have you make these for me. ๐Ÿ™‚

    Reply
  20. Kitchen Belleicious says

    July 31, 2013 at 1:14 am

    the dough just looks perfect! So buttery and crispy but chewy. I love it and that apple filling sounds so warm and inviting

    Reply
  21. Pamela @ Brooklyn Farm Girl says

    July 30, 2013 at 2:50 am

    I’m a big Strudel fan too so this recipe makes me so darn happy I could skip down the street. Definitely will be trying this!

    Reply
  22. [email protected] says

    July 30, 2013 at 1:53 am

    This would be great with tea, Helene!

    Reply
  23. Shashi @ http://runninsrilankan.com says

    July 29, 2013 at 5:47 pm

    Oh my – your pictures make me wanna sink my teeth into these! Simply heavenly! Thanks so much for shairng

    Reply
  24. Sanjeeta kk says

    July 29, 2013 at 1:49 pm

    Aha…love eating Strudel…but making it is what keeps me away. Wonderful tutorial Helene.

    Reply
  25. [email protected] says

    July 28, 2013 at 10:16 pm

    I have limited patience for this kind of dough making, so I’ll be buying fillo pastry! But this is such a great tutorial – very through with great explanation. Your strudel looks terrific! Super post – thanks.

    Reply
  26. Alex says

    July 28, 2013 at 8:06 pm

    Lovely Apfel Strudel!

    Reply
  27. [email protected]'s Recipes says

    July 28, 2013 at 8:55 am

    5 stars
    A fantastic Austrian classic, Helene. Amazing that you even made the dough from scratch.

    Reply
  28. Chitz says

    July 28, 2013 at 3:58 am

    This is something new to me & yet looks very tempting & beautiful !

    Reply
  29. [email protected] says

    July 28, 2013 at 12:13 am

    5 stars
    Woah!! Beautiful!! I love these too!

    Reply
  30. Rosa says

    July 27, 2013 at 10:23 pm

    Oh, heavenly! They look ever so tempting. Austrians are the absolute Strudel masters.

    Cheers,

    Rosa

    Reply
  31. Kumar's Kitchen says

    July 27, 2013 at 1:40 pm

    5 stars
    we adore strudel of all kinds, we love the fruity deliciousness of apples in all desserts we have tasted, so this is an absolute winner for this weekend’s dessert list, thanks for sharing:-)

    Reply
  32. Joanne says

    July 27, 2013 at 5:11 pm

    I love strudel!! Can’t believe you made it homemade. Amazing.

    Reply
  33. Maureen | Orgasmic Chef says

    July 27, 2013 at 7:46 am

    5 stars
    I don’t think I’d pass the school test on this one. Can I make a request that you make this when we (eventually) see each other in person? and Salzburger Nockerl too. ๐Ÿ™‚

    Reply
  34. Terra says

    July 26, 2013 at 10:34 pm

    Wow, Beautiful!!!! I still need to learn how to make puff pastry, and to add to my list, this lovely apple strudel!!! How exciting, your recipe looks gorgeous! Hugs, Terra

    Reply
  35. Lizzy (Good Things) says

    July 27, 2013 at 3:28 am

    5 stars
    Oh Helene, my mother always made her own strudel dough… she had a metre long rolling pin and sometimes her dough would stretch across the entirety of our kitchen table. I am delighted to see you share your recipe here… now may I have a slice with my morning coffee please?

    Reply
  36. Manu says

    July 27, 2013 at 2:29 am

    5 stars
    I know!! It’s one of the hardest things to make! Strudel is very famous in South Tyrol! The first time I made strudel with a strudel dough, it was a disaster… so many holes! hahahaha But practice helps and I like it so much more than the puff pastry version! Great job! ๐Ÿ™‚

    Reply
  37. Ash- foodfashionparty says

    July 27, 2013 at 2:20 am

    OMG..you made strudel from scratch…AMAZING. Never entered that territory as yet, but would love to.
    Your strudel look yummy.

    Reply
  38. Jamie says

    July 26, 2013 at 10:21 pm

    Oh Helene, I am soooo impressed! I dream of being able to make strudel dough (and strudel) but the time it took you to perfect it – oy – sounds too daunting! Yay for you for mastering this delicate skill. And your strudel looks as fabulous as it must taste! Kudos!

    Reply

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