Apple pie is a classic dessert that will never go out of style—the same is true for its Austrian cousin, apple strudel (*apfelstrudel*). With its crisp, buttery phyllo dough and caramelized filling, this traditional Austrian apple dessert can be the whimsical highlight of your next dinner party. 


How to Make Phyllo Dough Apple Strudel

A strudel is a layered pastry with a sweet or savory filling. The name “strudel” comes from the German word for “whirlpool,” which is a nod to its spiraling shape. The Central European dessert features a very elastic dough stretched into delicate, paper-thin sheets, stuffed with filling (the most common is a spiced fruit like apple), and rolled into a long, snaking jelly roll shape. The pastry is then coiled onto a baking sheet, baked until golden brown, and served in open-ended sections. 

The main differences between puff pastry and phyllo dough are their fat content and preparation. [Puff pastry is a laminated dough](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-classic-puff-pastry-easy-rough-puff-pastry-recipe) that gets its airy, signature puff from layers of butter while phyllo dough is fat-free.

- __Puff pastry__ is made by the repeated layering and folding of dough and cold butter, punctuated by trips to the refrigerator to chill. Gluten builds during the rest periods, and when baked, the water contained in the butter turns to steam, levering apart the stretchy layers from within and burnishing the top with a glossy golden-brown sheen. It’s often associated with French cuisine—with creations like croissants, *kouign amann*, and vol au vent leading the way. 
- __Phyllo dough__, made only from flour, water, vinegar, and a little oil, is composed of many fine sheets of fat-free pastry, which results in a crispy, crackly effect upon layering. Phyllo gets its name from the Greek word for “leaf,” and when brushed with butter and stacked, these leaves form a flaky crust that is both supple and shatter-prone, as seen in [Middle Eastern desserts like baklava](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-baklava) and [Greek dishes like spanakopita](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-spanakopita-at-home). 

Apple pie is a classic dessert that will never go out of style—the same is true for its Austrian cousin, apple strudel (*apfelstrudel*). With its crisp, buttery phyllo dough and caramelized filling, this traditional Austrian apple dessert can be the whimsical highlight of your next dinner party. 


A strudel is a layered pastry with a sweet or savory filling. The name “strudel” comes from the German word for “whirlpool,” which is a nod to its spiraling shape. The Central European dessert features a very elastic dough stretched into delicate, paper-thin sheets, stuffed with filling (the most common is a spiced fruit like apple), and rolled into a long, snaking jelly roll shape. The pastry is then coiled onto a baking sheet, baked until golden brown, and served in open-ended sections.

What Is a Strudel?

The main differences between puff pastry and phyllo dough are their fat content and preparation. <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-classic-puff-pastry-easy-rough-puff-pastry-recipe' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-classic-puff-pastry-easy-rough-puff-pastry-recipe","linkCopy":"Puff pastry is a laminated dough","category":null}'>Puff pastry is a laminated dough</a> that gets its airy, signature puff from layers of butter while phyllo dough is fat-free.<ul class="mc-m-4 list-styled"><li class="">Puff pastry is made by the repeated layering and folding of dough and cold butter, punctuated by trips to the refrigerator to chill. Gluten builds during the rest periods, and when baked, the water contained in the butter turns to steam, levering apart the stretchy layers from within and burnishing the top with a glossy golden-brown sheen. It’s often associated with French cuisine—with creations like croissants, kouign amann, and vol au vent leading the way. </li><li class="">Phyllo dough, made only from flour, water, vinegar, and a little oil, is composed of many fine sheets of fat-free pastry, which results in a crispy, crackly effect upon layering. Phyllo gets its name from the Greek word for “leaf,” and when brushed with butter and stacked, these leaves form a flaky crust that is both supple and shatter-prone, as seen in <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-baklava' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-baklava","linkCopy":"Middle Eastern desserts like baklava","category":null}'>Middle Eastern desserts like baklava</a> and <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-spanakopita-at-home' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-spanakopita-at-home","linkCopy":"Greek dishes like spanakopita","category":null}'>Greek dishes like spanakopita</a>. </li></ul>

Phyllo Dough vs. Puff Pastry: What Is the Difference?

Classic Phyllo Apple Strudel Recipe

Apple pie is a classic dessert that will never go out of style—the same is true for its Austrian cousin, apple strudel (apfelstrudel). With its crisp, buttery phyllo dough and caramelized filling, this traditional Austrian apple dessert can be the whimsical highlight of your next dinner party.

Apple pie is a classic dessert that will never go out of style—the same is true for its Austrian cousin, apple strudel (apfelstrudel). With its crisp, buttery phyllo dough and caramelized filling, this traditional Austrian apple dessert can be the whimsical highlight of your next dinner party. 
