Cherry Strudel

Name: Cherry Strudel
Cook time: 105 min
Total time: 105 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Eastern European
Ingredients: 250g All-purpose Flour; 150ml Water, lukewarm; 1 tbsp Neutral Oil, e.g. sunflower; 1/2 tsp Salt, fine; 1/2 tsp White Vinegar; 700g Pitted Sour Cherries, fresh or jarred, well drained; 120g Granulated Sugar; 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon; 8g Vanilla Sugar, or 1 tsp vanilla extract; 1 tsp Lemon Zest, finely grated; 1 tbsp Lemon Juice; 80g Fine Dry Breadcrumbs; 100g Unsalted Butter, 30 g to toast breadcrumbs; 70 g melted for brushing dough and top; 2 tbsp Powdered Sugar, for dusting

This Cherry Strudel features a thin, tender pastry rolled around a bright, tangy sour cherry filling spiced with cinnamon and vanilla — finished with buttery toasted breadcrumbs for texture and a dusting of powdered sugar. It’s the kind of rustic, homey dessert that pairs perfectly with coffee or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

This Cherry Strudel features a thin, tender pastry rolled around a bright, tangy sour cherry filling spiced with cinnamon and vani... Show more

Traditional Eastern European Recipe

Health Grade

E+ · Indulgent

Rating

4.3

Time

1 hr40 min

Price

0,50 €

Calories

394 kcal

vegetarian

low calorie

comfort food

potluck

Method

Mix the dough

Combine the all-purpose flour, lukewarm water, neutral oil, fine salt, and white vinegar in a large bowl. Stir until a shaggy dough forms, then turn it out onto the counter and knead for 8–10 minutes until it looks smooth, feels elastic, and no longer sticks badly to your hands. Shape it into a ball.

Rest the dough

Cover the dough well with an inverted bowl or plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. This pause makes the gluten relax so the dough stretches much more easily later.

Prepare the cherries

Get the sour cherries ready while the dough rests. If you're using fresh cherries, rinse them, remove the stems, and pit them; if you're using jarred cherries, drain them very well in a sieve and let excess liquid drip away. The fruit should be juicy but not wet, so the strudel stays crisp instead of turning soggy.

Toast breadcrumbs

Melt about 30 g of the unsalted butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the fine dry breadcrumbs and cook for 3–5 minutes, stirring often, until they turn evenly golden and smell nutty. Transfer them to a plate or bowl so they can cool slightly and stop cooking.

Mix the filling

Place the cherries in a large bowl and add the granulated sugar, ground cinnamon, vanilla sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice. If you're working from a whole lemon, grate the zest first, then cut and squeeze the juice. Fold in the toasted breadcrumbs and mix gently until the cherries are evenly coated and the crumbs start absorbing the juices.

Heat the oven

Preheat the oven to 375° F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Melt the remaining butter if it has firmed up so it's ready for brushing.

Stretch and fill

Spread a clean kitchen towel on the counter and lightly dust it with flour. Put the dough in the center, roll it out into a rough rectangle, then gently stretch it with the backs of your hands from the center outward until it is very thin and almost transparent. Trim any thick edges if needed, then brush the surface lightly with some of the melted butter. Spoon the cherry filling in a thick strip along one long side, leaving a border around the edges, fold in the short ends, and use the towel to help roll the dough up into a log. Transfer the strudel carefully to the baking sheet, seam-side down.

Bake the strudel

Brush the top generously with the remaining melted butter. Bake for 35–40 minutes until the pastry is deep golden brown, crisp, and flaky; rotate the pan halfway through if your oven browns unevenly.

Let it cool

Set the baked strudel on the tray or a rack and let it cool for 15 minutes. This short rest helps the filling settle so the slices come out neater.

Dust and serve

Dust the top with powdered sugar, then slice the cherry strudel with a serrated knife and serve warm or at room temperature. It is especially nice when the crust is still a little crackly.