This easy Apple Strudel may look fancy but it's so simple to put together! Puff pastry dough is filled with apples, cinnamon, brown sugar, and raisins, brushed with melted butter, sprinkled with turbinado sugar and baked until golden brown. Perfect for special occasions but easy enough for any day!
Place the raisins and water in a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 1 minute, allow to sit and soak until needed.
Dice, or thinly slice, the apples and place in a medium to large bowl; sprinkle the lemon juice on top of the apples.
Drain the raisins and add into the apple mixture, then add in the sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt and mix well.
Roll out the puff pastry, on parchment paper, to about 11 inches by 14 inches and gently mark the dough to divide it visually into 3 long sections, and cut small lines (about an inch) at the top and bottom on each line.
On the two outer sections cut into thin strips (about an inch thick), still attached to the middle, all the way up, the same on each side.
Add the apple mixture to the middle section, leaving about an inch at the top and bottom empty (where the cuts are), fold up the bottom end onto the apples, and then cross the strips to the opposite side on top of the apples. Do this at a diagonal all the way up to make the criss cross look shown in the photos. When you get to the end, keep crossing over and then fold the dough without the filling under.
Brush with melted butter and add cane sugar if desired.
Move the parchment paper over to the baking sheet and bake for about 25 minutes or until the top is golden.
Allow to cool at least 10 minutes before slicing and enjoying some with vanilla ice cream!
Notes
Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 3 days.2-3 apples should be approximately 2 cups sliced.This recipe has been tested and works great with granny smith apples, fuji apples, pink lady, and honeycrisp.You can also freeze apple strudel after you roll it up and before you bake it. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and place it in a large zip-top bag.