These Caramel Apple Toaster Strudel are a homemade twist on your childhood favorite! With a sticky sweet caramel apple filling and a cream cheese glaze, these are an upgrade on the classic. This recipe is published on Delish.com as part of my partnership with them.
Okay, raise your hand if you loved having Toaster Strudel for breakfast as a kid or teen. Hand raised? This recipe is for you. Think of your childhood favorite, with its super flaky crust, sticky fruit filling, and sweet creamy icing—now imagine it deliciously upgraded for grown-up consumption.
These Caramel Apple Toaster Strudels are a fall-themed homemade take on the regular old Apple Toaster Strudel. They have a gooey apple filling that’s thick, sweet, and full of creamy caramel. Half the apples are diced into small chunks to add texture, while the other half of the apples are grated to help thicken the apple mixture.
After cooking down the apples for a few minutes to soften them, caramel is mixed right into the apple mixture, giving you that swoon-worthy caramel apple flavor without the mess of eating an actual caramel apple.
I used puff pastry for the strudel crust, which makes these much easier to make. By rolling the puff pastry into a large rectangle, you can get a crispy, layered crust that isn’t too thick or doughy.
The caramel apple mixture is dolloped on top of rectangles of puff pastry, then sealed with an egg wash and another rectangle of puff pastry. If you want a shiny crust, you can add more egg wash on top of the prepared Toaster Strudel before baking.
After getting nice and golden brown in the oven, these Caramel Apple Toaster Strudels get a drizzle of white cream cheese icing. Let everyone drizzle on their own icing for the most classic experience (and because you know everyone will want to drizzle a little extra).
Take a bite and be brought back to your childhood mornings in the best possible way. The recipe is also posted on Delish.com!
Caramel Apple Toaster Strudel
Ingredients
For the filling
For the frosting
- 4 oz. cream cheese
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Prepare filling: Grate apple on the large side of a box grater. Squeeze out excess juices from grated apples (don’t dry them out completely, but they shouldn’t be dripping). Dice other half of apple into very small (about 1/8") chunks.
- Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat. Add grated and diced apples and stir to coat. Add flour, cinnamon, and salt and cook over medium heat, about 5 minutes. Add caramel sauce and cook for another 5 minutes, until thick and syrupy. Let cool before using.
- On a well-floured surface, roll out one sheet of puff pastry into a large 10”-x-14” rectangle. Using a pizza cutter or very sharp knife, cut rectangle in half lengthwise, creating two 5”-x-14” rectangles. Cut each into four equal rectangles.
- Place one heaping tablespoon caramel apple mixture in the middle of four rectangles of puff pastry. Brush the other four rectangles of puff pastry with beaten egg using a pastry brush and lay egg-washed side down on top of filling. Use a fork to seal edges and make a few holes with tines of the fork on top. Repeat with other sheet of puff pastry.
- Bake strudels on a parchment-lined baking sheet for 30-25 minutes or until light golden brown. Let cool 15 minutes before serving. Best served warm. Reheat for a few minutes in a toaster oven if desired.
- For icing: In a mixing bowl, beat together cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth. Transfer to a plastic bag or piping bag and drizzle on toaster strudels just before serving.
Bella says
Yummy that sounds so good! I love anything with apples.
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Medha (Whisk and Shout) says
My cousins are all about toaster strudels and these look delicious- and way better than store-bought :)
Kelly - Life Made Sweeter says
Oh gosh, my hand is raised! I used to have these growing up and I can just imagine how much better homemade ones would taste! These look amazing! Love the caramel apple combo!
The Hungry Mum says
We didn;t have toaster strudel in Australia but this looks so delish! Could eat several right now :)
My Dish is Bomb says
Can you believe I’ve never actually had a toaster strudel? I’m discovering many of these childhood treats late in life. Love how easy this looks with the puffed pastry, I would use that stuff every day if I could!
Amanda says
When I was a kid my mom probably hated bringing me through the freezer aisle because I always begged for Toaster Strudel. Haha. But these are KING! They are so stuffed full of delicious filling. They look amazing!
Natasha @ The Cake Merchant says
I used to eat the heck out of these things as a kid, but I’m pretty sure a homemade version trumps the processed stuff from the freezer section. I love this grown up version!
[email protected] says
These look so delicious!!
Cathleen @ A Taste Of Madness says
I have been wanting to make toaster strudel for so long now. This looks perfect for fall!
Rachel says
They were surprisingly easy, Kathleen! You have to try them :)
Claudia | The Brick Kitchen says
I have honestly never eaten, or heard of, toaster strudel…maybe it isn’t an NZ thing? BUT they look so good and I think I need to try them out – caramel + apple encased in flaky pastry has to be a good thing <3
Rachel says
It’s probably just a US-only chemical-filled treat :) haha, you’re much better off with the homemade version!! Thanks, Claudia.
Jen @ Carlsbad Cravings says
Oh my goodness, both my hands are raised for these caramel apple strudels! Your pictures AND your amazing description has me practically jumping out of bed to make these – YUM
Samina @ The Cupcake Confession says
This is so brilliant! I am loving the apple filling! So perfect for fall!
Jessica @ A Kitchen Addiction says
Love these! Your homemade version looks so much better than a store bought toaster strudel!
Laura @ Laura's Culinary Adventures says
Wow! I don’t remember toaster strudels ever looking so delicious!
Phi @ The Sweetphi Blog says
I’m absolutely in love with homemade versions of childhood faves, this is definitely a must try!
marcie says
I did love toaster strudel growing up, and I can definitely say that your version looks 100% better! I love all that filling — these would be so amazing for breakfast!