German Strudel Recipe that makes the best holiday bread for Christmas morning! If you love a good nut roll recipe then this one is just for you! This was my German grandmother’s recipe and she made it for us every holiday.
I had a hard time sleeping last night. I kept tossing and turning and checking the clock. My mind was just too excited for today. THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL!!! Like the Office Depot commercial sings, “It’s the most wonderful time of the year…..”
After I dropped the kids off at school, I headed to the gym with a noticeable smile on my face and lilt in my step….and I was surrounded by many other mothers with similar personas. Should I feel a bit guilty about this rejoicing? Probably, but I won’t let that realization ruin my day!
This is an old family recipe from my German heritage that my Mom and Grandma would make for me on special occasions. While my children would never categorize the first day of school as special, I felt I should send them off with a little extra breakfast love with this German strudel recipe.
Now if you will excuse me, my two year-old down for his nap and I have a list of stuff to get done without INTERRUPTION! What a concept! Joy, joy, joy!
Looking for another great holiday bread recipe? You have to check out these Epic Cinnamon Rolls as well!
German Strudel Recipe
This German strudel recipe is straight from Germany and always was served for the holidays at breakfast!
- Yield: 2 large strudels
Ingredients
4 C flour
1 C butter
1 Tb sugar
1 tsp salt
3 egg yolks
1 C milk
1 package yeast
Filling
3 egg whites
1 C sugar
1 lb nuts, ground
2 Tb cinnamon
Instructions
-
With a pastry cutter, cut together the flour, butter, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Add the yolks, milk and yeast to form a dough. Mix well and form into a disk. Wrap well with saran wrap and put in the fridge overnight.
-
In the morning, remove dough from fridge. Make the filling by beating the egg whites until soft peaks form and slowly adding the sugar and beating until stiff peaks form. Add the nuts and cinnamon and mix gently to combine.
-
Cut dough in half and roll out into a large rectangle. Spread half of the filling over the rectangle then tightly roll the dough width wise into a log. Repeat with other half of dough.
-
Allow strudels to rise for 1 1/2 hours then bake at 325 degrees for 35-40 minutes until golden brown. Frost with powdered sugar icing if desired.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/16th
- Calories: 425
- Sugar: 15g
- Sodium: 334mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 60g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 7g
- Cholesterol: 65mg
Anonymous says
I am a bit confused as to how to add the yeast. Do you heat the milk and add the yeast to it before adding it to the dough or do you add it dry? Thanks, Debbie
Carole says
No need to heat the milk. Just add the milk, eggs and yeast all at once into the mixture.
Allison says
I had the same question about the yeast.
Also, do you have a favorite powdered sugar icing recipe?
You can just add it all together! For the icing, I combine 2 C of powdered sugar with a couple dashes of milk.
Allison says
Great! It is rising now. I will let you know how it turns out!
Thanks for adding to our German Christmas dinner!
Allison says
Mine is turning out totally different-
First of all, I didn’t pinch the ends together well enough and it is separating as it bakes and rises. Also, for the filling, should I have used brown sugar? I used granulated sugar and it is much lighter and has a totally different consistency. Mine definitely looks different than yours, however it smells delicious.
Thanks!
Allison says
Last comment- it tastes delicious! I will make it again for sure!!
mirela says
I used to make this years ago and then I lost the recipe. So happy I found it – thank you!
A little variation: in the filling, instead of cinnamon, I put the orange zest.
Ooooh….that sounds like a fabulous variation Mirela!
Kristine Challgren says
I have a similar recipe from my German Great Grandma. I found that so many people have issues with the walnut skins an almost allergy reaction on their tongues. If you heat the milk (simmer, careful not to scorch milk) and nuts together this does something to the nuts and no one seemed to have a problem anymore!
What an amazing tip Kristine!
A chef in Buffalo says
Does it matter what nuts? My grandmother used to make this and my mom was never able to get the recipe before she passed. I think this is what my mom has been describing and I’d like to make this for her for Christmas and want to get as close to my grandmothers as possible!!
I would use walnuts or pecans. Good luck!
Rose says
My mom always used almonds, interested to know how it taste with walnuts instead
Hi Rose! I’m sure almonds are amazing in this. I often use pecans as well.
Lydia says
Thanks for this recipe sounds delicious. Wondering about the yeast….here in New Zealand we can only get powdered yeast so do you know how much I would use?
Hey Lydia! Unfortunately, I have no experience with powdered yeast so I can’t say for sure.
Maria says
Love this recipe! My Mother was from Vienna, Austria and made walnut strudel often. It was my favorite! She drizzled honey and lemon zest over the filling. I would certainly recommend it for added depth of flavor and zing!
I’m so glad you loved it Maria!
Judy Panizzoli says
Hello, planning to make for Easter. Have you ever used long bread pans to bake the nut roll?
Hi Judy! I haven’t tried that before. Sorry!
veronika babic says
1. should butter be melted?
2. flour-bleached or unbleached?
3. is yeast from a pizza/bread maker good quality [it’s mushy vs. dry]?
4. do you always saran wrap and refrigerate overnight?
5. can i use a kitchen aid mixer?
Hi Veronika!
1 – Nope. When you cut butter into dry ingredients it needs to be cold. Use a pastry cutter.
2. Either is just fine
3. I always use active dry yeast
4. Yes. The dough needs that rest so it turns out tender.
5. No. If you use a kitchenaid, your tender dough will become tough.
Pamela Bortmes says
In the filling Brown sugar or White?
Hey Pamela! It is white sugar. I hope you love it 🙂
Victoria Thesz says
Hi Carole!
I’m in the midst of baking this for my girlfriends mom for Mother’s Day by request – and I was wondering if I could assemble the strudels, then leave in the fridge overnight so I can pop them in the oven in the morning?
Thanks!
Hi Victoria! That would work just great but make sure they are wrapped well with plastic wrap so they don’t dry out.
Julie J Ulrich says
Last year I messed up 4 batches of this dough. I dont remember a holiday without this and keifuls. I have helped my grandmother and mother make them so many times but I didnt realize till my mother passed last year that I didn’t know how to make yeast dough!!!!! I’m going to try your recipe and see if I can accomplish it this year.
Good luck Julie!
LOUISE HAMMERL says
My husband and I made this and, while it is delicious, I feel the dough was a little thick and I thought it should be a bit more flaky. Should it have been,? I’m wondering if we didn’t knead it enough or if it would have been better if we kneaded it in the bread maker. I think we might have done that last year….or maybe I’m thinking wrong.???
Hey Louise! The dough is a bit more bread-like than pastry so I’m not sure which you were looking for. I’m glad you liked it though 🙂
Kristi says
Hi! I have a very similar polish family recipe. I’ve never seen the pastry technique in it elsewhere and I’m wondering if you know much about it. In mine you do the pastry part and then add the milk and yeast but don’t mix it up till the next day after it’s day in the fridge overnight. (Weird, but it works fine!) ours is a braided pastry with walnuts cinnamon and poppyseeds. If you know anything please do email me! Thank you for posting this, I’ve been researching this recipie for ages this is the first I’ve found this technique.
Hi Kristi! Sounds interesting. Wish I knew more about that style of pastry but you are right, they do sound very similar.
Linda Phelan says
Hi. Trying your recipe since parts of mine are missing from and old collection. However after refrigerating overnight should I let it sit out to for 30 minutes before rolling out? It is hard since the butter hardens in the frig.
Hi Linda! Yes, if it is too hard to roll out, let it sit out for a bit but I think 30 minutes is too long. It is important to have cold butter.