- Categories:
- Food & Beverage
- Tags:
- BakingDessertFruit
- Where:
- United States
- Date change rule:
- Every June 17
- Holiday emoji:
- 🍎
National Apple Strudel Day arrives every June 17, inviting us to indulge in the sweet, layered delight of this classic Viennese dessert. Made with thinly rolled dough, spiced apples, and often raisins, it’s a treat enjoyed globally. Bake a batch, visit a local bakery, or share your favorite strudel recipe!
Want to sponsor National Apple Strudel Day? Learn how
Expected National Apple Strudel Day Deals
While we await official 2027 promotions to drop, history shows that bakeries and cafes often roll out special deals for National Apple Strudel Day. Look for discounts on individual slices or whole strudels at local pastry shops. Major grocery chains like Kroger and Whole Foods Market may feature sales on baking ingredients like apples, puff pastry, and spices. Coffee shops such as Starbucks and Dunkin’ might offer pairing promotions with coffee or tea. Brands like Pillsbury, known for their ready-to-bake dough, often share recipes and baking tips. We will update this page with confirmed live deals as June 17 approaches.
Platform Guide for National Apple Strudel Day
TikTok
Tag @www.nationaltoday.com and use #AppleStrudelDay. Film a quick tutorial on stretching strudel dough or a taste-test of different strudel variations.
Tag @nationaltoday_ and use #NationalAppleStrudelDay. Share mouth-watering photos of your homemade strudel or highlight your favorite local bakery’s offering.
Mention National Today (facebook.com/nationaltoday) and use #AppleStrudel. Post a poll asking followers about their preferred strudel accompaniments: whipped cream, ice cream, or plain.
National Apple Strudel Day Hero
Empress Maria Theresa
History of National Apple Strudel Day
While the origins of the first National Apple Strudel Day remain unclear, the origins of the dish itself are also somewhat unclear. Many believe that apple strudel is a German dish, but many others consider it Austrian—some going as far as saying that apple strudel is the national dish of the country. The first written record of dessert exists at ‘Wienbibliothek im Rathaus,’ which is the Vienna Town Hall Library, from 1697. It was during the Austro-Hungarian reign of the eighteenth century in Austria that the dessert really took off with the masses. Yet, the famous apple strudel, according to many scholars, may have originated in Greece or Turkey.
Through historical records, it is believed that apple strudel’s popularity in Europe was the direct result of growing globalization. Trade routes and international travels trace the earliest records of strudel to an Assyrian manuscript from the eighth century B.C. In these papers, the dish is described as a full meal made of puff pastry layers with honey and nuts. The Mesopotamian kingdoms and the extensive usage of the Silk Road ensured the arrival of the sweet strudel to Greece and Turkey. For Greece, the inspiration led to the creation of ‘güllaç,’ which is a cornstarch pastry with the goodness of pomegranate, rose water, milk, and nuts. On the other hand, the Turkish came up with ‘baklava,’ which is a multilayered pastry sweet of a variety of nuts like pistachio and peanuts that have been roasted and cooked in a sugary syrup. Both the dishes today are enjoyed in Ramadan, which is the fasting month for Muslims. Coming back to our equally beloved apple strudel, the dough for the treat is made by repeatedly flogging the dough against a tabletop. As layers start forming, each of the layers is filled with spiced apple slices and nuts. In the traditional recipe, the prepared strudel is shaped into a swirl into the baking container. It is baked until the dough is completely cooked and takes on a golden shade.
National Apple Strudel Day timeline
An Assyrian script shows the first records of thinly rolled and multiple layered doughs.
The Turkish phyllo dough is used with the ‘crazy dough’ from England in a multiple layered dough recipe, giving it a unique texture and look.
The first recorded instance of an apple strudel recipe is found in an Austrian cookbook kept at Wienbibliothek im Rathaus.
Anna Dorn pens and publishes a detailed recipe for apple strudel in the “Great Viennese” cookbook.
How Businesses Can Celebrate National Apple Strudel Day
Local bakeries and cafes can celebrate National Apple Strudel Day by offering special discounts on their strudel selections or introducing unique, limited-time flavors. Restaurants could feature apple strudel as a dessert special, perhaps with a modern twist or a traditional accompaniment like vanilla bean ice cream. Grocery stores can create baking displays with all the ingredients needed for homemade strudel, from fresh apples to spices and puff pastry, encouraging customers to try their hand at baking this classic treat.
National Apple Strudel Day FAQs
When is National Apple Strudel Day?
National Apple Strudel Day 2026 falls on a Wednesday, June 17, inviting everyone to enjoy a slice of this classic Viennese dessert.
Where did apple strudel originate?
Apple strudel, or Apfelstrudel, has its roots in Vienna, Austria, with its earliest known recipe dating back to 1697. It’s a beloved dessert with a rich European history.
How is traditional apple strudel made?
Traditional apple strudel involves a delicate process of stretching dough until it’s paper-thin, then filling it with spiced apples, raisins, and breadcrumbs. It’s then rolled and baked to golden perfection.
What are the key ingredients in apple strudel?
The core ingredients for apple strudel include a very thin, elastic dough, sliced apples (often Granny Smith), sugar, cinnamon, and usually breadcrumbs, raisins, and sometimes nuts. It’s typically served warm.
How To Celebrate National Apple Strudel Day
Eat an apple strudel
Welcome the day by eating an apple strudel for breakfast, but do not stop there. You can have an apple strudel for your evening snack or as a dessert after dinner. Whether you enjoy it with cream, or ice cream, or icing sugar, or just as it is, having an apple strudel will never be a wrong idea.
Make an apple strudel
There’s a lot of technique involved in making an apple strudel. You have to pound the dough to give it the texture. But if you are not in the mood to work those biceps, don’t fret because you can just buy some ready-made pastry dough for the strudel. Choose your choice of favorite fillings to go along with your apple slices, and you are good to go.
Share with family and friends
Double the joy by sharing the treat with your friends and family. You can invite them over or have a party virtually. Whatever you choose to do, it is going to be fun because apple strudel is involved.
5 Facts About Apples That Will Blow Your Mind
Crabapple is true American
The crabapple is the only variety of apples that is native to North America.
Four to five years to savor an apple
If you want to plant an apple tree in your backyard to enjoy the fruit, you will have to wait for four to five years because that is the amount of time apple trees take to produce their first batch of apples.
Humans have been eating apples since 6500 B.C.
Archeologists discovered that humans have been harvesting, consuming, and enjoying apples since 6500 B.C.
Apples great fiber source
The apple fruit does not contain any fat or sodium, and it is a good source of fiber.
Ripen apples at room temperature
If you wish to ripen your apples, you should do so at room temperature because they ripen six to ten times faster at room temperature than in the refrigerator.
Why We Love National Apple Strudel Day
It’s a celebration of apple strudel
Apple strudel is a sweet treat enjoyed by many all over the world. It has traveled over the continents and over time to come to us in the shape of the recipe we enjoy today. Due to its versatile nature, you can enjoy it at any time of the day without feeling guilty.
It’s a celebration of cultures
The many varieties of strudel today showcase the traditions of different cultures. Whether you like your strudel sweet and fruity, or you like nutty, or you like it plain simple and savory, there’s something for everyone here.
It’s a celebration of food experience
Food not only sustains us, but it is also a life experience that must be enjoyed to the fullest. The distinct textures and tastes paired with the wafting aromas that pull a person towards the food are, at the core of it, what makes food an experience to live through.
Social Media Tips for National Apple Strudel Day
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