Puff Pastry Apple Cranberry Strudel

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This rustic Apple Cranberry Strudel is vegan, easy and delicious! It is filled with apples, cranberries, pecans, and a secret ingredient: a homemade cashew cream! Once you’ve mixed the apple-cranberry filling and cashew creme, it’s easy to make using frozen puff pastry sheets.

 Apple Cranberry Strudel is perfect for an afternoon tea or a special occasion sweet breakfast. Looking for more delicious vegan breakfast sweets? Try my Pumpkin Bundt Cake with Medjool Date Caramel Sauce , my Chocolate Chip Banana Nut Bread, or my Vegan Pumpkin Muffins. All winners with my family!

Tips and Tricks to Make the Puff Pastry Apple Strudel Recipe:

• Start with a box of frozen puff pastry sheets. This recipe will make two long strudels, but you can eat one now and freeze the second one for later!
• Set the pastry sheets out to thaw according to package directions. These puff pastry sheets take about 40 minutes to thaw on the counter. This should be plenty of time to prepare the apple-cranberry mixture as well as the cashew cream
• Put the raw cashews in water to soak for about 30 minutes. If you don’t have raw cashews, you will need to start soaking hours before. (Note – if you only have roasted and salted cashews then rinse well and taste before adding salt.
• This recipe calls for three apples. Using three different types of apples gives it an interesting, undefined, apple flavor. Peel, core, and slice your apples.

• Honestly, this apple peeler (affiliate link) is the way to go. It’s so easy that even kids can do it (with supervision of course)

• After I peel core and slice with the peeler, I can easily cut the apples again into quarters and get just the right size.
• Add the apples to a deep sauté pan along with the sugar,  seasonings, and arrowroot powder. I also add orange juice concentrate for an added flavor zip. I always keep a jar of frozen orange juice concentrate in the freezer so that I can dig in and get a little orange flavor whenever I need it. Stirring constantly so that the sugar doesn’t stick, cook for about 3-5 minutes until the apples have softened. Turn off heat and add cranberries and chopped pecans.
• Next, start working on the cashew creme. Make sure you drain the cashews. Add to a high-speed blender (affiliate line) along with the other ingredients and blend for several minutes until smooth.
• This is just about the right time for the puff pastry to be thawed. On a floured surface, gently open one and then roll out into a 10×12 rectangle. Make sure the folds are going horizontally. This way when you complete your strudel and fold over, there will be less chance of breakage.

Pour half of the cashew creme down the center and then carefully place half of the apple cranberry mixture on top.

Fold over one third, covering the mixture, and then the fold over the other side so that you have a long tube. Gently tuck each end under. Carefully place onto parchment paper and then cut diagonal slices through the top of each strudel – about one inch apart.

• Brush the tops with some sugared cashew milk. Bake on the center rack at 375° for 15 minutes. Take out of the oven and sprinkle each with cinnamon sugar. Return to the oven and continue baking for about 15 more minutes or until the pastry is puffed and lightly browned.

• Allow to cool slightly before carefully slicing. Serve warm or cooled with your favorite hot beverage. You can wrap one of the strudels up and freeze until you are ready to eat.

• If you freeze one and want to eat it later, wrap it tightly in foil. Later you can reheat – still in the foil – at 350° for about 30 minutes.

Items I Found Helpful:

These are some items I found helpful in making this Puff Pastry Apple Cranberry Strudel. All are Amazon Affiliate links. Clicking on and purchasing may earn Veggie Fun Kitchen compensation at no additional cost to you.