Homemade Cherry Toaster Strudel

Did y’all know that Gretchen Wieners dad was the inventor of the Toaster Strudel? Well, I am sure as hell glad he did because where would we be without the toaster strudel?! This is my version of the beloved breakfast treat. It is so freaking good, as well as tangy and sweet all wrapped up into a little strudel. It fits perfectly in your hand and is super easy to eat on the way to work or in your home office since everyone is stuck at home from this pandemic.

Ingredients:

Crust:

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup cold butter cubed

1/2 cup sugar

2 tablespoons salt

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup ice water

1 egg (beaten)

Cherry Filling:

2 cups fresh cherries, pitted and stems removed

2 tablespoons corn starch

1/2 cup water

1/2 the juice of a lemon

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Icing:

1 cup powdered sugar

3 tablespoons heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Sprinkles- Optional topping

Directions:

Whisk together flour, salt and sugar. Add butter, using a pastry cutter, working the butter and flour mixture into a coarse meal. It should be in pea sized pieces. Start adding the ice water one tablespoon at a time. When it gets to hard to stir with wooden spoon, start kneading it. Roll it out on a floured surface, make it into a large ball, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

While the crust is being refrigerated, you can start on the filling. Add all filling ingredients into sauce pan over medium heat. Stirring the whole time it is cooking so it doesn’t stick to bottom. You may need to turn the heat down a little depending on your burner. Let bubble and simmer for about 10 min. Remove from heat and let cool for about ten min.

Preheat oven to 425. Remove dough ball from refrigerator and roll out onto a floured surface, into a large rectangle, about 9x13. Using a pizza cutter, slice dough into 18 small rectangles. This makes about 9 strudels. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Lay 9 of the rectangles onto the cookie sheet, 3x3. Using your cherry pie filling, scoop out about a tablespoon full and spoon on to the middle of one of the rectangles. Repeat this, until all of them have cherry filling. Finally cover each cherry filled rectangle with another rectangle piece of dough, laying it right on top, to cover it. Using a fork, press down all four sides of the strudel to bring the two pieces of dough together. Repeat on the rest of the strudels. Poke the tops of each of the strudels with a fork, about 3 times. Paint the top each of the strudels, using a pastry brush, with the beaten egg. Add to the oven and bake for about 10-12 min or until golden.

Mix together the powdered sugar, heavy cream and vanilla for the icing. Whisk until it is smooth, with no lumps. Once the strudels are done, remove from oven and let cool for about 10 min. Drizzle the icing on the top and add sprinkles! Always add sprinkles, because they are awesome and make life better!