When it comes to eating before a busy day at school or work, an on-the-go breakfast is just the thing. Bonus if that breakfast has just a few ingredients. Our copycat Toaster Strudel recipe ticks off both those boxes. It’s a quick and sweet way to start the day.
Why It’s Important to Cook with Kids
Cooking with your kids is an excellent way to introduce them to basic kitchen skills, such as how to read and follow a recipe. Being involved with making their own food gives children a sense of ownership and pride—and they are more likely to eat the finished product if they helped to make it, too!
Skills Your Kids Will Need for This Recipe
This simple recipe requires the use of cup and tablespoon measures. Your kids will need the dexterity to grasp them.
How to Make Copycat Toaster Strudel
This Toaster Strudel recipe gives plenty of chances for kids to pitch in. Find out what other jobs kids can do in the kitchen.
Ingredients
- 1 tube (8 ounces) refrigerated crescent rolls
- 1 cup cherry pie filling
- 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1 to 2 tablespoons milk
Instructions
Step 1: Preheat the oven
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Step 2: Prep the pastry
Carefully open the tube of crescent rolls. Unroll the dough and separate it into four rectangles. Put the rectangles on an ungreased baking sheet. Use your fingers to gently press down on the dotted lines that separate each rectangle. You want to seal up the perforations and create an even layer of dough.
Kid job:Â Little fingers will do a great job of pressing out those dotted lines and perforations.
Step 3: Add your filling
Spoon 1/4 cup of pie filling on half of each rectangle of dough. Leave about 1/2-inch of space around the edge of the dough so the filling won’t leak when it bakes.
Kid job: Spread the pie filling. You may need to keep an eye on the 1/2-inch border.
Step 4: Fold and crimp
For each strudel, fold the dough over the filling. Use your fingers to pinch the edges of the dough together to seal. You could use the tines of a fork to crimp together the edges of the dough to make a pretty pattern if you’d like.
Kid job: Kids pinch with their fingers or seal the edges with a fork.
Step 5: Bake
Place the strudels in the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and set the baking sheet on a wire rack to cool.
Step 6: Decorate
While the strudels are cooling, make your glaze. Place the confectioners’ sugar in a small bowl. Stir in enough milk to achieve a drizzling consistency—it shouldn’t be runny, but it also shouldn’t be too thick. Use a fork to drizzle the glaze over the strudels.
Kid job: Decorate! Make the toaster strudels even more fun by adding a few drops of food coloring to the glaze. And what kid wouldn’t love some colorful sprinkles on top?
These strudels are best served warm. Store leftovers (if there are any!) in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Make It Your Own
After you’ve mastered the basic recipe, it’s time to experiment. Ask your kids what fillings they’d like to try. There are lots of options when it comes to choosing a filling for your homemade toaster strudel. Any type of fruity filling, such as cherry, apple, blueberry or peach will do. You can keep it super-simple and use pie filling from a can. (That’s what our recipe calls for.) A few tablespoons of chocolate-hazelnut butter, peanut butter or cream cheese would be delicious filling options, too.
More Tasty Breakfast Pastry Recipes
Overnight Cherry DanishThese rolls with their cherry-filled centers melt in your mouth and store well unfrosted in the freezer. —Leann Sauder, Tremont, Illinois
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German Apple StrudelThis gorgeous strudel has just what you crave this time of year: thin layers of flaky crust and lots of juicy apples. —Darlene Brenden, Salem, Oregon
Double Nut BaklavaIt may take some time to make this rich, buttery treat, but it's well worth the effort! The blend of coconut, pecans and macadamia nuts is irresistible. —Kari Kelley, Plains, Montana
Apple Pie BitesThese apple pie bites are fun for kids to make. Simply wrap strips of pastry around apple wedges and shake on some cinnamon-sugar. Then just bake and watch them disappear! —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
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Almond Pear TartI had never seen a "pie without a pan" until my daughter brought back this wonderful pear almond tart recipe from a Rotary Club exchange program in Belgium. It's still a family favorite after all these years. —Sherry LaMay, Capitan, New Mexico
Ice Cream KolachkesThese sweet pastries have Polish and Czech roots and can also be spelled "kolaches." They are usually filled with poppy seeds, nuts, jam or a mashed fruit mixture. The ice cream is a unique twist on traditional kolachkes, and it's simplest to use a square cookie cutter to cut the dough. —Diane Turner, Brunswick, Ohio
Delicious Almond BraidsSimilar to an almond crescent, this coffee cake is light and flaky with a rich almond center. It’s versatile, so you can serve it for dessert, breakfast or brunch. It tastes as if it came from a high-end bakery, but packaged puff pastry dough makes it easy. —Gina Idone, Staten Island, New York
Check out these
16 puff pastry desserts that will satisfy your sweet tooth.
Deep-Dish Apple PieThis deep-dish apple pie is a winner! The crust is so flaky and the filling is sure to please everyone. —Salem Cross Inn, West Brookfield, Massachusetts
Pecan Roll-UpsThis recipe is so delicious and is sure to become a favorite of your family. The pecans make them so rich.—Lee B. Roberts, Racine, Wisconsin
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Bourbon Chocolate Pecan PieWhen my fiance first made this chocolate bourbon pecan pie for me, I declared it to be the best pie ever! Creamy chocolate combines with crunchy nuts in a great, gooey filling. We can't get enough of this recipe inspired by Kentucky Derby bourbon chocolate pecan pie. —Tanya Taylor, Cary, North Carolina
Sugar Plum Phyllo KringleThanks to store-bought phyllo dough, this pastry is easier to make than it looks. Serve it not only for breakfast, but also for dessert with a scoop of ice cream. —Johnna Johnson, Scottsdale, Arizona
Lemony Walnut-Raisin GaletteThis flaky, buttery pastry dessert has a filling of fruit, walnuts, coconut and cinnamon. There's a lot to love! For even more appeal, dollop sweetened whipped cream on top of each serving. —Ellen Kozak, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
German Plum TartThe buttery crust of this fruit-filled treat melts in your mouth. You can substitute sliced apples or peaches for the plums with great results. I've used this crust with blueberries, too. —Helga Schlape, Florham Park, New Jersey
State Fair Cream PuffsThe Wisconsin Bakers Association has served this cream puff recipe at our state fair since 1924. —Ruth Jungbluth, Dodgeville, Wisconsin
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Grilled Fruit Phyllo TartThis tart was a hit at my friend's baby shower. It reminds me of a fruit salad that my mother used to make with cream cheese and whipped topping. Everyone loved the flaky crust, and the bright colors make it a pretty addition to any spread. —Laura McAllister, Morganton, North Carolina
Orange-Almond ChoclavaA twist on classic baklava, this recipe adds semisweet chocolate to the nut filling and drizzles even more chocolate on top. Christmas gift-giving has never been yummier! —Nella Parker, Hersey, MI
Banana Cream EclairsTo surprise my banana-loving family, I made this dessert for a reunion, where it stood out among the usual fare. These special treats are something to look at and mouthwateringly delicious. —Ruby Williams, Bogalusa, Louisiana
Nutella Hand PiesThese pint-sized Nutella hand pies made with puff pastry are too good to keep to yourself! —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
Peach Cream PuffsOn a sizzling day, we crave something light, airy and cool. Nothing says summer like cream puffs stuffed with peaches and whipped cream. —Angela Benedict, Dunbar, West Virginia
PalmiersIt takes just two ingredients to make these impressive but easy-to-do French pastries, which are often called palm leaves. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Raspberry Chocolate PuffsThis chocolaty, flaky dessert is one of my favorite show-off recipes because
it makes a spectacular presentation. The best part? It’s actually surprisingly easy and quick to make. —Anneliese Deising, Plymouth, Michigan
Updated: Jul. 07, 2022
