How To Make Streusel Crumb Topping

A Buttery Crumb Topping

A super quick and simple recipe for you today! This streusel recipe has made an appearance on the blog many times before, but for those of you have found yourself with a coffee cake, batch of blueberry muffins, or apple pie in need of a crumble topping, I’ve got you (and your baked goods) covered. My recipe is easier than most (no pastry cutter needed!), comes together in under 5 minutes, and yields a crumbly, crisp, buttery streusel that tastes great on just about anything. I also include plenty of notes to customize your crumb topping with your favorite nuts or spices. Let’s get to it! And a note for any of those of you wondering: that streusel-covered muffin above is one of my coffee cake muffins!

Streusel Ingredients

Basic pantry staples are all you need for my streusel recipe:

Flour. I have only tried this recipe with all purpose flour and so that is what I recommend.Brown sugar. I use a higher ratio of brown sugar to granulated sugar because 1) it helps the streusel to clump better and 2) I prefer the slightly richer, more robust taste. For an even richer streusel, feel free to use dark brown sugar. Granulated sugar. Regular granulated sugar balances the streusel and keeps it from becoming so sweet and rich that it’s cloying. Salt. The small amount of salt in this recipe balances out the sweetness and keeps the topping from being overly sweet.Butter. This is what brings the streusel together and makes the crumbly, clumpy crumble topping. Unlike many streusel toppings, I use melted butter rather than cold butter that you have to cut in with a pastry cutter. Not only is it easier and faster this way, it also gives the streusel a better flavor! I use unsalted butter in my recipe to best control the flavor (see more in my post on salted vs unsalted butter), but if you only have salted butter on hand simply omit the salt that is called for.

Spices or other flavorings are an optional addition if you’d like to take your crumb topping to the next level. I often add a pinch of cinnamon or a tiny sprinkle of nutmeg for some depth of flavor. Other options include pumpkin pie spice, cloves, cardamom, lemon or other citrus zest, or even a splash of vanilla extract. Mix in any dry spices with the flour/sugar ingredients, and any liquid ones can be whisked with the butter. Some people also like to add chopped nuts like pecans or walnuts into their crumb topping, this is totally another option and I talk specifics in the recipe card.