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    Home ยป Recipes ยป Kitchen Tips

    How to Make Streusel (Crumb Topping)

    May 31, 2021 By Sam 131 Comments

    This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure policy.
    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video
    collage of streusel topping, top image of streusel topping in bowl, bottom image on top of slice of cake

    My streusel topping recipe comes together in under 5 minutes and is the perfect topping for your favorite pies, cakes, and muffins! Made with common ingredients (and no pastry cutter needed!), this buttery crumb topping will be your new favorite!

    Crumb topping piled on a muffin.

    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

    Ingredients for crumb topping: Wooden spoon, granulated sugar, salt, butter, all-purpose flour, and light brown sugar.
    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.

    How To Make Streusel

    Three photos in a collage: 1)Mixing the sugar, 2) adding the melted butter 3) mixing with a fork.
    1. Stir together flour, sugar (granulated and brown sugar), and salt. The brown sugar may be a bit clumpy, I usually try to break up the clumps a bit but it’s not a big deal if you don’t get them all, this will be a clumpy streusel anyway!
    2. Melt your butter, but let it cool enough so that it doesn’t feel hot to the touch (or it could melt the sugar and make your streusel greasy). Pour melted butter into the flour mixture.
    3. Use a fork to toss the ingredients until all of the flour has been absorbed. Don’t overdo it! You want this mixture to be crumbly with some distinct buttery clumps (the best part of any streusel), so just toss and claw the ingredients together with a fork until combined. If you over-mix, you’ll have a thick paste-like mixture.
    Closeup showing mixed topping.
    The crumble topping pictured here has cinnamon mixed in, which accounts for its darker color

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What is the difference between crumble and streusel?

    While I imagine some purists will argue with me, I feel comfortable saying that there is no clear, distinct difference, at least in present-day America. Streusel originated in Germany and was made by cutting butter into a mixture of flour and (white) sugar. Over the years, many people (including myself) have made subtle variations to improve upon the base recipe to their taste preferences, and in the US, streusel is often referred to as “crumb topping”. Whatever you choose to call it, you won’t notice much of a difference in taste or texture either way.

    What does streusel mean?

    If you look up the word in the dictionary you’ll find that it simply means a crumbly topping. It originally came from a German word that approximately translates to “scattered” or “strewn”. Makes sense since we’re scattering it over our coffee cake!

    Why is my streusel not crumbly?

    Often this happens if the crumb topping is over-mixed or if the butter was much too hot. Over-mixing will leave you with a pasty, batter-like mixture rather than the crumbly topping you are aiming for. Using very hot butter can cause the sugars to melt, leaving you with a greasy and not crumbly mixture.

    Overhead shot of streusel ingredients being mixed with a fork.

    A Few Recipes That Use Streusel:

    • Apple crumb cake cut into slices and drizzled with vanilla glaze.
      Apple Crumb Cake
    • slice of apple pie with ice cream on white plate
      Dutch Apple Pie
    • pumpkin muffin topped with streusel and vanilla glaze
      The BEST Pumpkin Muffins
    • streusel topped banana muffin missing a bite
      The Best Banana Muffin Recipe

    Enjoy!

    Let’s bake together! Make sure to check out the how-to VIDEO in the recipe card! 

    Closeup showing mixed topping.

    Streusel Topping Recipe

    My sweet and buttery streusel topping is the perfect way to top off your favorite muffins and cakes! This crumb topping makes enough to cover 12 muffins, a 10" pie, or the surface of one 9”x13” cake.
    Recipe includes a how-to video!
    4.98 from 109 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: German
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Servings: 12 servings
    Calories: 154kcal
    Author: Sam Merritt

    Ingredients

    • 1 ¼ cup (156 g) all-purpose flour
    • ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar tightly packed
    • ⅓ cup (66 g) sugar
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • 6 Tablespoons (85 g) unsalted butter melted and cooled so that it’s warm but not hot to the touch (if you only have salted butter, use that and omit the salt)
    • see notes section for optional add-in ingredients

    Recommended Equipment

    • Mixing bowls

    Instructions

    • In a medium-sized bowl, whisk or stir together flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and salt.
      1 ¼ cup (156 g) all-purpose flour, ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar tightly packed, ⅓ cup (66 g) sugar, ¼ teaspoon salt
    • Drizzle butter over the mixture and use a fork to toss and claw the ingredients together until combined but still clumpy. Don’t over-mix or the streusel will become like a paste, simply toss together until mixture is clumpy, no longer dry, and the flour is completely absorbed.
      6 Tablespoons (85 g) unsalted butter
    • Scatter evenly over muffins, pie, or coffee cake before baking. While the baking time may be an extra minute or so due to the added bulk of the streusel, I recommend checking for doneness at the time indicated in the recipe before adding more baking time.

    Notes

    Nuts

    Walnuts, pecans, or your favorite nuts make a fine addition to this crumb topping, I recommend finely chopping โ…“ cup of nuts (roughly 50g) and tossing them in with your flour and sugar. No other alterations are necessary.

    Spices/vanilla

    This recipe works well with a pinch of cinnamon (if using, I add ยพ teaspoon, but adjust according to your own taste) or other spices such as nutmeg, cloves, cardamom, allspice, or pumpkin spice. Simply stir in your spice of choice with the flour/sugar mixture. 
    A splash of  vanilla extract will make the streusel richer and more flavorful. If desired, mix ยฝ teaspoon of vanilla with the melted butter before adding the butter to the flour mixture.

    Making in advance

    You can make this topping up to three days in advance of using. Simply store in an airtight container at room temperature then sprinkle over your cake/muffins/etc. before baking.

    The best batters for streusel

    Streusel can be used to top most of your favorite goods (think muffins, pies, fruit crisps, and dense cakes like coffee cake). Keep in mind that the streusel is prone to sinking in very thin, liquidy batters and is best used on thicker, denser batters.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 154kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 52mg | Potassium: 28mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 175IU | Calcium: 11mg | Iron: 1mg

    Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.

    Tried this recipe? Show me on Instagram!Mention @SugarSpun_Sam or tag #sugarspunrun!
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Sherri

      July 23, 2024 at 4:42 pm

      I wasnโ€™t going to use this recipe because the melted vs cold butter made me nervous. Then I read another commenter who had the same concern but tried it and it worked. Same! This was so much easier to mix than using cold butter and it turned out perfect!!

      Reply
      • Emily @ Sugar Spun Run

        July 23, 2024 at 5:02 pm

        We’re so happy you trusted the recipe, Sherri! It really is so much easier ๐Ÿ˜Š

        Reply
        • Angela

          August 26, 2024 at 10:41 pm

          Used this yesterday to put on some muffin tops I made for work. I seriously had people asking me specifically about โ€œthis incredible crumbly stuff on topโ€. Lol – super easy and delicious! Thanks!

      • Vanessa

        September 01, 2024 at 12:46 pm

        5 stars
        Absolutely perfect & so easy!!! Love that you can incorporate liquid flavoring into the melted butter as well! Simply brilliant! Thanks for sharing!

        Reply
    2. Emma

      July 13, 2024 at 3:39 pm

      5 stars
      Delicious and easy streusel recipe! Made for blueberry muffins and took them to the next level. Will be using for my future baked goods!

      Reply
      • Emily @ Sugar Spun Run

        July 15, 2024 at 11:44 am

        One of our favorite pairings! Enjoy, Emma ๐Ÿฅฐ

        Reply
    3. Morgan

      June 09, 2024 at 10:12 pm

      4 stars
      I followed the directions exactly, using a scale but after baking my muffins the topping was really crunchy. Mine looked just like yours pictured. Any idea what went wrong?

      Reply
      • Sam

        June 19, 2024 at 9:47 pm

        Hi Morgan! How many muffins did you spread it across? Maybe there wasn’t enough on each muffin? Was the oven temperature really high?

        Reply
      • Prachi Bansal

        August 18, 2024 at 1:21 am

        I have never tried or eaten crumble cake before, so recently baked one. However, the crumble on the top of cake is falling here and there as you pick a piece up for eating. My question is that how it’s suppose to be ? does it not stay glued to the cake like frosting??

        Reply
        • Sam

          August 19, 2024 at 12:50 pm

          Hi Prachi! Little bits of the streusel will fall off here and there but the majority of it should remain in place. ๐Ÿ™‚

    4. Jeff

      May 27, 2024 at 11:47 pm

      5 stars
      Very easy to make and delicious.

      Reply
    5. Kim

      May 19, 2024 at 10:42 am

      5 stars
      The best streusel topping ever! Works great using vegan butter. Definitely worth 5 stars!

      Reply
    6. Paulina

      April 03, 2024 at 3:00 pm

      5 stars
      Easy and perfect results!! Thank you!!

      Reply
    7. Laura

      February 27, 2024 at 5:46 pm

      Would you be able to freeze this topping ,for future use ?

      Reply
      • Sam

        February 28, 2024 at 10:12 am

        Hi Laura! That should work just fine. ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    8. Danette

      January 30, 2024 at 2:59 pm

      5 stars
      I was extremely apprehensive to try this recipe, only because I had never tried a recipe using melted butter instead of cold. I am happy to say this is my new fave. This recipe tastes just as good as using cold butter but faster & easier to prepare. Thank you, I look forward to trying more of your recipes to satisfy my families sweet tooth.

      Reply
      • Sam

        January 31, 2024 at 1:09 pm

        I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much, Danette! ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
        • Wendy

          February 11, 2024 at 10:15 pm

          on an apple pie, exactly when do you add this topping?

        • Sam

          February 12, 2024 at 9:52 pm

          Hi Wendy! I add it before putting it in the oven. Make sure to watch it and you may need to tent it if it browns too quickly. ๐Ÿ™‚

    9. Shannon

      January 22, 2024 at 3:56 pm

      5 stars
      So easy and delicious!

      Reply
      • Blanca Mora

        March 13, 2024 at 7:56 am

        would this make enough streusel for a 9×13 cake?

        Reply
        • Sam

          March 13, 2024 at 10:07 am

          Yes it will. ๐Ÿ™‚

    10. Catherine

      January 16, 2024 at 8:30 pm

      5 stars
      Perfect topping for my blueberry muffins! Thank you.

      Reply
    11. Carol D Kievit

      December 21, 2023 at 9:02 am

      Is it possible to bake this by itself for ice cream topping? If so, what directions would you recommend to bake it?

      Reply
      • Sam

        December 21, 2023 at 9:39 am

        Hi Carol! I would bake it on 315 for 10-15 minutes. ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
        • Michelle

          May 31, 2024 at 3:06 pm

          I have made this on several occasions and it is always delicious on blueberry pie. Any options for not using all that butter? Thanks!

        • Sam

          June 04, 2024 at 1:50 pm

          Hi Michelle! Unfortunately I don’t have a good substitute as the butter really helps everything combine. ๐Ÿ™‚

    12. isabelle

      December 16, 2023 at 6:12 am

      5 stars
      Very easy to bake & super delicious

      twist
      add 100g of almond powder & reduce sugar to keep the same consistance & weight

      Reply
    13. Cassie

      November 24, 2023 at 8:39 pm

      i would’ve loved to add some of the items mentioned in the notes but I had already mixed everything up before I got to the notes! don’t ya love when that happens lol oops!

      Reply
      • Sam

        November 26, 2023 at 9:10 pm

        Oh no! I guess you’ll just have to make more! ๐Ÿ˜‰

        Reply
    14. Chris

      November 16, 2023 at 1:15 am

      5 stars
      Can you use cold butter instead ? And would it be still 6 tablespoons?

      Reply
      • Sam

        November 16, 2023 at 12:05 pm

        Hi Chris! I only ever make it with melted anymore, I think it would work but you’ll have to play with it and see.

        Reply
        • Liv

          November 22, 2023 at 7:51 pm

          Since the butter needs to melt anyway, might as well brown it. also going to make this with dark brown sugar and add vanilla and cinnamon. Making to put over a blueberry peach burbon pie.

    15. Janet Goldstein

      November 10, 2023 at 10:07 pm

      I want to put this on my pumpkin spice cake for a brunch. I add pumpkin puree to a spice cake and cloves. but I wonder if I should wait for the cake to be partially done prior to adding streussal topping, or maybe cooking it on cookie sheet in oven for 10 minutes and adding to the top of the cake in the last 5 or 10 minutes. any ideas?

      Reply
      • Sam

        November 11, 2023 at 9:51 pm

        Hi Janet! Without knowing the exact recipe it’s really hard to say for certain what the best plan of attack would be. ๐Ÿ™ Personally, though, I think I would just add it on top before putting it in the oven.

        Reply
      • Diana

        December 13, 2023 at 6:44 pm

        It really shouldnโ€™t be that complicated. Scattering crumble over your spice cake batter before baking should work just as easily as for the recipe on this site. The only time this crumble may not work (also mentioned on this site) is when the batter is too thin, which could cause the crumble to sink in too deep altho I donโ€™t see that happening since you also add a can of pumpkin to your batter, which should ultimately make your batter even thicker! :))

        Reply
      • Tam

        April 04, 2024 at 12:59 pm

        5 stars
        Hi Janet. I love to add this on top of my Bread Pudding so I bake it covered first, then remove the lid and add Sams streusal then bake 5 more minutes. Comes out great! (Thanks Sam!)

        Reply
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