How To Make Streusel Topping

Digging your fork into a cinnamon coffee cake topped with plenty of tall crumb, or taking a bite out of a blueberry muffin, chances are, you're going to enjoy streusel topping in every bite. Sure, the cake or muffin itself is as delicious as can be, but streusel topping adds a whole new level of flavor and texture to that bite.

Streusel is buttery and sweet, yet it also adds a nice, light crunch on top of a treat. Everything from cakes, muffins, pies, and quick breads can be topped with a delicious streusel topping and it can enhance the baked sweet that much more. But even if it's not something traditionally topped with streusel, really any treat can be paired with it.

Streusel is an incredibly easy and tasty topping to make at home with just a few ingredients in a matter of minutes. And trust us, putting in that extra few minutes of effort is only going to make your baked goods that much better.

To make your own simple streusel topping at home, you'll need just four ingredients. You'll need 4 tablespoons of butter, melted, ¾ cup flour, ½ cup brown sugar, and ¼ teaspoon salt.

A basic streusel topping offers a bit of sweetness, with just a hint of salt to balance it out. However, streusel is incredibly versatile, and if you want to add additional mix-ins to switch up its flavor profile, you certainly can.

Consider adding baking spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, or allspice to your streusel topping. You could also add crushed pecans or walnuts into the mixture or old fashioned oats to add a bit more crunch and a unique flavor. Streusel topping also pairs beautifully with a simple glaze if you want to enhance the look of your baked goods while adding another touch of sweetness. 

The first step to making streusel topping is to mix together your dry ingredients. In a mixing bowl, add in the flour, brown sugar, and salt. Use a large fork to stir the mixture until it's well combined. 

Making streusel topping is all about balancing moisture. Once the dry ingredients are mixed, it's time to add moisture to the mixture by adding in melted butter.

Melt the 4 tablespoons of butter in a microwave-safe mug. You can also use the stovetop for this step if needed.

Once the butter is melted, add it into the bowl with the dry ingredients and begin to stir the mixture. 

Stir the dry ingredients and melted butter with a large fork until the dry mixture is moistened by the butter. Continue stirring until large clumps form in the mixture. Once the dry and wet ingredients are combined, your streusel topping is ready to add on top of your baked goods before baking. 

Once your streusel topping is ready, you'll want to sprinkle it over top of the batter you're pairing it with. Be sure to sprinkle the streusel topping evenly, without adding too much. Too heavy of a streusel topping may sink while baking.

Streusel topping is an ideal topping to sprinkle on muffins such as blueberry, raspberry, pumpkin, or apple muffins. Of course, it's one of the main components to making a coffee cake recipe, as the streusel topping is piled high on top. Streusel topping can also be added to pies, tarts, and any other baked good you could imagine — even a bowl of ice cream.

Ingredients

4 tablespoons of butter, melted

¾ cup flour

½ cup brown sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

Directions

In a mixing bowl, add in the flour, brown sugar, and salt and mix well. 

Add melted butter to the dry ingredients.

Stir the dry ingredients and melted butter with a large fork until the dry mixture is moistened by the butter.

Continue stirring until large clumps form in the mixture.

Sprinkle streusel topping over batter or prepared desserts.