Making Streusel Toppings

One thing that really makes muffins and coffee cakes of all types extra special good is a sweet and crunchy streusel topping. These toppings, also called “crumb” and “crunch” toppings, are easy to make and the basic version is completely made from pantry and refrigerator staples.

So, I thought this week, I’d talk about streusel and crumb toppings and share a new chart that will help you design the perfect topping for your own home-made treat creation:

the basic streusel topping is made of flour, brown sugar, granulated white sugar, and a fat, such as butter or shortening

What is fantastic, is the proportion of these ingredients is 1:1:1:1. This makes it so easy to remember what to use and how much. A quarter cup of each of the basic ingredients will top a dozen muffins or a loaf cake or an 8” square or round cake. Double the amount of each ingredient to ½ cup and you have enough to put a filling layer of streusel in each muffin or cake to get a ribbon of sweet goodness running through your treat… plus there will still be enough for a crunchy topping.

how to enhance and personalize your streusel topping

In addition to the basic recipe for a crumb/streusel topping, I’m giving you a second option of adding Enhancements such as Add-Ins for extra flavor and/or crunch. You can add any Add-In as long as it doesn’t exceed 1/3 of a cup. Also, you can add two Add-Ins like nuts and mini chips as long as you don’t exceed 1/3 cup for the total of these.

The other Enhancements you can add are Spices/Herbs and Extracts. Feel free to combine spices and herbs to complement each other and your batter… and always consider adding an extract. For me an extract is not essential but can be a great addition, if the flavors need an extra oomph.

I always think about how to enhance the treat I’m making

For my Coconut Crumb Banana Muffins, I wanted to double down on the coconut flavor and used coconut oil as the fat in both the muffin and the topping. I also added shredded coconut as an Add-In for the crumb topping, bringing even more coconut flavor to the topping.

Be aware, if you use an Add-In like shredded coconut that might burn in a moderately hot oven (400° F or 204° C) you will need to reduce your oven temperature by 15° to 375° F (190° C). This small reduction in temperature will increase your bake time by about 5 minutes, but ensures you get a nice golden-brown color and lovely crunch.

here is how to make a crunchier streusel topping

The third option on the chart is for a streusel topping that is crunchier and less likely to crumble and break apart. All you have to do is add 1 slightly beaten egg white after cutting in the butter or shortening. This is especially good when you are topping a pie. A single egg white is generally enough to hold a crunch topping together even if you double the basic recipe.

From left to right today’s chart lists the ingredients for a basic streusel, an enhanced streusel that can include extra flavors and crunchies, and a streusel that is less crumbly. I’ve also given you lots of ideas for flavors, including some you might not have considered before such as curry spice. Imagine making an apple cake and topping it with a crunch topping containing curry. Yumm!

I hope you will find my chart helpful and that you will have some fun creating your own new streusel flavor profiles for quick breads and coffee cakes!

Today’s Chart is: Crumb and Streusel Toppings