Cinnamon Streusel Topping
This cinnamon streusel topping is deliciously buttery and sweet, and is the perfect topping for your favorite pies, muffins, and cakes.
How to Make Cinnamon Streusel Topping
To make sure your cinnamon streusel turns out as amazing as possible, let’s walk through each step together!
I’ve also included a video tutorial of the process below.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, ground cinnamon, and salt.
Pour the melted and cooled butter into the dry ingredients and gently stir together with a fork to make some nice, big crumbles.
You should end up with a bowl of what looks like wet sand with some pea-sized chunks.
Be careful not to over-mix! You want to leave some of those buttery chunks intact.
Use on top of your favorite muffins, cakes, and pies!!
Note: If you plan to add this to a baked good that won’t be baked, it’s important that you heat treat the flour in this recipe. This can be done in the oven or microwave.
Cinnamon Streusel Topping: Swaps & Substitutions
While I love this cinnamon streusel recipe just the way it is, I know some of you might not have all these ingredients on hand.
Below are some swaps and substitutions that can be made in this recipe:
- All-Purpose Flour – This recipe turns out best with all-purpose flour. You can swap in a good gluten-free flour blend (like this) if needed, but it will change the texture a bit.
- Granulated Sugar – I do not recommend reducing the amount of sugar or changing the type of sugar, as it will change the flavor and texture of the streusel.
- Brown Sugar – I like using light brown sugar, but dark brown sugar will work too!
- Unsalted Butter – If you only have salted butter on hand, you can use it in place of the unsalted butter. Just be sure to omit the salt that this recipe calls for. You can also use vegan butter in its place!
Streusel Troubleshooting: Why is My Streusel Topping Not Crumbly?
We all know the best part of streusel is the big chunks of buttery goodness!
Sadly, some batches of streusel end up looking greasy, sandy, or almost like batter.
A lot of times, this happens when your butter is too hot. It can melt the sugars, which totally throws off the texture.
The best way to avoid this is to let your butter sit for at least 10 minutes after it’s been melted. You want it to still be liquid, but not hot to the touch.
If it looks sandy, you may have overmixed it and broken down the bits of butter too much.
How Much Streusel Does This Recipe Make?
This cinnamon streusel recipe makes enough topping to cover a dozen muffins or cupcakes, a 9″ or 10″ pie, or the top of an 8×8-inch coffee cake.
Tips for Making the Best Cinnamon Streusel Topping
- Let your butter sit for about 10 minutes after you’ve melted it. This will help you make larger, more defined crumbles in your streusel.
- Use a fork to mix your streusel! It allows you to combine your ingredients while leaving some of those delicious little butter bits intact.
Making This Streusel in Advance
The cinnamon streusel topping can be used immediately, refrigerated for 5 days, or frozen up to a month. Store in an airtight container to keep it fresh.
Let Me Know What You Think
If you try this cinnamon streusel topping recipe, I’d love to hear what you think!
Please leave a rating below and a comment to let me know your thoughts.
Cinnamon Streusel Topping
Equipment
Ingredients
Cinnamon Streusel
- 1 cup all-purpose flour 130g
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar 100g
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar 66g
- 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp fine salt
- 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled 85g
Instructions
Cinnamon Streusel Filling
- Whisk together 1 cup of all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup of packed brown sugar, 1/3 cup of granulated sugar, 1 Tbsp cinnamon, and 1/4 tsp fine salt in a medium-sized bowl.
- Add 6 Tbsp or 3/4 of a stick of unsalted butter that's been melted and set aside to cool for about 10 minutes into the mixture. Use a fork to kind of fold the mixture together. I sweep around the sides of the bowl and then along the bottom of the bowl. The goal is to gently incorporate the butter into the dry ingredients while leaving some big chunks intact. Be careful not to overmix! Mix just until the flour is fully incorporated. Refrigerate the mixture until you're ready to use it. Then use on top of your favorite muffins, cakes, and pies!!
Video
Notes
Yield:
This cinnamon streusel recipe makes enough to cover a dozen muffins or cupcakes, a 10″ pie, or the top of an 8×8-inch coffee cake.Tips for Making the Best Cinnamon Streusel Topping
- Let your butter sit for about 10 minutes after you’ve melted it. This will help you make larger, more defined crumbles in your streusel.
- Use a fork to mix your streusel! It allows you to combine your ingredients while leaving some of those delicious little butter bits intact!
Making This Streusel in Advance
The cinnamon streusel topping can be used immediately, refrigerated for 5 days, or frozen up to a month. Store in an airtight container to keep it fresh.Nutrition
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Hi, Im in LOVE with your website/recipes!
The ‘substitutions’ if you don’t have an ingredient is what I have been looking for so long.
By the way,
Have been looking for some recipes like cinnamon star bread. I saw it somewhere( tiktok maybe?) but can’t find it on the website. Would love to try it.
Could you share the link?
Thank you ?
Hi…can this recipe be cooked, heated up in the oven.
Thank you.
Iggy ?
Hi Iggy,
It totally can! It would be great on top of pies or crumbles or muffins!! Happy baking 🙂
This is soooo good! I used it to make some diy coffee cakes (basically cinnamon muffins with streusel). It was a bit crumbly for my taste, probably because I didn’t wait for the butter to cool, but still had an amazing flavor. I’ll definitely use this recipe again! ???
So happy to hear that Cady!! Thank you so much for sharing 🙂
Doesn’t the flour need heat treated if it’s not going on something that will be baked after?
Hi Kate,
You are totally right! I usually add this to pies and things that are baked, but if you plan to add this to a baked good that won’t be baked, it’s important that you heat treat the flour in this recipe. This can be done in the oven or microwave. I’ve added a note in the recipe card and post to make it more clear. Hope that helps, happy baking!
I make this streusel but I use cold butter and cut it into the sugar/cinnamon mixture. That way I get nice small chunks of butter throughout.
What temp and how long to bake if sprinkled on canned pie filling please?
Hi Lizzy,
Apologies for the delayed response! I would recommend adding it to the top of a pie before baking it, and then baking it at the temp / time that the pie filling requires! Or you can bake at 350 F until the streusel starts to brown. Hope that helps for the future, happy baking!
Can’t tell you how many times I have used this recipe over the past year! It’s the best tasting streusel I have ever had. Thanks for sharing! ??
Hi and thanks for the recipe! I hope to make this streusel to top some cinnamon Rice Krispie treats. Would I be able to store the finished product at room temperature, or would the [unbaked] streusel require refrigeration? Thanks!
Apologies for the delayed response Katie! You can keep it at room temp for a short window, but it’s not ideal. Because the streusel has butter in it, it can get soft, greasy, or even start to melt if your kitchen is warm. It also won’t stay as fresh.
If you really need to leave it out, keep it tightly covered and only for about a day. Any longer than that, and the fridge or freezer will keep the texture so much better. Hope that helps, happy baking!!