If you're looking for an easy streusel crumb topping recipe, that melts in your mouth, is a little crunchy, and buttery, and light - then look no further. The recipe calls for pantry ingredients, it's simple and it pulls together in less than 5 minutes. Can't beat that!
A perfect topping for desserts
Some desserts are just better suited for something light and buttery that melts in your mouth. Pies, sweet breads, muffins, and pastries are a perfect home for this style of streusel crumb topping.
On the flip side, I also love a rustic granola style crunchy oat & brown sugar topping and use it on fruit crisps, oat bars, other sturdy sweet bread, but this light and delicate streusel version is not that.
Light and buttery - tips about the mixture
It's just a simple mixture of flour, sugar, a pinch of nutmeg, and salt - and butter. I prefer to use butter that's room temperature or even melted, but you can certainly use cold butter and cut it in, or even frozen grated butter. There are many pastry and baking recipes that require the butter to be a certain consistency for a good result - but this streusel recipe isn't one of them. You might see other methods that do call for you to first freeze then grate the butter - I've tried that, I've also tried softened and melted butter. In my opinion, the end result isn't all that different - not enough of an improvement in texture to justify the extra steps of freezing and grating, or using a pastry cutter to handle cold butter. I'd rather just mix it in when it's soft. I'm lazy like that.
A streusel crumb surprise addition
The secret ingredient is a little crazy! But it really makes the streusel taste light, I think. Just a small splash of apple cider vinegar - only ½ to 1 teaspoon will make a difference. Thoroughly mix it in and give it a tiny taste. You probably won't be able to detect it, but it helps cut the richness of the butter and flour. Not sure how it works, but it does. It's a step that I don't skip.
This recipe makes 2 cups of streusel topping. Just about perfect for a Strawberry Pie or a few loaves of Pumpkin Spice Bread. If you have extra, just freeze it! It thaws perfectly and you can top your muffins, or other desserts without having to make it again.
You can find the recipe to this Strawberry Rhubarb Pie right here!
Easy Streusel Crumb Topping
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ C flour
- ½ C sugar
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- pinch salt omit if using salted butter
- ½ C butter preferably unsalted, softened
- ½ - 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- In a medium bowl combine all ingredients except the apple cider vinegar. Thoroughly combine. Your mixture should be like clumps of coarse sand.Depending on each batch, I may add a teaspoon or 2 of additional flour.
- Add ½ teaspoon to 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar and mix in. Add a teaspoon of additional flour if needed.
- Refrigerate until needed. This recipe makes 2 cups. Use with your dessert and freeze any extra for next time.
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