Homemade Brown Sugar Cinnamon Streusel with Pecans
Making homemade streusel topping may sound a little intimidating, but it is one of the simplest dessert recipes and you can whip it up in as little as 5 minutes! You can easily memorize this brown sugar streusel recipe to take your already delicious desserts to the next level.
Use this classic streusel to top blueberry muffins, crumb cakes, apple crumbles, sweet potato casseroles, pies, and more! You can even swirl cinnamon streusel into a coffee cake or cheesecake.
Homemade Cinnamon Brown Sugar Streusel Recipe
This simple recipe for homemade streusel topping is sweet and spiced, perfect for fall baking! It also works great for spring and summertime desserts like banana bread and blueberry muffins.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp ground Cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted or cold
Notes:
You can use melted butter for a buttery streusel that is almost like a cake batter OR you can cut in cold unsalted butter into the dry ingredients with a fork or pastry blender for a streusel crumble.
I prefer using melted butter when I am topping pies and dessert casseroles, but a crumble is great when topping muffins, coffee cakes, crumb cakes, and quick breads.
How to Make Homemade Streusel Topping
Follow these three simple steps to whip up a quick streusel topping for your favorite baked goods!
STEP 1– Mix Dry Ingredients
Mix the brown sugar (see how to make homemade brown sugar here), flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and chopped pecans with a fork in a medium bowl. Make sure they are combined well.
The chopped pecans are an optional ingredient, but they really add to a crunchy cinnamon streusel.
STEP 2- Add Butter
Add in the melted butter and mix with the sugar and flour mixture until it is all combined and moist.
**For this particular homemade streusel recipe, I use melted butter because I like a more smooth & buttery streusel to go on top of my sweet potato casserole.
If you want more of a crumbly topping, use cold butter and cut it in instead with a fork, pastry cutter, or food processor instead.
STEP 3- Top Desserts
Spread this homemade streusel topping onto your sweet potato casserole or crumb cake, to swirl into a cheesecake or coffee cake, to the top of muffins or sweet bread , or whatever else you want to add a little crunchy goodness into!
Make Ahead Brown Sugar Cinnamon Streusel
You can make this homemade streusel topping ahead of time to make baking day run more smoothly. This is great especially when you are cooking for the holidays!
After making the homemade streusel topping, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
What is your favorite way to eat streusel?
Homemade Brown Sugar Cinnamon Streusel Topping with Pecans
Ingredients
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp ground Cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted or cold
Instructions
STEP 1- Mix Dry Ingredients
Mix the brown sugar (see how to make homemade brown sugar here), flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and chopped pecans with a fork in a medium bowl. Make sure they are combined well.
STEP 2- Add Butter
Add in the melted butter and mix with the sugar and flour mixture until it is all combined and moist.
If you want more of a crumbly topping, use cold butter and cut it in instead with a fork, pastry cutter, or food processor instead.
STEP 3- Top Desserts
Spread this homemade streusel topping onto your sweet potato casserole or crumb cake, to swirl into a cheesecake or coffee cake, to the top of muffins or sweet bread , or whatever else you want to add a little crunchy goodness into!
Notes
You can use melted butter for a buttery streusel that is almost like a cake batter OR you can cut in cold unsalted butter into the dry ingredients with a fork or pastry blender for a streusel crumble.
I prefer using melted butter when I am topping pies and dessert casseroles, but a crumble is great when topping muffins, coffee cakes, crumb cakes, and quick breads.
More Simple Homemade Recipes
- Homemade Sweet Potato Casserole
- How to Make Brown Sugar From Scratch
- Homemade Sweetened Condensed Milk (Cook & No-Cook Methods)
- How to Make Vanilla Butter Pancake Syrup
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