Easy Vegan Streusel Topping (5 Minutes)

Use this easy vegan streusel topping to take your baked goods to the next level! It takes only 5 minutes and has 5 ingredients! Top it on your muffins, pies, crisps, and crumbles for the ultimate vegan dessert!

What is streusel?

Streusel is a versatile crumbly topping made from butter, sugar, oats, and flour, with spices like cinnamon or nuts added for texture. It’s used to add texture and sweetness to various desserts such as crisps, crumbles, coffee cakes, muffins, pies, bars, and more. Streusel adds a buttery, sweet, and crumbly layer that enhances the texture of many baked goods!

Jump to:

• What is streusel?
• Ingredients and Notes
• How to Make Vegan Streusel Topping in 5 Minutes
• Baking Streusel Alone
• Tips and Tricks
• Variations
• How to Use
• Storage
• Vegan Recipes with Streusel Topping!
• Recipe

Ingredients and Notes

Rolled Oats give the streusel texture and crunch when baked. If you are gluten-free, use gluten-free oats to avoid cross-contamination.

All-Purpose Flour: This flour bonds with the other ingredients to create a crumbly texture. If needed, you can substitute gluten-free 1:1 baking flour.

Brown Sugar: Adds sweetness and helps the streusel to achieve a golden brown finish when baked.

Cinnamon: The cinnamon adds a warm and fragrant spice.

Vegan Butter: Creates moisture and crispness as it melts in the oven, resulting in the buttery, crunchy streusel texture. Cold butter ensures the crumbs stay distinct and don’t melt together too much.

How to Make Vegan Streusel Topping in 5 Minutes

1. Add the rolled oats, flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon to a medium mixing bowl. Whisk together until combined.
2. Cut the cold butter into cubes.
3. Add the butter to the oat and flour mixture. Use a fork or pastry cutter to cut the butter into the dry ingredients until a crumbly texture forms.
4. Keep it cold until you can use it for your favorite vegan baked goods.
5. When ready, sprinkle it on top of your muffins, crisps, crumbles, or pies, and bake according to the recipe instructions.

Baking Streusel Alone

If you’d like streusel topping to add to your custards, yogurts, or other snacks and desserts, you can bake it on its own.

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Sprinkle the streusel in an even layer.
3. Bake for 10 minutes, checking at the halfway mark to be sure it doesn’t burn.

Tips and Tricks

• Make sure that the butter is cold. If it is room temperature or melted, it will not bind as well with the oats and flour to create a golden brown finish.
• You can adjust the spices to suit your preference. For example, you may add more or less cinnamon to achieve your desired flavor.
• Combine the ingredients using a fork or pastry cutter. This will help you achieve a crumbly texture, whereas using a spatula or spoon will create a thick batter consistency.
• Combine the butter with the dry ingredients until the flour has been absorbed, but don’t overmix.
• If your streusel topping is too thick, it can sink to the bottom of your baked goods rather than become a topping. So make sure that it is light and crumbly.
• Keep it cold until ready to use.

Variations

Nuts & Seeds: For added crunch and flavor, add chopped nuts like almonds, pecans, or walnuts. Mix in sunflower or pumpkin seeds for extra texture and nutrients.

More Spices: Add a pinch of ginger, nutmeg, or cardamom to elevate the flavor of your vegan streusel. This is incredibly delicious when paired with fruit-based desserts, like blackberry muffins or apple crisps.

Refined Sugar-Free: Instead of using brown sugar, substitute coconut sugar.

Gluten-Free: Use gluten-free rolled oats and gluten-free 1:1 baking flour.

How to Use

• Crisps and Crumbles – Apple crisps, berry crumbles, or peach crisps are classic desserts with a streusel topping.
• Coffee Cakes – Streusel is commonly used as a layer or topping in coffee cakes for added crunch and sweetness.
• Muffins – Many muffins, like blueberry or apple cinnamon, benefit from a streusel topping.
• Pies – Streusel can replace a traditional pie crust top like Dutch apple pie.
• Cakes and Bars – It’s often added to bars (like rhubarb or lemon bars) and cakes as a flavorful topping.
• Cobbler – Some cobblers use a streusel topping instead of biscuit dough.
• Bread and Loaves – Sweet bread, like banana or zucchini bread, can have a streusel topping for added crunch.

Storage

Not Baked: Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 4-5 days.

Baked: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days.

Vegan Recipes with Streusel Topping!

Recipe