streusel

American  

[shtroi-zuhl, stroo-zuhl, stroi-] / ˈʃtrɔɪ zəl, ˈstru zəl, ˈstrɔɪ- /

noun

1. a topping for coffeecake, consisting of crumbs of blended sugar, cinnamon, flour, butter, and chopped nutmeats.

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streusel British  

/ ˈstruːsəl, ˈʃtrɔyzəl, ˈstrɔɪ- /

noun

1. a crumbly topping for rich pastries

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Etymology

Origin of streusel

1925–30; < German: literally, a sprinkling; see strew

Explanation

Streusel is a sweet, crumbly topping for baked goods. If you're not a fan of pie crust, you might prefer pies with streusel on top. Yum! Typically, streusel is made with butter, flour, and sugar, sometimes with added ingredients like oats, spices, or nuts. Besides pies, sweets that often have a streusel topping include coffee cake, muffins, cakes, and fruit crisps. In German, Streusel means "something scattered or sprinkled," which is exactly what a baker does with streusel before baking.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

streusel

The brown butter streusel forms a craggy, golden crown—nutty, crisp, just salted enough to keep things interesting.

From Salon ● Apr. 28, 2026

The streusel — made from a flour mixture of oats, all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and sea salt — is sprinkled on top before baking.

From Salon ● May 23, 2025

Sichuan chile crisp sundae with peanut streusel is an unexpected combination that works.

From New York Times ● Mar. 21, 2023

"A generous layer of oat streusel punctuated with cinnamon creates a crunchy topping that perfectly contrasts the tender fruit and adds a nutty bite," he writes.

From Salon ● Nov. 12, 2022

This pumpkin-packed crumb cake topped with spicy, crispy streusel and an optional glaze is just the thing for an afternoon snack.

From New York Times ● Oct. 12, 2022