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, ˈstrɔɪ-, ˈʃtrɔyzəl /

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

When baked, the streusel should form a craggy, golden crust that cracks gently under a knife.

From Salon ● Mar. 31, 2026

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

From New York Times ● Mar. 21, 2023

Made from folded pie crust "petals," the pastries are stuffed with apple filling and sprinkled with cinnamon streusel.

From Salon ● Oct. 10, 2022

Uwe’s Bakery and Deli: Taste the region’s German and Czech heritage via authentic, made-from-scratch pastries like pudding pretzel, peach streusel, or sausage, cheese and jalapeño klobasneks.

From New York Times ● Sep. 7, 2022