Crumble topping is a combination of only 3 simple ingredients: butter, flour and sugar. It adds the perfect sweetness and crunch to any muffin, quick bread or pie!

crumble topping in bowl

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Favorite Topping for Muffins

I recently just made my pumpkin crumb muffins with this delicious topping and let me tell you, it was the star of the show! It’s the perfect combination of rich, buttery and sweet and makes a great crumb topping for muffins. I could eat it by the spoonful!

This easy crumble topping is the perfect way to add some extra pizazz to your baked goods. It can be whipped up in just 5 minutes and only requires 3 simple ingredients that I bet you already have in your fridge and pantry.

You can sprinkle this delicious crumb topping over breads, pies, bars, muffins…even coffee cake cookies. One of my favorite recipes to use it in is this brown bag apple pie or Dutch apple pie. It also tastes delicious on top of this razzleberry pie or sprinkled over this easy coffee cake recipe as well.

brown sugar mix in bowl

3 simple ingredients

The base recipe starts with 3 simple ingredients (amounts included in printable recipe below). Feel free to mix in an additional spice or two for even more flavor, like cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice. You can even mix in some chopped pecans for an extra crunch, or add in oats to make it more of a streusel topping.

  • Butter: Use salted butter and melt it down in the microwave.
  • Flour: All-purpose flour works great.
  • Sugar: I love to use granulated sugar or half sugar and half brown sugar.
crumble topping in muffin pan

How to make crumble topping

COMBINE the flour, sugar and melted butter in a bowl. Sprinkle in cinnamon if using. Then use a spoon to combine the mixture until crumbs start to form (do not mix until smooth). Refrigerate until ready to use.

SPRINKLE the crumb topping evenly on top of muffins, pies or breads. Then bake in the oven according to directions.

crumble topping in glass bowl

More ways to use crumb topping:

crumble topping in glass bowl

Crumble Topping

5 from 204 votes
Recipe by: Jamielyn Nye
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 12
Crumble topping is a combination of only 3 simple ingredients: butter, flour, and sugar. It adds the perfect sweetness and crunch to any muffin, quick bread, or pie!
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Ingredients 

  • ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • ⅓ cup granulated sugar or brown sugar (I like to a do 3 TB each)
  • 4-6 Tablespoons salted butter , very soft
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon , optional

Instructions

  • In a medium bowl, combine the flour and sugar. Add cinnamon, if desired. Add the softened butter (should be softened to a spreadable, almost melted state) into the bowl while stirring the crumbs with a fork. I like to start with 3-4 Tablespoons and add more as needed until the crumbs form. Do not over-mix (you do not want this to become like a dough). Add an extra Tablespoon of flour if needed.
  • Store in the refrigerator until ready to use. Evenly spread across muffins, quick breads, or pie.

Last step: Please leave a comment and rating after you make the recipe.

Notes

Baking: This recipe is meant to go on top of muffins or pies before you bake them. However, if you’d like to bake just the crumble you can spread out on a baking sheet and bake at 350 for 10 minutes, or until it reaches your desired crispness. 
Butter: See all my tips on how to soften butter to achieve the best slightly melted texture.

Nutrition

Calories: 87kcal, Carbohydrates: 13g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 4g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 10mg, Sodium: 36mg, Potassium: 18mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 9g, Vitamin A: 117IU, Calcium: 9mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.