Make Any Fall Dessert Bakery-Worthy With One Easy Addition

As the last days of summer close in and the leaves begin to change on the trees, the dessert-minded among us focus on a whole new set of sweet treats for the fall season. Tropical fruits and berries make way for the warm, comforting flavors of pumpkin spice, apple crisp, and pecan pie. If you're looking to capture not just the taste but the feeling of fall — and make your desserts bakery-worthy in the process — add an autumn-inspired streusel topping to your next culinary masterpiece.

Streusel, which comes from the German word for "something strewn" or "to sprinkle," is a simple topping for cakes, pies, and other desserts chiefly made from sugar, butter, and flour. Other ingredients, like oats, nuts, and spices, are often included, and that's where streusel's ability to elevate a fall dessert shines. Alton Brown's streusel recipe also adds cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and allspice, while the streusel used in our cinnamon pear streusel bread recipe is a little simpler, adding only cinnamon to the three base ingredients. All of these spices, along with ginger, cardamom, mace, and star anise, can be found in different streusel recipes.

The simplicity of the core ingredients — sugar, butter, and flour — lends itself to almost any fall spice mix you choose. Streusel doesn't just taste good; it also adds a rustic look to tarts and cakes that's right at home on a fall table. And, if you're pressed for time, it's easier than assembling a complex lattice crust. For desserts not strongly associated with fall (or don't make use of traditional fall flavors), a streusel can quickly bring them into the fold. That could be anything from streusel-topped blueberry muffins to rhubarb muffins with strawberry streusel.

Streusel can bring more to your dessert than just sweetness and fall spices. Once you move beyond the basic recipe, you can play with additional flavors and textures. Walnuts and pecans fit right into fall flavors, imparting a nice crunch. Oats add body to a streusel and provide a softer crunch than nuts as they bake. They also take on some of the flavors from the other spices you include. Shredded coconut, for instance, can add a chewy texture and a coconut flavor that isn't usually associated with fall desserts. Get a little unconventional with additions like crispy bacon crumble for a savory, umami contrast to coffee cakes or pecan pies.

The range of potential streusel ingredients is what makes it so versatile across fall desserts. An apple pie can be elevated with a simple cinnamon streusel, while a peach pie would pair nicely with a ginger-heavy streusel. Candied maple pecan streusel works with a maple banana coffee cake. It's a good example of how you can take a flavor like banana, not generally considered a fall fruit, and give it a more seasonal feel by pairing it with maple and pecan.

You don't have to leave summer flavors behind, either, especially if you have frozen fruit on hand. Sour cherry tarts topped with cinnamon and nutmeg-spiced streusel bring together summer fruit and fall spices, as do mango muffins with cinnamon streusel. With the right combination of flavors and textures, a simple streusel can turn almost any dessert into something that feels made for fall.