How to Add Streusel Topping to Sourdough Banana Muffins

You love the flavor of banana muffins but want that irresistible crunchy finish. Learning how to add streusel topping to sourdough banana muffins gives you that bakery-texture and extra flavor without complicated steps. In this guide you'll learn how to make a simple streusel, when to add it to your sourdough banana muffins, and pro tips for getting a crackly, caramelized top every time. Ready to bake and impress?

What You'll Need (Ingredients + Tools for Streusel and Muffins)

• For the streusel:
  • 1/2 cup (100g) brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup (40g) all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup (30g) rolled oats (optional for texture)
  • 4 tbsp (56g) cold unsalted butter, cubed
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• For the sourdough banana muffins (makes 12):
  • 1 cup sourdough discard, room temp
  • 1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 3 medium)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup (100g) sugar
  • 1/3 cup (80ml) oil or melted butter
  • 1 3/4 cups (220g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp salt
• Tools:
  • Muffin tin, liners, pastry cutter or fork, mixing bowls, scoop

Keep cold butter for the streusel—this is the secret to a crumbly, crisp topping.

Preparing Your Ingredients (Make Streusel and Batter Ready)

1. Make the streusel: combine brown sugar, flour, oats, and cinnamon in a bowl. Cut in cold butter with a pastry cutter or two forks until mixture resembles coarse crumbs (pea-sized bits).
2. Chill the streusel in the fridge while you mix the batter — this helps it stay crumbly and not melt into the muffin during baking.
3. For the batter: whisk wet ingredients (sourdough discard, mashed bananas, eggs, oil, sugar) in one bowl and dry (flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt) in another. Fold dry into wet until just combined; lumps are okay.

Tip: If your bananas are very sweet, reduce sugar by 2 tbsp. Don’t overmix—overworked batter yields dense muffins.

Step-by-Step Instructions (Add Streusel and Bake)

1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line muffin tin with paper liners or grease wells.
2. Fill each cup about ¾ full with batter using a scoop for even muffins.
3. Generously sprinkle chilled streusel over each filled cup—press lightly for larger clumps, or leave loose for delicate crumbs.
4. Bake 18–22 minutes until tops are golden and a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs (not wet batter). Rotate pan halfway if your oven has hot spots.

Pro tips:

• For an extra crunch, add 1 tbsp coarse sugar on top of the streusel before baking.
• If streusel browns too fast, tent loosely with foil after 12 minutes.

Decorating, Serving, and Storage (Finish and Keep Fresh)

• Cooling: Let muffins cool in the tin 5–7 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling. This keeps the bottoms from steaming soggy.
• Serving: Best warm or at room temperature. Serve with a smear of butter or a dollop of yogurt.
• Storage:
  • Room temp: store in an airtight container for 1–2 days.
  • Refrigerator: up to 4 days (bring to room temp before serving).
  • Freezer: freeze fully cooled muffins wrapped individually for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight and warm for 10 minutes at 300°F (150°C).

Troubleshooting:

• Streusel sank into muffins: batter too wet or streusel wasn’t cold. Chill streusel longer.
• Streusel not crunchy: underbaked or stored while warm. Re-crisp in a 300°F oven for 5 minutes.

You just learned how to add streusel topping to sourdough banana muffins and make them look and taste like a cozy bakery batch. Try the sugar-sprinkle trick for extra shine or mix in chopped nuts for texture. Pin this guide for your next baking day and save it to share with friends who love banana bread with a crunch. Which tip will you try first? Ready to make this happen? Let's do it!