Whole Wheat Brown Sugar Crumb Topping
This whole wheat brown sugar crumb topping is your new go-to for adding just the right amount of sweetness and texture to top your favorite baked goods.

It’s incredibly easy to make, endlessly versatile, and so delicious you’ll find yourself wanting to sprinkle it on just about everything.
Whether you’re baking up a batch of muffins, topping a warm fruit pie, or adding a little crunch to a coffee cake, this crumb topping delivers every time.

Why you’ll love this brown sugar crumb topping recipe
A good crumb topping can take your baked goods from good to great. This recipe is simple, foolproof, and brings that sweet, buttery crunch everyone loves.
Here are three reasons you’ll love it:
Crispy, buttery perfection – This crumb topping bakes up golden and crisp with just the right amount of sweetness in every bite.
Quick and easy to make – Made with just a few pantry staples and a food processor, it comes together in minutes.
Versatile – Use it on muffins, pies, cobblers, coffee cake, and more!
Ingredients
A great crumb topping adds the perfect balance of crunch and sweetness to your baked goods, giving them that irresistible texture and flavor.
Here’s what you’ll need to make this crumb topping:
- Whole wheat flour – Adds a nutty flavor
- Oats – For texture and flavor
- Salt – Balances the flavors
- Butter – Binds everything together, adds flavor, and helps the topping bake up crisp
- Brown sugar – provides deep, caramel-like sweetness and moisture
How to make whole wheat brown sugar crumb topping
The perfect crumb topping is buttery, slightly crunchy, and offers just the right balance of sweetness.
Here’s how to make it.
- Melt the butter either in the microwave or on the stovetop. Let the melted butter cool slightly.
- Add oats, whole wheat flour, brown sugar, and salt to a food processor. Pulse a few times to break down the oats a little bit and to combine the ingredients. You don’t want to pulverize the oats completely—just enough to create some texture variation.
- Drizzle the butter over the dry ingredients. This ensures that the moisture is distributed throughout the mixture.
- Pulse again until a clumpy texture forms. Be careful not to over-process, as this can make your topping too fine and sandy.
- Sprinkle over muffins, coffee cake, and cobblers!
Conclusion
There you have it— a whole wheat brown sugar crumb topping recipe that’s easy to make and adds that irresistible crunch to muffins, pies, or coffee cakes.
This crumb topping brings just the right balance of butteriness and sweet, crumbly texture.

Whole Wheat Brown Sugar Crumb Topping
May 17, 2025Equipment
- Food processor
Ingredients
- ½ cup whole wheat flour
- ½ cup old fashioned oats
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- 6 TBS melted unsalted butter
Instructions
- In the bowl of a food processor, add the whole wheat flour, oats, brown sugar, and salt. Pulse ~15 times to help combine the ingredients and to break down the oats a little. You don't want to pulverize the oats completely—just enough to create some texture variation.½ cup whole wheat flour, ½ cup old fashioned oats, ¼ cup brown sugar, ¼ tsp kosher salt
- Pour in the melted butter. Pulse the food processor ~15 more times, combining the mixture well.6 TBS melted unsalted butter
- Sprinkle and spread this mixture over coffee cakes, muffins, or cobblers before baking.
- This recipe makes the perfect amount to top an 8×8 cake/cobbler or a dozen muffins.