Description
Delight in these Maple Donut Bars, a perfect blend of soft, fluffy cake with a sweet and creamy maple glaze. Ideal for breakfast, brunch, or a comforting snack, these bars are baked to golden perfection and topped with your favorite crunchy toppings like pecans, walnuts, sprinkles, or even crumbled bacon for an extra burst of flavor.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Maple Glaze
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
- 1/4 cup milk (or more, as needed)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Optional Toppings
- Chopped pecans or walnuts
- Sprinkles
- Crumbled bacon
Instructions
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg. Whisk for at least 30 seconds to ensure even distribution.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the melted butter, sugar, eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla extract. Ensure the melted butter is slightly cooled. Whisk until smooth.
- Combine Wet and Dry: Gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined. Be careful not to overmix. A few streaks of flour are okay.
- Prepare the Baking Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9×13 inch baking pan, or line with parchment paper.
- Pour Batter into Pan: Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and spread it evenly.
- Bake: Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean and the edges are golden brown.
- Cool: Let the donut bars cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Sift the Powdered Sugar: In a large bowl, sift the powdered sugar to remove any lumps.
- Combine Glaze Ingredients: Add the maple syrup, milk, melted butter, vanilla extract, and salt to the sifted powdered sugar.
- Whisk Until Smooth: Whisk all ingredients together until smooth and creamy. Adjust milk or powdered sugar for desired consistency.
- Glaze the Donut Bars: Once the donut bars are completely cool, pour the maple glaze evenly over the top.
- Add Toppings (Optional): Immediately sprinkle with your desired toppings such as chopped nuts, sprinkles, or crumbled bacon.
- Let the Glaze Set: Allow the glaze to set completely before cutting and serving the donut bars (30 minutes to an hour).
- Cut and Serve: Cut the donut bars into squares or rectangles and serve.
Notes
- Do not overmix the batter to keep the bars tender and light.
- Use parchment paper for easy removal of bars from the pan.
- Adjust the thickness of the glaze by adding more milk or powdered sugar as needed.
- Optional toppings add texture and contrast—try combinations like pecans and crumbled bacon for savory-sweet flavor.
- Store leftover bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for longer freshness.
Keywords: maple donut bars, maple glaze, baked donut bars, breakfast bars, maple syrup dessert, easy baking recipe