Maple Donut Bars (Printable)

Soft, maple-glazed bars with donut-like texture. Easy 45-minute treat for any time of day.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1 tablespoon baking powder
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
05 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
06 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

→ Wet Ingredients

07 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
08 - 1 cup whole milk
09 - 2 large eggs
10 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
11 - 1/2 cup maple syrup

→ Maple Glaze

12 - 1 cup powdered sugar
13 - 1–2 tablespoons milk
14 - 2 tablespoons maple syrup

→ For Serving (Optional)

15 - Extra maple syrup for drizzling

# Step-by-step Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13 inch baking pan or line with parchment paper.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg until well combined.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk melted butter, whole milk, eggs, vanilla extract, and maple syrup until smooth and emulsified.
04 - Pour wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Gently fold together with a spatula until just combined—do not overmix to maintain tender texture.
05 - Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the edges are lightly golden.
06 - Allow the bars to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before glazing.
07 - Whisk together powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon milk until smooth. Add more milk as needed to reach a thick but pourable consistency. Stir in maple syrup for flavor.
08 - Once the bars are completely cool, drizzle the maple glaze evenly over the top. If desired, drizzle extra maple syrup for added sweetness and presentation. Allow glaze to set for 10–15 minutes, then slice into bars.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The texture is incredibly soft and pillowy, almost like a cross between a donut and a coffee cake that melts in your mouth.
  • That maple glaze transforms everything it touches into something that tastes like it came from a fancy bakery.
  • These bars come together in under an hour but make your whole kitchen smell like a cozy breakfast restaurant.
02 -
  • Overmixing the batter will make these bars tough and chewy instead of soft and tender, so stop mixing as soon as the flour disappears.
  • The glaze must go on completely cooled bars, otherwise it will melt right off and pool in the corners instead of setting beautifully.
  • Real maple syrup matters here, imitation syrup will leave you with a weird aftertaste that ruins all the work you just did.
03 -
  • Room temperature eggs incorporate more evenly into the batter, so take them out of the fridge about 30 minutes before you start baking.
  • If you want extra maple punch, add half a teaspoon of maple extract to the glaze along with the syrup.
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