Description

Delicious homemade Maple Donut Bars featuring a tender, spiced cake base topped with a smooth, sweet maple glaze and optional toppings like chopped nuts, sprinkles, or crumbled bacon. These bars are perfect for breakfast, brunch, or a sweet snack with the distinct flavor of maple syrup.

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 for at least 30 seconds to ensure even distribution.
Combine Wet Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the melted butter (slightly cooled), granulated sugar, eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla extract until smooth.
Combine Wet and Dry: Gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined, taking care not to overmix. A few streaks of flour are okay.
Prepare the Baking Pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9×13 inch baking pan or line it with parchment paper.
Pour Batter into Pan: Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pan and spread it out smoothly.
Bake: Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean and the edges turn golden brown.
Cool: Let the donut bars cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Sift the Powdered Sugar: Sift the powdered sugar into a large bowl to remove any lumps.
Combine Glaze Ingredients: Add maple syrup, milk, melted butter, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt to the sifted powdered sugar.
Whisk Until Smooth: Whisk all ingredients together until the glaze is smooth and creamy. Adjust milk or powdered sugar to reach the desired consistency.
Glaze the Donut Bars: Once the bars are completely cool, pour the maple glaze evenly over the top.
Add Toppings (Optional): Immediately sprinkle with your chosen toppings such as chopped nuts, sprinkles, or crumbled bacon.
Let the Glaze Set: Allow the glaze to set completely for 30 minutes to an hour before cutting.
Cut and Serve: Cut the donut bars into squares or rectangles and serve.

Notes

Do not overmix the batter to keep the donut bars tender and light.
Make sure the bars are completely cool before glazing to prevent the glaze from melting off.
Adjust the glaze thickness by adding more milk to thin or more powdered sugar to thicken.
Try different toppings to customize the flavor and texture to your preference.
Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to a week.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Keywords: maple donut bars, baked donut bars, maple glaze, spiced donut bars, breakfast bars, homemade donut bars