Description
Maple Donut Bars are a delightful treat combining the soft, moist texture of a classic donut with the convenience of a bar. These bars feature a tender crumb infused with warm nutmeg and a rich maple glaze topped with optional crunchy or sweet garnishes such as pecans, walnuts, sprinkles, or even crumbled bacon for a savory twist. Perfect for breakfast, brunch, or a sweet snack, these bars are easy to bake and sure to satisfy your maple cravings.
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
Toppings (Optional)
- 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 the melted butter, sugar, eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla extract together until smooth, making sure the melted butter is slightly cooled.
- Combine Wet and Dry: Gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined. Do not overmix; a few streaks of flour are acceptable.
- 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 prepared batter into the baking pan and spread it evenly with a spatula.
- 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. Then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Sift the Powdered Sugar: Sift the powdered sugar into a large bowl to remove lumps.
- Combine Glaze Ingredients: Add the maple syrup, milk, melted butter, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt to the powdered sugar.
- Whisk Until Smooth: Whisk all glaze ingredients together until smooth and creamy. Adjust the milk or powdered sugar as needed to achieve the desired consistency.
- Glaze the Donut Bars: Once the bars are completely cooled, pour the maple glaze evenly over the top.
- Add Toppings (Optional): Immediately sprinkle with chopped pecans, walnuts, sprinkles, or crumbled bacon as desired.
- Let the Glaze Set: Allow the glaze to set for 30 minutes to an hour before cutting to ensure a clean cut and better presentation.
- 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.
- Ensure the bars are fully cooled before glazing to prevent the glaze from melting off.
- Adjust the milk in the glaze gradually to control thickness; thicker glaze for drizzling and thinner for pouring.
- Optional toppings like crumbled bacon add a sweet and savory contrast.
- Store leftover bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dessert, Snack, Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar (assuming 16 bars per recipe)
- Calories: 280 kcal
- Sugar: 24 g
- Sodium: 210 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 42 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 45 mg
Keywords: maple donut bars, donut bars recipe, maple glaze, breakfast bars, easy dessert, baked donut bars
