Maple Donut Bars (Printable)

Soft baked bars with maple glaze, ideal for breakfast or dessert

# What You 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

15 - Extra maple syrup for drizzling

# 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.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk melted butter, whole milk, eggs, vanilla extract, and maple syrup until smooth.
04 - Pour wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Gently fold together with a spatula until just combined—do not overmix.
05 - Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan.
06 - Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the edges are lightly golden.
07 - Allow the bars to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
08 - 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.
09 - Once the bars are completely cool, drizzle the maple glaze evenly over the top.
10 - If desired, drizzle extra maple syrup for added sweetness and presentation.
11 - Allow glaze to set for 10–15 minutes, then slice into bars.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • They taste exactly like fresh donuts but way less fuss than frying
  • The maple glaze sets perfectly so you can actually stack them for storage
  • Everything comes together in one bowl with ingredients you already have
02 -
  • Overmixing makes bars tough instead of tender, so fold gently and stop early
  • Warm bars will melt your glaze into a puddle, so patience during cooling pays off
  • Real maple syrup matters here because the flavor comes through in every bite
03 -
  • Use real maple syrup, not pancake syrup, because you can taste the difference
  • Room temperature ingredients prevent the melted butter from seizing when mixed
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