Soft Baked Maple Donut Bars
These Soft Baked Maple Donut Bars are tender, warmly spiced, and topped with a silky real maple glaze that sets into a glossy shell. Made without a fryer, they come together in one bowl with simple pantry ingredients. Perfect for breakfast, brunch, or a cozy fall snack.
Equipment
- 9x13-inch baking pan
- Large mixing bowl
- Medium mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Rubber spatula
- Wire cooling rack
- Offset spatula
- Parchment paper
Ingredients
Donut Bar Batter
- 2 cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/3 cup pure maple syrup Grade A dark robust preferred
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1/2 cup whole milk room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Maple Glaze
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar sifted
- 3 tbsp pure maple syrup
- 1-2 tbsp whole milk adjust for desired consistency
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan with butter or non-stick spray and line it with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides for easy lifting.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, granulated sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until fully combined and no lumps remain.
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the melted butter, eggs, maple syrup, whole milk, and vanilla extract until smooth and uniform.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir gently with a rubber spatula until just combined. Do not overmix. A few small streaks of flour are fine. Overmixing will result in dense, tough bars.
- Pour and spread the batter evenly into the prepared baking pan. Smooth the top with the spatula. Bake for 22 to 26 minutes, until the top is lightly golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached.
- Remove from the oven and let the bars cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Then use the parchment overhang to lift them onto a wire cooling rack. Allow to cool for at least another 20 minutes before glazing.
- While the bars cool, prepare the maple glaze. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sifted powdered sugar, maple syrup, 1 tablespoon of milk, and a pinch of salt until smooth and pourable. Add additional milk one teaspoon at a time if the glaze is too thick, or more powdered sugar if it is too thin.
- Pour the glaze over the cooled bars and spread evenly with an offset spatula. Allow the glaze to set for 10 minutes at room temperature before slicing into bars and serving.
Notes
Use real pure maple syrup in both the batter and glaze for the deepest maple flavor. Avoid pancake-style maple-flavored syrup. Do not overmix the batter once the wet and dry ingredients are combined. For extra maple intensity, add 1/4 teaspoon of maple extract to the glaze. Bars can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for 2 days, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or frozen unglazed for up to 2 months.