Maple Donut Bars (Print Version)

Soft baked bars with fluffy donut texture and sweet maple glaze topping

# 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

# How-To Steps:

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 blended.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk melted butter, whole milk, eggs, vanilla extract, and maple syrup until smooth and fully incorporated.
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, smoothing the top with a spatula.
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 before glazing.
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. If desired, drizzle extra maple syrup for added sweetness and presentation.
10 - Allow glaze to set for 10–15 minutes, then slice into bars and serve.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • They taste like a maple donut but are baked not fried
  • The glaze sets beautifully while staying soft underneath
  • You probably have everything in your pantry right now
02 -
  • Overmixing makes these tough so fold until just combined and walk away
  • Warm bars will melt your glaze into a sad puddle so let them cool completely first
03 -
  • Real maple syrup matters here—imitation syrup just doesn't give you that deep caramel flavor
  • Line your pan with parchment paper overhang for easy removal and no stuck edges
Go Back