Description

Delight in these moist and tender Maple Donut Bars, featuring a perfectly spiced batter made with nutmeg and a luscious maple glaze drizzled on top. These bars offer the comforting flavors of classic maple donuts in an easy-to-make, bar form that’s perfect for breakfast, snack time, or dessert.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Donut Bars:

2 cups all-purpose flour (240g)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda (2g)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder (2g)
1/4 teaspoon salt (1g)
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg (1g)
1/2 cup granulated sugar (100g)
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened (56g)
1 large egg
1/2 cup buttermilk (120ml)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (5ml)

For the Maple Glaze:

1/2 cup powdered sugar (60g)
2 tablespoons maple syrup (30ml)
1/2 teaspoon maple extract (2.5ml)
1–2 tablespoons milk, as needed for consistency (15–30ml)

Instructions

Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Prepare your baking pan by lining it with parchment paper or lightly greasing it to prevent sticking.
Mix Dry Ingredients: In a mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and ground nutmeg until evenly combined. Set aside.
Cream Butter and Sugar: In a separate bowl, use a mixer to cream the softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy, which helps create a tender texture.
Add Wet Ingredients: To the creamed butter and sugar, add the egg, vanilla extract, and buttermilk. Mix thoroughly until well incorporated and smooth.
Combine Wet and Dry: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture into the wet mixture. Stir gently until just combined to avoid overmixing, which can make the bars dense.
Pour Batter into Pan: Pour the batter into your prepared pan and spread it evenly with a spatula to ensure uniform baking.
Bake the Bars: Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 18 to 20 minutes. Test doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center—it should come out clean.
Cool the Bars: Remove the pan from the oven and allow the bars to cool for 10 minutes in the pan. Then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely for glazing.
Prepare the Maple Glaze: While the bars cool, whisk together powdered sugar, maple syrup, maple extract, and 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk until smooth and pourable. Adjust milk quantity for desired consistency.
Glaze the Bars: Once the bars are fully cooled, spread or drizzle the maple glaze evenly over the top. Allow the glaze to set before slicing and serving to enjoy the perfect maple flavor.

Notes

Room Temperature: Store the maple donut bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days to maintain freshness.
Refrigerator: Bars can be kept refrigerated for up to 5 days; note that the glaze may harden slightly when chilled.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 18-20 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Keywords: maple donut bars, maple glaze, easy breakfast bars, spiced donut bars, baked donut bars, maple dessert, nutmeg donut bars