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Irresistibly Soft Baked Maple Donut Bars with Rich Glaze

Close-up of a soft maple donut bars square showing the fluffy interior and thick, shiny maple glaze topping.
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Make soft, fluffy maple donut bars at home using this simple baked recipe. These bars feature a melt-in-your-mouth texture and are topped with a rich, sweet maple glaze, perfect for breakfast or dessert.

Ingredients

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  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk
  • 1/4 cup pure maple syrup (for batter)
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar (for glaze)
  • 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup (for glaze)
  • 1 tablespoon milk or cream
  • 1/4 teaspoon maple extract (optional, for glaze)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9×13 inch baking pan, or line it with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Set this dry mixture aside.
  3. In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
  4. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until just combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
  5. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and 1/4 cup of maple syrup.
  6. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, alternating with the buttermilk mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix only until the batter comes together; do not overmix to keep the bars soft.
  7. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared 9×13 inch pan.
  8. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. The bars should be lightly golden.
  9. While the bars cool slightly in the pan, prepare the glaze. In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons of maple syrup, milk or cream, and maple extract (if using) until smooth. Add more milk if the glaze is too thick, or more powdered sugar if it is too thin.
  10. Once the bars are mostly cool (still slightly warm is best for glaze absorption), drizzle the rich maple glaze evenly over the top.
  11. Allow the glaze to set for about 15 minutes before cutting the baked goods into 12 or 16 bars.

Notes

  • Baking these bars instead of frying keeps them incredibly moist and simplifies the process for a quick breakfast treat.
  • For an extra bakery-style flavor, use brown butter in the glaze instead of regular melted butter.
  • If you do not have buttermilk, mix 1/2 cup of regular milk with 1/2 teaspoon of white vinegar or lemon juice and let it sit for 5 minutes before using.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://juliameal.com/maple-donut-bars-recipe-soft-baked/