Maple Donut Bars (Printable Version)

Soft baked bars with cinnamon, nutmeg, and sweet maple glaze

# 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 to 2 tablespoons milk
14 - 2 tablespoons maple syrup

→ For Serving

15 - Extra maple syrup for drizzling (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan or line with parchment paper.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 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 dry ingredients. Gently fold together with a spatula until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
05 - Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan.
06 - Bake for 25 to 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.
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 to 15 minutes, then slice into bars.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • They taste like you spent hours perfecting them, but you'll have them cooling in barely thirty minutes.
  • The maple glaze is so forgiving and versatile—you can make it thicker for drizzling or thinner for soaking into every layer.
  • One batch fills your whole house with that warm cinnamon-maple smell that makes everyone ask what you're baking.
02 -
  • Do not glaze warm bars—the glaze will slide right off and soak into the cake instead of sitting on top where it belongs.
  • Pure maple syrup is non-negotiable here; pancake syrup tastes thin and one-dimensional by comparison, and your bars deserve better.
03 -
  • Room temperature ingredients mix more evenly; pull your eggs and milk out of the fridge thirty minutes before you start baking.
  • If your glaze seems too thin, let it sit for five minutes and it will thicken slightly as the powdered sugar fully hydrates.
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