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Maple Donut Bars Recipe – Easy Fluffy Treat with Glaze and Crunchy Sugar

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These fluffy maple donut bars feature a tender, buttery dough, a rich maple glaze, and a crunchy sugar topping. Perfect for brunch, potlucks, or a cozy homemade dessert, they come together quickly and deliver nostalgic comfort in every bite.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (or gluten-free blend)
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
  • 1/2 cup whole milk (or almond/oat milk)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1/4 cup pure maple syrup (for glaze)
  • 2 tablespoons milk (for glaze)
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (for glaze)
  • Pinch of salt (for glaze)
  • 1/4 cup turbinado sugar or demerara sugar (for topping)
  • Optional: Pinch of cinnamon (for topping)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease or line a 9×13-inch pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy lifting.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well combined.
  3. In a large bowl, beat softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy (2-3 minutes with mixer, 4-5 minutes by hand).
  4. Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition and scraping down the bowl.
  5. Add maple syrup, milk, and vanilla extract to the butter mixture; mix until just combined.
  6. Add dry ingredients to wet in two additions, folding gently with a spatula until no flour streaks remain. Do not overmix.
  7. Spread batter evenly into prepared pan and smooth the top. Tap pan lightly to remove air bubbles.
  8. Bake for 22-28 minutes, until golden and a toothpick comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
  9. Cool bars in pan for 10 minutes, then lift out and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before glazing.
  10. For the glaze: In a bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, maple syrup, milk, vanilla, and a pinch of salt until smooth. Adjust consistency with more milk or sugar as needed.
  11. Pour glaze over cooled bars and spread evenly. Sprinkle turbinado sugar (and cinnamon, if using) over glaze while still wet.
  12. Allow glaze to set for 15-20 minutes. Slice into 16 bars using a serrated knife for neat edges.

Notes

For gluten-free bars, use a GF flour blend and check baking powder. For dairy-free, swap butter and milk for plant-based alternatives. Don’t overmix for fluffiest texture. Sprinkle sugar topping while glaze is wet for best crunch. Bars freeze well unglazed; thaw and glaze before serving.

Nutrition

Keywords: maple donut bars, maple glaze, brunch dessert, easy bar recipe, fluffy donut bars, maple syrup, potluck treat, bakery style bars, crunchy sugar topping

Find it online: https://avabake.com/maple-donut-bars-recipe-easy-fluffy-treat-with-glaze-and-crunchy-sugar/