Maple Donut Bars From Scratch Recipe

I perfected a from-scratch Maple Donut Bars recipe using a one-bowl trick and a pantry swap that shaves minutes off prep.

I fell into a maple daydream the first time I tried these Maple Donut Bars from scratch. They look simple but they bounce when you press them and taste like childhood, only better.

I used buttermilk to make them fluffy and a little pure maple syrup for that woodsy, caramel note. I wont pretend they’re perfect, I messed up the glaze once and learned a neat trick, so you might too.

If you like sticky, buttery bites that vanish fast, maybe give these a shot. They’re unexpected, a little rustic, and totally worth shaking up weekend plans.

Ingredients

• All purpose flour: Provides carbohydrates and structure, not much fiber, keeps bars tender.
• Granulated sugar: Pure sweetener, adds caramelization and sweetness, no nutrients.
• Brown sugar: Sweet with molasses, adds moisture and deeper flavor, slightly mineral.
• Buttermilk: Tangy, acids react with leaveners for lift, adds protein and tenderness.
• Unsalted butter: Adds rich flavor, fat for moist crumb and better browning, calorie dense.
• Eggs: Bind ingredients, give protein and structure, help rise and brown.
• Maple syrup: And natural sweetener, gives maple flavor, some minerals but still sugar.
• Powdered sugar: Finishes with smooth sweetness, dissolves easy, controls glaze thickness.
• Pecans: Adds crunch and healthy fats, makes topping more interesting, optional.

Ingredient Quantities

• 2 cups (250 g) all purpose flour
• 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup (110 g) packed light brown sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp fine salt
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk
• 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, melted
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 tbsp pure maple syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp maple extract (optional)
• For the glaze 1 1/2 to 2 cups (180-250 g) powdered sugar
• 3 to 4 tbsp pure maple syrup
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• 1 to 2 tbsp milk or heavy cream
• Pinch of fine salt
• Coarse sugar or chopped pecans for sprinkling, optional

How to Make this

1. Preheat oven to 350 F (175 C). Line a 9×13 inch pan with parchment leaving an overhang, or grease it well so the bars come out easy.

2. In a large bowl whisk together 2 cups (250 g) all purpose flour, 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar, 1/2 cup (110 g) packed light brown sugar, 2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda and 1 tsp fine salt until evenly blended.

3. In another bowl whisk 2 large room temperature eggs, 1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk, 1/2 cup (113 g) melted butter (cool a little so it won’t cook the eggs), 2 tbsp vegetable oil, 2 tbsp pure maple syrup, 1 tsp vanilla extract and 1/2 tsp maple extract if using. Room temp eggs and cooled butter help the batter come together smooth.

4. Pour the wet into the dry and stir gently until just combined, scrape the sides. Do not overmix or the bars will get tough, a few small lumps are fine.

5. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan, smooth the top with a spatula. Bake 22 to 26 minutes, until the top is golden and a toothpick in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.

6. While the bars bake make the glaze: sift or whisk 1 1/2 to 2 cups (180-250 g) powdered sugar, then stir in 3 to 4 tbsp pure maple syrup, 2 tbsp melted butter, 1 to 2 tbsp milk or heavy cream and a pinch of fine salt. Start with 3 tbsp maple and 1 tbsp milk and add more powdered sugar or milk to reach a pourable but thick glaze.

7. When the bars come out of the oven let them cool in the pan 5 to 10 minutes. For extra glaze soak poke the warm surface a few times with a fork or skewer so the glaze can sink in a bit.

8. Pour the glaze evenly over the warm bars, spread quickly, then sprinkle coarse sugar or chopped pecans if you like while the glaze is still wet so they stick.

9. Let the glaze set and the bars cool completely in the pan, at least 30 minutes. Use the parchment overhang to lift the slab out, slice into bars with a sharp knife (wipe the blade between cuts for neat pieces).

10. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 to 2 days or in the fridge up to 4 days. Rewarm briefly if you want that just-baked softness again.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven (preheat to 350 F)
2. 9×13 inch baking pan (line with parchment leaving an overhang or grease well)
3. Parchment paper and kitchen scissors
4. Two mixing bowls, one large one medium
5. Whisk (for dry and wet mixes)
6. Measuring cups and spoons for both dry and wet ingredients
7. Rubber spatula (scrape sides and smooth batter)
8. Sifter or fine mesh sieve (for the powdered sugar)
9. Toothpick or skewer to test doneness and poke for glaze, plus a sharp knife to slice the bars

FAQ

Maple Donut Bars From Scratch Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• All purpose flour: swap with whole wheat pastry flour, same weight (250 g) — gives a nuttier, slightly denser bar; if batter seems stiff add 1 to 2 tbsp extra buttermilk, it’ll help.
• Buttermilk: make your own by stirring 1 tbsp lemon juice or white vinegar into 1 cup milk (or milk alt), let sit 5 minutes, then use in place of commercial buttermilk.
• Unsalted butter: use an equal weight of neutral oil (canola, vegetable) or melted coconut oil, same amount (113 g). If you use salted butter instead, cut the recipe salt to about 1/2 tsp.
• Powdered sugar for the glaze: if you’re out, blitz granulated sugar in a high speed blender or food processor until powdery and use 1:1 by weight; adding 1 tsp cornstarch per cup helps keep it from getting sticky.

Pro Tips

– Get everything close to room temp. Eggs and buttermilk come together way smoother when not cold, and cooled melted butter wont cook the eggs. If you forgot to plan ahead, set eggs in warm tap water for 8 to 10 minutes, and stick the buttermilk jar in a bowl of warm water for a few minutes. Dont pour hot butter into the eggs.

– Mix gently and stop early. Use a spatula and fold until just combined, a few small lumps are fine. Overmixing develops gluten and youll end up with dense, tough bars not soft ones.

– Watch the bake not the clock. Start checking at 22 minutes with a toothpick; moist crumbs = perfect, a totally clean toothpick = overbaked. If your oven runs hot rotate the pan once midway and if edges brown too fast tent foil for the last few minutes.

– Make the glaze on the thicker side then thin to pourability. Warm the maple syrup slightly before mixing so it blends smooth, and add milk a little at a time till you get a glossy pourable glaze. Poke the warm bars a few times before glazing so some of that maple sinks in, and sprinkle pecans or coarse sugar right after glazing so they stick.