Maple Donut Bars with Glaze (Printer-friendly)
Bakery-style treats featuring soft donut bars topped with rich maple glaze, ideal for breakfast or indulgent snacking moments.
# What You'll Need:
→ Dough
01 - 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1/2 tsp salt
04 - 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast (1 packet)
05 - 1/2 cup whole milk, warmed
06 - 1/4 cup water, warmed
07 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
08 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
09 - Vegetable oil, for frying
→ Maple Glaze
10 - 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
11 - 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
12 - 3 tbsp whole milk
13 - 1 tsp vanilla extract
14 - Pinch of salt
# How To Make It:
01 - Combine warm milk, water, and yeast in a large bowl or stand mixer. Let sit for 5 minutes until mixture becomes foamy.
02 - Add sugar, melted butter, eggs, and salt to the yeast mixture. Mix until fully combined.
03 - Gradually add flour while mixing until a soft dough forms. Knead for 5–7 minutes until dough is smooth and elastic.
04 - Place dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place for 1–1.5 hours until doubled in size.
05 - Punch down dough and roll out to 1/2-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. Cut into 4x1.5-inch bars using a sharp knife or dough cutter.
06 - Place bars on parchment-lined baking sheets. Cover and let rise for 30–40 minutes until puffy.
07 - Heat 2 inches of vegetable oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot to 350°F.
08 - Fry bars in batches for 1–2 minutes per side until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.
09 - Whisk together powdered sugar, maple syrup, milk, vanilla, and salt until smooth.
10 - While bars are still slightly warm, dip tops into the glaze and set on a wire rack to set.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The maple glaze soaks into the warm dough creating pockets of intense flavor that reminds me of autumn mornings at the farmers market
- These bars freeze beautifully and taste just as good reheated, making them perfect for busy weekday breakfasts
- The dough comes together faster than you would expect, and the frying process feels almost therapeutic once you get the rhythm
02 -
- The oil temperature will drop when you add the dough, so adjust the heat between batches to maintain that perfect 350 degree sweet spot
- Overproofed dough will collapse in the fryer, so keep an eye on the second rise and do not let those bars get too puffy
- Glazing while the bars are slightly warm helps the frosting adhere better, but if they are too hot the glaze will melt right off
03 -
- Add a quarter teaspoon of maple extract to the glaze if you want an intense maple punch that really shines through
- Keep a small bowl of ice water nearby while frying in case of oil splatter, it gives you peace of mind