Soft Maple Donut Bars (Printable)
Pillowy bars with a rich maple glaze offering a sweet, bakery-style treat for any time.
# 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
# Directions:
01 - Combine warm milk, water, and yeast in a large bowl or stand mixer. Let stand for 5 minutes until mixture becomes foamy, indicating the yeast is active.
02 - Add sugar, melted butter, eggs, and salt to the yeast mixture. Mix on low speed until thoroughly combined, about 1 minute.
03 - Gradually incorporate flour, 1 cup at a time, mixing until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms. Knead on medium speed for 5–7 minutes until smooth, elastic, and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
04 - Transfer dough to a lightly greased bowl, turning once to coat. Cover with plastic wrap or a clean towel and place in a warm, draft-free area. Let rise for 1–1.5 hours until doubled in bulk.
05 - Punch down risen dough to release air. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and roll to 1/2-inch thickness. Using a sharp knife or dough cutter, cut into 12 rectangles measuring approximately 4x1.5 inches.
06 - Arrange bars on parchment-lined baking sheets, leaving 2 inches of space between each. Cover loosely and let rise for 30–40 minutes until noticeably puffy and the dough springs back slowly when touched.
07 - Pour 2 inches of vegetable oil into a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven. Heat to 350°F, maintaining temperature throughout frying using a deep-fry thermometer.
08 - Fry bars in batches of 3–4, cooking 1–2 minutes per side until deep golden brown. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to paper towels to drain excess oil.
09 - While bars fry, whisk powdered sugar, maple syrup, milk, vanilla, and salt in a medium bowl until completely smooth and ribbon-like in consistency.
10 - Dip the top of each slightly warm bar into the glaze, allowing excess to drip off. Place glazed bars on a wire rack set over parchment paper. Let glaze set for 15–20 minutes before serving.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The texture is somewhere between a yeast donut and a coffee cake, which means they stay soft longer than traditional donuts
- That maple glaze hardens just enough to give you a satisfying crackle when you bite through it
02 -
- Oil temperature is everything, too hot and they'll burn outside while staying raw inside, too cool and they'll soak up grease like sponges
- Letting the glazed bars set for at least 15 minutes makes them easier to handle and prevents the glaze from sliding right off
03 -
- Grade B maple syrup has a stronger maple flavor than Grade A, which is what you really want to shine through in that glaze
- Room temperature eggs incorporate better into the dough and won't shock your yeast mixture