Description
Soft Baked Maple Donut Bars are a quick and easy treat that delivers the comforting flavors of classic maple donuts in a tender, fluffy, cake-like bar. Made with simple pantry ingredients like maple syrup, cinnamon, and butter, these bars are naturally sweet, moist, and perfect for breakfast or a snack. Enjoy them plain or customize with fruit, nuts, or a maple glaze for a deliciously indulgent experience.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ cup sugar
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
Wet Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ⅓ cup pure maple syrup
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare Your Pan and Ingredients: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease an 8×8 or 9×9 inch rectangular baking pan or line it with parchment paper for easy removal. Measure out all ingredients to streamline the process.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and ground cinnamon until evenly combined. This ensures uniform rising and flavor in the batter.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a separate bowl, beat the softened butter with the maple syrup until creamy and smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract to deepen the sweet maple flavor.
- Blend Wet and Dry Mixtures: Slowly add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet, folding gently until just incorporated. Avoid overmixing to keep the batter light and fluffy.
- Bake the Bars: Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the bars cool completely in the pan before slicing to maintain their soft texture.
Notes
- Use pure maple syrup for authentic maple flavor, avoiding artificial substitutes.
- Do not overmix the batter to prevent dense bars.
- Softened, room temperature butter blends best to create a tender crumb.
- Check the bars at 20 minutes to avoid overbaking, as oven temperatures vary.
- Cool bars fully before cutting to prevent crumbling and maintain softness.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar (approximately 1/9th of recipe)
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 15g
- Sodium: 120mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 55mg
Keywords: maple donut bars, soft baked bars, breakfast bars, maple syrup dessert, easy snack
