Donut Bars with Brown Butter Maple Vanilla Bean Glaze Recipe
These Donut Bars with Brown Butter Maple Vanilla Bean Glaze offer a delightful twist on classic donuts, baked in a convenient bar form. Featuring a tender, spiced crumb and a rich, aromatic glaze made from nutty brown butter, pure maple syrup, and fragrant vanilla bean paste, these bars deliver all the indulgent flavors of a donut in a perfectly portable treat.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- ½ tsp salt
Wet Ingredients for Bars
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¾ cup buttermilk
Glaze Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp pure maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract)
- 1–2 tbsp milk (for thinning, as needed)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan to prevent sticking and set aside.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, thoroughly whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, ground nutmeg, and salt to evenly distribute the leavening agents and spices.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a separate bowl, cream the softened unsalted butter with the granulated sugar until the mixture becomes light and fluffy. This step incorporates air, helping to create a tender crumb.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Add the eggs one at a time to the creamed butter and sugar, mixing well after each addition to ensure even incorporation. Then mix in the vanilla extract for flavor.
- Combine Wet and Dry Mixtures: Alternately add the dry flour mixture and buttermilk to the creamed mixture, starting and ending with the flour. Mix gently until just combined to avoid overmixing, which can toughen the bars.
- Bake the Bars: Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan and bake for 22-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely in the pan.
- Prepare Brown Butter Glaze: Melt the ½ cup of unsalted butter in a saucepan over medium heat, cooking until it turns a golden brown color and develops a nutty aroma—be careful not to burn it. Whisk immediately with powdered sugar, maple syrup, and vanilla bean paste until smooth.
- Adjust Consistency and Glaze: If the glaze is too thick, whisk in 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk to achieve desired pourable consistency.
- Glaze and Set: Pour the brown butter maple vanilla bean glaze evenly over the cooled bars. Allow the glaze to set before slicing into bars for serving.
Notes
- Make sure the butter for creaming is softened but not melted, to get a fluffy texture.
- Do not overmix the batter once wet and dry ingredients are combined to avoid a dense texture.
- Allow the bars to cool completely before glazing to prevent the glaze from melting off.
- Brown butter requires close attention as it can quickly go from browned to burnt.
- If vanilla bean paste is unavailable, high-quality vanilla extract is a suitable substitute.
Keywords: donut bars, brown butter glaze, maple glaze, vanilla bean glaze, baked donuts, spiced donut bars, easy dessert bars
