I have been craving doughnuts ever since July when we were staying in Utah for a family reunion. There happened to be a Krispy Kreme shop right next to our hotel. I scoped it out from the first second that we drove in. I’m not a huge fan of continental breakfast since I’m really picky about certain things. I knew I wanted to go get a doughnut for breakfast at least one of the days we were there, probably both days though! I tried to talk my 13 year old into jogging to the doughnut shop with me. No deal. I tried to talk my sister into walking over there with me. No deal. I tried talking my husband into driving me over there. No deal. Since I don’t like to go anywhere by myself I resorted to the chocolates I was hiding in my purse. It was a pretty good breakfast but I was still thinking of Krispy Kremes.
A few weeks ago we went to a Boise State football game. We stopped to get gas before leaving town. Thank goodness the gas station was also a satellite store for Krispy Kremes. I had been craving these doughnuts for 3 long months and I wasn’t about to let them get away this time. So I told Justin, I will get doughnuts, you get gas. Much to my disappointment I learned that all of the good doughnuts are long gone before noon. We were stuck with the last few glazed doughnuts. So I got my doughnuts, just not the kind I wanted.
I had no idea that they sell Cougar Tales, foot long maple bars, at BYU football games. (Yes it was an embarrassing game. No more about that. We are talking about doughnuts here.) Once again I couldn’t help myself and ate almost the entire thing! I don’t know why I keep doing things like that. Trust me, it’s wrong to eat a food long maple bar and a glazed doughnut within a twelve hour period!
After we found our seats I had to get up and wander around before the game started. I think I drive Justin crazy like that. Remember I don’t like to go anywhere by myself so I dragged him up and down the stairs and all around the stadium. It’s not my fault…I just can’t sit still. It was worth it this time because we found Buster and I got my picture with him!
On to the doughnuts. Even after I got home I was still thinking about Maple Bars, so I decided to incorporate baking them and pumpkin. It turned out to be a successful experiment!
Dissolve yeast and 1 T sugar in warm water. Let get bubbly, it takes about 5 minutes. Add beaten egg, pumpkin, brown sugar and butter. Stir all of that together.
Measure 4 cups flour and salt in a sifter, or separate bowl. Using dough hooks start mixing dough together. Gradually add more flour until dough begins to pull away from the mixing bow. I added another cup, making 5 cups of flour total.
Cover and let rise until doubled, about and hour.
Once the dough has risen roll it out on a floured surface. I used a piece of canvas that my mother in law gave to me. It works like a charm. It’s the simple things in life!
Mine was about 14″ x 10″. If you want to be fancy you can trim the edges off so it’s a perfect rectangle. The rounded edges taste fine to me so I left them. Besides, I was after a rustic look!
Cut the bars into 2″ x 5″ pieces.
Transfer cut bars to a greased baking sheet. I know this isn’t a baking sheet. I was trying something but the baking sheet worked better. So I would go with that.
Let rise for about 30 minutes.
Bake at 375 degrees for about 15-20 minutes.
Make a maple glaze by adding powdered sugar, salt, evaporated milk and maple extract to a mixing bowl. Stir. Add powdered sugar to thicken or milk to thin until desired consistency is reached.
Frost cooled bars with maple icing!
These maple bars really were so yummy. I tried to convince myself not to have one until my family came home that night. I had one little bite, just to make sure it was good. And that was the end of that maple bar!
- Pumpkin Bars:
- ¼ c. warm water
- 1 T. sugar
- 1 T. yeast
- ½ c. brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- ⅓ cup butter, softened
- 1½ c. pumpkin puree
- 5 c. flour
- 1 tsp. salt
- Maple Icing:
- 3 c. powdered sugar
- dash salt
- 1 tsp. maple extract
- evaporated milk (about 3-4 T.)
- Add water, yeast and 1 Tablespoon of sugar to a large mixing bowl.Let sit until bubbly, about 5 minutes.
- Add pumpkin, butter, brown sugar and eggs to the yeast mixture. Gently stir.
- Measure 4 cups of flour and salt in a sifter or separate bowl. Sift, or pour, into wet ingredients. Use electric mixer and dough hooks to mix together. Gradually add more flour as needed. You want the dough to begin to pull away from the bowl. I ended up using about 5 cups of flour total. Let mixer kneed dough for 5 minutes.
- Cover and let dough rise until doubled, about an hour.
- Roll dough out into a 14" x 10" rectangle. Cut bars into 2" x 5" pieces.
- Transfer bars to a greased baking sheet. Let rise about 20-30 minutes.
- Bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes.
- Cool and frost with Maple Icing.
- MAPLE ICING:
- Mix powdered sugar, salt, maple extract and a little bit of evaporated milk together. I always start with just a little milk and gradually add more until I reach desired spreading consistency.
You got your picture with Buster? I’m jealous!!
I have been thinking about these since you told me you were making them. I can’t wait to make them, they just might be what my stake presidency gets!
I have never tried baking a doughnut, but why not?
Serves 14, that mean 10 for me and 4 for Dad.
I like that math! Sounds perfectly even to me!
I’ve only had maple bars once and they were delicious! These look great. Can’t wait to make them!
I hope you love them as much as we do! It was so much easier to bake them instead of frying them! I loved that!!
Amy, I have to try these! We call this kind of donut Long John’s (is that normal or totally weird?) and they are my very very favorite! But I’ve never made them from scratch! Pinning to try, I can’t wait!! Thanks for the recipe!
I have heard of maple bars being referred to as Long John’s. At my house long johns are the warm thermal that my boys wear under their clothes to keep warm in the winter! How funny! Hope you enjoy the recipe!!
These baked pumpkin maple bars look divine! I could probably drink that frosting! MMMM! Stopping by from Strut Your Stuff Satuday Linky Party!
Thanks for stopping by! I agree, the frosting would be a perfect breakfast drink!
These look absolutely wonderful! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks! We loved them!
These look great! My son would really like these bars…especially dipped in chocolate…but, it is maple all the way for me! 🙂
Thanks! Maybe chocolate and maple swirled together! You can never go wrong with chocolate!
Ok… I can not believe you have a 13!!! year old!!! Where does the time go? You look cute in the picture with Buster! Miss you guys!
He’s technically not 13 until December. But he acts like he’s about 18! I couldn’t believe I got to take a picture with Buster! So fun! You should come see us if you are here during the Holidays!
Oh my. These look absolutely delicious! And with the glaze, too.
I hope you enjoy them! They are fun for the fall season!
So glad you bought a Cougar Tail– super yummy! These look great too! I’ll have to try them, since I’m a total sucker for donuts!!! (seriously, I could have had TWO that night:):)) Forget Birthday cake, bring on the donuts!
Pumpkin is such a great start to so many recipes! Glad you posted at the Best Blog Recipes Weekend Retreat link party. I’ve pinned, liked, twittered and G+-ed your post. I’d love it if you dropped by for a visit at http://www.kneadedcreations.com . I look forward to seeing you over there! Deb @ Kneaded Creations.
Oh my goodness! These maple bars sound delicious Amy!
They were delicious! Hopefully you like them as much as we do!
Wow! These sound amazing!
Sounds so good!! I love regular maple bars already 🙂
I am seriously going to give these a try! I’m super excited they are baked..not for my extra pot holes going in my muffin tops, but because I do not like the smell of the grease in the house lingering. LOVE pumpkin anything…I think I’m a little over obsessed. Simply can’t get enough! Pinning and also printing off the recipe. Wanted to also tell you thank you for sharing this recipe with all of us at the Show Stopper Saturday party, Amy! (=
I feel exactly the same way about frying foods in grease! I can’t stand it when my house, my hair and clothes smell like grease. We only fry in the summer when we can do it outside! Enjoy!
Oh my goodness, this looks and sounds amazing! I love that it’s not fried! This is one of my favorites on Sweet & Savoury Sundays! I hope you’ll stop by and link more recipes tomorrow 🙂
Thanks! I feel better about “not” fried foods! Enjoy!
Maple bars are a serious weakness of mine Amy. Serious. I think pumpkin maple bars may just put me over the edge 🙂 These look amazing! Pinned!
I couldn’t behave myself when I had these around! Thanks for stopping by and for sharing!
I mean to make this dough and icing into some wonderful cinnamon rolls.
Rae, I have made this recipe into cinnamon rolls and your are right, they are pretty yummy! Good luck!
Does anyone have nutrition facts (calories, fat, carbs) for these? Thank you!
I don’t really track nutritional facts. This recipe has also been posted on a site call My Recipe Magic and they post nutritional information. You can check it out there!
Do you need to space the bars far enough apart to keep them from baking together and then needing pulled apart?
You do need to leave a little bit of space or they will grow closer together as they rise. They still taste fantastic even if they touch!