Grandma’s Easy Homemade Maple Bars Recipe (Mom’s Maple Sticks)

Originally Published September 21, 2021, Updated October 6, 2026

Growing up, Grandma called these “maple sticks,” and every time she made them for the holidays, they were gone before they even had a chance to cool. When I was putting together the family recipe book, I knew this one had to be in it. The original recipe card is written in her handwriting, and I love that I get to share it here.

I’ll be honest, anything involving frying used to intimidate me. Hot oil, a thermometer, and dough that needs to rise twice, it sounds like a project. But the first time I made these I was genuinely surprised at how straightforward it was. The dough comes together easily in a stand mixer, the frying goes fast, and that maple glaze is just three ingredients. Once you’ve made homemade maple bars, you will never want a store-bought donut again.

These homemade maple bars start with a soft yeast dough that your stand mixer kneads for you. Two rises give them a light, pillowy middle, and a maple glaze made from powdered sugar, hot water and maple extract sets into a shiny top while they’re still warm.

What Makes These Maple Bars Special

This recipe comes straight from my Grandma Lee’s recipe box. She made them every holiday season, and nobody ever had to be asked twice to grab one. There are no shortcuts here and no boxed mixes. You make the dough from scratch with butter, eggs and yeast, cut it into rectangles, and fry each bar for about two minutes total.

What I love most is how forgiving the dough is. It rolls out easily, holds its shape after cutting, and puffs up beautifully during the second rise. If you’ve never fried dough before, this is a great recipe to start with because the bars cook so quickly and you can see exactly when they’re golden.

Equipment I Use

• Candy thermometer: This one isn’t optional. My husband gave me a KitchenAid digital thermometer for Christmas and I reach for it every time I have to fry something, or bloom yeast!
• Stand mixer with dough hook: It does all the kneading while you clean up. No stand mixer? You can knead by hand for 8 to 10 minutes until the dough feels smooth and elastic.
• Heavy Dutch oven or deep pot: A heavy pot holds its heat better when you add cold dough, which keeps your oil temperature steadier.
• Rolling pin: For rolling the dough to an even ¼ inch.
• Bench scraper: Makes quick, clean work of cutting the rectangles
• Wire cooling rack: Set it over a sheet pan so extra glaze drips off instead of pooling under the bars

Tips for Perfect Homemade Maple Bars

Don’t rush the rises. The first rise should double the dough. The second rise, after you cut the rectangles, takes about an hour and gives the bars their airy texture. Cutting either rise short leaves you with dense, heavy donuts.

Watch your oil temperature. Keep the oil right around 375°F. Cold dough drops the temperature every time you add a batch, so check your thermometer and nudge the heat up or down as you go.

Fry in small batches. Two or three bars at a time is plenty. Crowding the pot cools the oil fast, and that’s when bars turn greasy instead of golden.

Fry 1 minute per side. No longer! They cook fast. Set a timer the first time you make these so you can get a feel for it.

Glaze while they’re warm. Dip each bar into the glaze shortly after it comes out of the oil. The warmth helps the glaze set with that shiny donut shop finish.

Use the microwave for your water. About 50 seconds in the microwave gets 2 cups of water close to 110°F, which wakes up the yeast without killing it. Check it with your thermometer if you’re unsure.

Variations and substitutions

Chocolate glaze: Swap the maple extract for vanilla and stir 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder into the glaze for a chocolate bar version.

Cinnamon sugar: Skip the glaze and toss the warm bars in cinnamon sugar. Kids love this version.

Maple bacon: Top the glazed bars with crumbled crispy bacon for a sweet and salty bar. It’s a classic PNW donut shop combo.

What to serve with Homemade Maple Bars

Maple bars belong next to a hot cup of coffee or a cold glass of milk. For a holiday breakfast or brunch spread, set a platter of them out alongside a Norwegian coffee cake, and you’ll have something for the maple fans and the almond fans. They also make a sweet treat to bring to a family gathering, though I’d recommend frying them that morning since they taste best on the day you make them.

How to make easy Homemade Maple Bars

1. Activate the yeast. Sprinkle the yeast over 2 cups of 110°F water and let it sit for 5 minutes until foamy.
2. Cream the butter and sugar. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar together. Add the beaten eggs and salt and mix to combine.
3. Make the dough. Add the yeast mixture and flour to the creamed butter. Knead with the dough hook, or by hand on the counter, until the dough turns smooth.
4. First rise. Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover it, and let it rise until doubled in size.
5. Roll and cut. Roll the risen dough into a ¼-inch-thick sheet and cut it into rectangles.
6. Second rise. Let the cut rectangles rise for 1 hour.
7. Heat the oil. Heat a few inches of oil in a heavy pot to 375°F, using a candy thermometer to keep it steady.
8. Fry. Fry 2 or 3 bars at a time for 1 minute, flip, and fry for 1 more minute.
9. Drain. Move the bars to a paper towel to soak up any extra oil.
10. Make the glaze. Whisk about 1½ cups powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons hot water, and 10 drops of maple extract until smooth.
11. Glaze. Let the bars cool slightly, then dip the tops in the maple glaze and set them on a wire rack to finish setting.

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If you love baking up a holiday treat, my Norwegian coffee cake with Grandma’s almond icing makes a great partner on a brunch table, and you can find more yeast doughs like this one in my bread recipes. For a maple flavor in cake form, try my brown sugar frosting on a sheet cake, and if you’re in the mood for something chocolate after these, Grandma’s chocolate fudge cake is a family favorite. When summer berries roll around, my easy strawberry pie is the one to make.

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