These Maple Bar Donuts are so easy and delicious! I never thought frying donuts would be so simple! These classic, homemade Maple Long Johns are warm, soft and fully and they make the perfect breakfast treat.
Why You Will Love Maple Bar Donuts
- EASY – Using refrigerated biscuit dough, this recipe couldn’t be any easier! There is not need to wake up at the crack of dawn to make donuts anymore!
- HOMEMADE – Making these donuts yourself means that you know exactly what you are putting in them.
- DELICIOUS – There is nothing quite like enjoying a doughnut right out of the fryer. Warm and soft, with the sweet maple icing? There is no better way to start the day!
Maple Bar Donuts
Making homemade donuts is actually a lot easier than you think! You don’t need a deep fryer (although you don’t NOT need a deep fryer). And it literally just takes a couple minutes and a handful of easy ingredients to make these Maple Bars in no time!
Maple Bars have always been one of my wife’s favorite donuts. Also called Maple Long Johns, they are a “long” donut as opposed to the standard ring shaped donut. They are usually a yeast based donut and are always iced with a caramel/maple icing.
How To Make Maple Bar Donuts
For step-by-step instructions, check out the printable recipe card below. But here are the ingredients you’ll need to get started.
- REFRIGERATED BISCUITS: I used Pillsbury Grand Homestyle Biscuits
- OIL – For frying. I used vegetable oil. For more on the oil, read below.
- BUTTER – Unsalted butter.
- BROWN SUGAR – This helps our maple icing get that distinctive color and taste!
- MILK – We just used 2% milk. But you could try making the icing even richer by using half and half.
- LIGHT CORN SYRUP – This helps the icing set and harden on your donut.
- MAPLE EXTRACT – If you don’t have this or can’t find it, you can try using real maple syrup in the icing, although we haven’t tried this and aren’t sure what the consistency would be. You could also just substitute with vanilla extract or almond extract.
- POWDERED SUGAR – Also called Confectioners Sugar.
Recommended Equipment
You don’t NEED the exact things that I’m listing here. But they certainly help!
- LARGE FRYING PAN– This Large Frying Pan is pretty awesome and affordable! It’s nice and deep and comes with a lid.
- CANDY THERMOMETER– Making sure you oil is the right temperature is pretty important. Just make sure you get your oil up to 350 degrees before frying. We like to use this This Instant Read Thermometer for all sorts of things in our kitchen!
- COOLING RACK- This 3 Tiered Cooling Rack is awesome! It’s super affordable and now you have room to cool all your recipes without taking up too much counter space
- LARGE TUPPERWARE CONTAINER– Having a large tupperware container to put all your baked goods is a MUST! And this one is perfect for these donuts!
What Oil Is Best For Frying Donuts?
For this recipe, you probably are best just to keep it simple. You don’t really need or want your oil to be adding any flavors to the Maple Bars. And you also need a high smoke point. Your best bet is to use Canola Oil or Vegetable Oil. We are going to be frying at 350 degrees, so make sure you oil has a smoke point that is higher than that!
While they are both very similar, Canola Oil is known to be a little lower in Saturated Fats, so it may be a little healthier.
Storage and Freezing
Store leftover donuts in an airtight container or wrap them in plastic wrap. They can be stored at room temperature and will be good for about 3 days. But honestly, they are best to eat within a couple hours of making them.
You can freeze maple bars. Just allow them to fully cool and put in freezer bags or a freezer safe container. They should be good in your freezer for about 4 months. Allow to thaw at room temperature.
Notes, Tips and FAQs
- USE PAPER TOWELS – Have your paper towels ready to go. Frying the donuts moves fast and can get a little messy.
- HOW TO SHAPE THE DONUTS – You want to stretch the donuts into a rectangle shape. It’s best to do this while the dough is still pretty cold. Stick back in the fridge for a bit if needed.
- LET THE DONUTS COOL – Make sure you let your donuts cool before adding the caramel icing.
- LETTING THE DONUTS SET – Put a cooling rack on a baking sheet that is lined with parchment paper. After you dip your donuts in the icing, place them on the wire rack and let the icing drip down onto the parchment paper for an easy cleanup.
- MAKE SURE YOU ARE USING A VERY LARGE SAUCEPAN – You are going to be working with very hot oil, make sure your saucepan is big enough to do all your frying.
- ADD BACON! – A Maple Bacon Bar is something to behold. Fry or bake some bacon until it’s nice and crispy. You can chop it up and sprinkle it on the icing. Or you could just lay some strips down on the donut. Sweet and savory baby!
LOOKING FOR MORE BREAKFAST TREATS? CHECK OUT:
- CHOCOLATE CHIP BREAKFAST MUFFINS
- BANANA ZUCCHINI MUFFINS
- EASY BISQUICK CINNAMON ROLLS
- EASY BISQUICK COFFEE CAKE
- CINNAMON ROLL FRENCH TOAST BAKE
- STARBUCKS COPYCAT LEMON LOAF
- EASY FRENCH TOAST BAKE
We hope you enjoy this Maple Bars Recipe. We’d love to hear how they turned out in the comments section!
Maple Bars
Ingredients
- 2 tubes 16.3 oz each refrigerated biscuits
- Vegetable oil for frying enough for 2 inches deep in pan
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons milk
- 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
- 2 teaspoons maple extract
- 2 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Separate the biscuits and flatten and stretch into a log shape.
- Heat hot oil in a pan on the stove. Working in batches, fry the biscuits, about 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown.
- Remove and drain on paper towels.
- Add butter, brown sugar and milk to a sauce pan and heat on medium low heat, stirring constantly until butter is melted and sugar is no longer grainy.
- Remove from heat and stir in corn syrup and maple extract.
- Whisk in powdered sugar until blended smooth. Icing will begin to harden, but it should be fine to dunk.
- Dredge the top of each bar into the icing and flip over onto a flat surface for icing to firm up. Repeat until all bars are covered. Serve immediately.
- Store any leftover maple bars loosely covered at room temperature. These are best when eaten within 24 hours of making.
Comments & Reviews
Shawneen Hammer says
Hi there, I have to have all gluten-free and I have a bunch of allergies but I’m going to try this recipe just because I can’t believe that there is still somebody that calls these long johns I grew up calling them long johns and people thought I was nuts when I moved out west because they just called them maple bars are you up in North Dakota and we always called them long johns. I am going to go to the store today to get the ingredients to make this and find a different substitute for the corn syrup as I said I have 37 food allergies but I’m going to adapt this cuz you made me hungry for long johns now. When we lived in Montana there’s a bakery I don’t know if it’s still there now but in Red Lodge Montana they would make them and have them even warm if you got to town early enough. This was back in the ’60s. I will make sure and post how they turn out including a picture when I make them . Thanks again for bringing this memory back. Bless you take care
Kathy says
That is great! Check back in with us and let us know how they turned out!