You’re going to need some coffee to go with this post….

So I grew up with a mom who loves doughnuts. In fact, she loves them enough that they are usually her chosen unit of measuring other foods. Growing up everything was always compared to a doughnut; "This is the best, it tastes like a doughnut!", or "It’s good, but I’d rather be eating a doughnut", or, "That does not count as dinner because it’s basically a doughnut." Yep, we’re a weird family, but you probably already figured that out.

So these are by no means the prettiest maple bars ever. I neglected to take their shapes seriously, something I’ll never do again, and they ended up a having a little more character than I’d like.

They’re just special that’s all, but you guys don’t mind that do you? Actually, I think the uglier and less perfect foods are always the ones that taste the best, or at least that seems to be the case with these. Don’t worry, what they lack in cosmetic perfection they make up for with outstanding flavor.

When I made these with some of the maple extract that I’ve been rationing it was really exciting to the gang. It’s pretty insane how fast they disappeared and now they are on the top of the list for things I need to repeat.

Homemade Maple Bar Doughnuts
Prep Time: 2 hours, 40 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours
Yield: 10 bars

Maple bars are a favorite classic made so much better by creating them yourself. You might be surprised how easy they are to make.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1/3 cup sugar
1 cup slightly warm water
1/2 cup coconut milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
Oil for frying
Maple Glaze:
3 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons almond milk
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon maple extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions

In the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large bowl if doing by hand), dissolve yeast in water and allow to sit for about 5 minutes until bubbly. Stir in coconut milk and sugar, then and salt until combined. Add flour a cup at a time until it comes together into a smooth dough. Place in a greased bowl, cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap, and place in warm place to rise until doubled in size, about 2 hours. (Alternatively, you can refrigerate the dough overnight.)
On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a rectangle roughly 1/2 an inch thick and 10x12 inches. Cut into 10 bars (about 5 x 2 1/4in) and place bars on clean tray in a warm lace to rise for about 45 minutes.
While the bars are rising stir you're glaze together. Whisk syrup, vanilla, milk, and salt in a medium bowl. Add powdered sugar a cup at a time and stir until smooth.
Heat about 3 inches of oil in a large high-sided skillet or pot to 350 degrees F (180 C). Gently lift 2 to 3 bars at a time and drop carefully into oil. Fry on each side for 35 to 45 seconds until golden then flip and repeat on other side. Use tongs or a slotted spoon to gently lift them out and place on a plate lined with paper towels.
Dip bars in glaze while still warm and again after slightly cooled then place them on a wire rack to dry for a few minutes before serving.

ALL CONTENT IS MINE AND ORIGINAL! All of these food photos were taken with my Nikon D750 and my favorite Lens, the Nikon AF-S FX NIKKOR 50mm f/1.8G. You can find out more in my INTRO POST.

And, by the way, to all the minnows out there, my intro post did a huge $0.21. The key to success on Steemit is to be consistent and persistent. Click on the link below for some great tutorials on how you can also succeed on the steem blockchain:

Master Toolkit: Steemit Resource Guide Illustrated by @sndbox

Also, a huge shoutout to @rigaronib for designing my logo!

If you're looking for more recipes check out some of my other recent posts!

1. Asian Kale Watermelon Salad + Sesame Peanut Dressing
2. 10-Minute Cookie Dough Bliss Balls
3. Dark Chocolate Birthday Cake Recipe
4. Rainbow Veggie Cobb Salad
   5.Cozy Sweet Pea Soup

Also, I've been starting to vlog in case you missed it.

1. Montana Travels Glacier National Park
2. Vlog #4 Grocery Shopping with Gringalicious at Trader Joe's
3. Hiking to Snow Creek Falls + I Hit 17k Followers!
4. Vlog #3: Looking for a New Gym + Meet My Baby