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Maple Walnut Bars Recipe

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★★★★

4 from 61 reviews

Delicious homemade Maple Walnut Bars featuring a buttery, maple-infused base studded with toasted walnuts, topped with a smooth maple glaze and optional crunchy walnuts and flaky sea salt for extra texture and flavor. Perfect as a sweet treat or dessert with a delightful balance of sweetness and nuttiness.

Ingredients

Scale

Bars

  • 10 tablespoons (141g) melted unsalted butter (cooled slightly but still warm)
  • ¾ cup (170g) light brown sugar (tightly packed)
  • 1 large egg
  • ⅓ cup (78ml) pure maple syrup
  • ¾ teaspoon maple extract
  • 1½ cups (188g) all purpose flour (spooned and leveled or weighed)
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 scant cup (97g) chopped toasted walnuts

Topping

  • 1 cup (120g) powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons milk
  • ¼ teaspoon maple extract
  • pinch of salt
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped walnuts (optional topping)
  • flaky sea salt (optional topping)

Instructions

  1. Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8×8-inch square metal baking pan with parchment paper and lightly grease it to prevent sticking. If your walnuts are not toasted yet, toast them now for best flavor.
  2. Mix Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, whisk the warm melted butter and light brown sugar vigorously for one full minute until completely combined and smooth.
  3. Add Wet Ingredients: Whisk in the egg, pure maple syrup, and maple extract until the mixture is well combined and smooth. Remove the whisk, tapping off any excess batter.
  4. Combine Dry Ingredients: Sprinkle the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt evenly over the wet mixture. Stir with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon until the batter is fully combined, making sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to incorporate all flour.
  5. Add Walnuts: Fold in the chopped toasted walnuts to the batter until evenly distributed.
  6. Bake: Transfer the batter into the prepared pan, spreading it into an even layer. Bake for 22 to 26 minutes until the bars are lightly golden brown on top, dry on the surface, and the center no longer jiggles. Avoid overbaking. Remove from oven and cool completely on a wire rack.
  7. Prepare Topping: In a small bowl, whisk powdered sugar, milk, maple extract, and a pinch of salt until smooth and well combined. Adjust consistency by adding more powdered sugar to thicken or more milk to thin as needed.
  8. Glaze and Decorate: Drizzle the maple icing evenly over the cooled bars. Use a zip-top bag to pipe the icing if desired. Optionally, sprinkle finely chopped walnuts and flaky sea salt on top for added crunch and flavor. Let the icing firm up before serving.

Notes

  • Toast walnuts before adding to the batter to enhance their flavor and crunch.
  • Do not overbake the bars to avoid dryness; they should be slightly golden and set in the center.
  • The icing consistency can be adjusted with powdered sugar or milk to suit your desired thickness.
  • For easier glazing, transfer the icing into a zip-top bag and snip a small corner to drizzle precisely.
  • Adding flaky sea salt on top balances the sweetness and adds a gourmet touch.

Keywords: maple walnut bars, maple dessert bars, walnut bars, maple syrup bars, homemade dessert, baked bars, sweet treat, fall dessert

Find it online: https://epicrecipebox.com/maple-walnut-bars-recipe/