With a shortbread-like crust, a creamy maple topping, and rich maple flavor throughout, these Rich Maple Butter Bars are a sweet, comforting dessert perfect for fall.
We’re Making Rich Maple Butter Bars
Autumn brings my favorite flavors — pumpkin, apple, cinnamon — and maple always ranks high on that list. These Rich Maple Butter Bars combine a tender, shortbread-like base with a silky, maple-infused custard topping that bakes into pure decadence. A touch of maple extract highlights the flavor, making them especially suited to the season.
The base is a simple shortbread-style crust that you press into the pan, and the topping is a rich cream cheese and maple custard that bakes until set around the edges and just a little jiggly in the center. If you like, finish the bars with small cinnamon-sugar leaf cookies for a pretty seasonal touch — I used leftover pie crust to make those, but they’re optional.
I served these bars on a vintage-style platter that always makes me think of family dinners. It adds a nostalgic touch and is great for presenting fall desserts.
Before the recipe, a quick note: I’m joining my Tastes of the Season blogger friends to bring you more maple ideas. If you love maple, check out the collection of maple-inspired recipes highlighted later in this post.
Ready to bake? Here’s how to make these bars, followed by the full printable recipe and notes.
How to Make:
Below is a clear step-by-step overview; the full ingredient list and detailed instructions are included in the recipe card at the end.
- Preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C). Spray a 9×13-inch baking pan with baking spray and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and kosher salt.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the melted unsalted butter, pure maple syrup, egg, and vanilla extract until combined.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until evenly combined.
- Press this mixture by hand into the prepared pan to form the base.
- With a mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the confectioners’ sugar, eggs, maple syrup, and maple extract, and beat until the filling is silky and even.
- Pour the cream cheese-maple mixture over the crust in the pan and spread evenly.
- Bake for 50–55 minutes, or until the edges begin to brown and the center is set but still slightly jiggly.
- Optional: Immediately after removing from the oven, top with cinnamon-sugar pie crust cookies if using.
- Allow the bars to cool completely, then slice into 20 small rectangles. Dust with confectioners’ sugar before serving (you may want to dust again just before serving if the first dusting fades).
These bars are straightforward to make, but I do recommend a mixer for the cream cheese layer to ensure a lump-free, smooth topping.
Recipe Notes:
The cinnamon-sugar pie crust cookies I mentioned add a pretty decorative touch and extra crunch; they’re optional. If you choose to use them, press or arrange them on top once the bars come out of the oven so they adhere slightly as the bars cool.
Confectioners’ sugar dusting can fade as the bars sit, so keep a small shaker of confectioners’ sugar on hand to refresh the appearance just before serving.
Enjoy and Happy Baking!
If you’re searching for a cozy fall treat with warm maple flavor, these Rich Maple Butter Bars are an excellent choice. They store well and make a lovely addition to a dessert table or holiday platter.
If you try the recipe, come back and leave a comment and rating — it’s great to hear how yours turned out.
Tastes of the Season Maple Recipes:
If you want more maple inspiration, the seasonal roundup includes breads, ice creams, granola, and more — a lovely collection for fall baking and treats.
Below are a few featured maple recipes from our Tastes of the Season collaborators, offering a range of sweet maple ideas to try this season.
LOVE THIS RECIPE AND WANT MORE?
Join the mailing list to receive new recipes, projects, and seasonal ideas straight to your inbox. If you try this recipe, share your photos and tag the creator on social media — it’s always fun to see variations and how others present their bars.
Rich Maple Butter Bars
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, melted
- ⅓ cup pure maple syrup
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Topping:
- 1 ½ package (12 oz.) cream cheese, softened
- 1 ½ cup confectioners’ sugar, plus more for sprinkling
- 4 eggs
- ¾ cup pure maple syrup
- ¼ teaspoon maple extract
- 20 cinnamon-sugar pie crust cookies (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Spray a 9×13 pan with baking spray and set aside.
- Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk melted butter, maple syrup, egg, and vanilla.
- Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients and press the mixture into the prepared pan.
- Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add confectioners’ sugar, eggs, maple syrup, and maple extract; beat until smooth. Pour over the crust.
- Bake 50–55 minutes, until edges are lightly browned and center is set but slightly jiggly.
- Optional: Top with cinnamon-sugar pie crust cookies immediately after removing from the oven.
- Cool completely, then slice into 20 rectangles.
- Sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar. If needed, dust again just before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
|
Carbohydrates: 49 g
|
Protein: 3 g
|
Fat: 10 g