Maple Bacon Donut Sticks are light and cakey deep-fried pastries dipped in a creamy maple syrup glaze and topped with crispy bacon crumbles. It’s a treat that is sure to satisfy both your sweet and savory cravings in one delicious bite! It’s a unique and flavorful twist on my Donut Sticks, which you will also want to make! Plus, you can make these in the oven or in an air fryer if preferred.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Cake Flour: Cake flour is made from a special kind of soft wheat. It’s finely ground and has less protein than regular flour, which makes it great for delicate cakes, pastries, and baked goods. You can use bleached cake flour for the best results, or unbleached if you prefer a more natural option. You can use all-purpose flour, but the texture of the donut sticks may be different.
Room Temperature Ingredients: For easier mixing and for better results, make sure the butter, egg, sour cream, and buttermilk are at room temperature.
Oil: Vegetable or canola oil is great for frying because of its neutral flavor and high smoke point. When done frying, check out my clarifying used cooking oil.
Maple Syrup: Look for pure maple syrup for the most authentic flavor. Imitation maple syrup is usually made with artificial ingredients and flavorings. However, in a pinch, you could get away with using imitation if that is all you have on hand.
Heavy Cream: Heavy cream, also known as heavy whipping cream, will yield the creamiest and richest glaze. However, you can use milk as a substitute if desired; but, there will be some differences in texture and flavor.
Bacon: I prefer thick-cut bacon, but you could certainly use regular bacon. Turkey bacon would also be an option to try. For easy clean-up, bake bacon in the oven. Place the strips of bacon onto a sheet pan lined with aluminum foil. Bake at 415°F for 18-23 minutes, or until it reaches your desired crispness.
How To Serve Maple Bacon Donut Sticks
Maple bacon donut sticks can be a tasty experience, whether you’re enjoying them for breakfast, brunch, dessert, or a special treat. Here are some more ways to enjoy this treat:
- Add additional garnishes like chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans) and a dusting of confectioners’ sugar.
- Enjoy with a cup of coffee or a glass of milk.
- Serve with fresh fruit like this fruit platter.
- Add a dollop of whipped cream on the side.
How To Store Maple Bacon Donut Sticks
Although best enjoyed the day they are made, here are some tips for storing glazed Maple Bacon Donut Sticks:
- Let the donut sticks cool completely.
- Store the donut sticks in an airtight container or resealable plastic bag, making sure the container or bag is large enough to hold all the donut sticks in a single layer.
- Seal it tightly to lock in the freshness and store it in the refrigerator.
- Enjoy for up to 1-2 days when stored properly. I recommend warming the donuts a bit before serving.
Can I Freeze Donut Sticks?
Sure! I recommend freezing the donut sticks without the glaze. First, place the donut sticks in a single layer on a baking sheet. Next, transfer the baking sheet to a freezer until the donut sticks are solid. After that, store them in a freezer-safe container for up to a month. When ready to enjoy, reheat them in the oven for about 5 minutes at 350°F. And then, don’t forget the glaze and crumbled bacon, if adding!
Maple Bacon Donut Sticks
Ingredients
Donut Sticks
- 3 ½ cups (350 g) cake flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ cup (½ stick / 57 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- ⅔ cup (133 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- ¼ cup (57.5 g) sour cream
- ½ cup (122.5 g) buttermilk
- 4 cups (872 g) canola oil, for frying
Maple Bacon Glaze
- 3 cups (375 g) confectioners' sugar
- ½ cup (157.5 g) pure maple syrup
- ¼ cup (59.5 g) heavy cream
- 8 slices thick-cut bacon, cooked, crumbled
Instructions
Donut Sticks
- Set out two large baking sheets. Line one with paper towels and the other with a wire rack. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugar. Add the egg and sour cream, continuing to mix until well combined.
- Slowly alternate adding a small amount of the flour mixture and a small amount of buttermilk into the wet mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture, until a soft dough forms. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Gently fold the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Coat the dough in flour by folding it several times.
- Roll out the dough into an 8×12-inch rectangle. Using a pizza cutter, slice it into 12 sections, each about 2 inches by 4 inches. Cut slits on the tops of each dough section.
- To a deep frying pot over medium heat, add oil. Heat the oil to 365°F. While the oil is heating, prepare the glaze.
Glaze
- In a large bowl, combine confectioners' sugar, pure maple syrup, and heavy cream. Whisk together until smooth, adjusting with more cream if needed to achieve your desired glaze consistency. Set aside.
Frying In Oil*
- Once the oil is hot, use a slotted spoon to carefully add 2-3 donut sticks to the oil. Cook for about 2 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the donut sticks are golden brown on all sides. Remove the cooked donut sticks from the oil and place them on the paper towel-lined baking sheet to drain slightly and cool.
- Repeat the cooking process with the remaining donut sticks, monitoring the oil temperature after each batch.
- Dip the cooled donut sticks into the glaze and place them on the wire rack-lined baking sheet. (You can use a fork to hold the donut stick, dipping it fully into the glaze and then lifting it out, allowing any excess glaze to drip off before placing it on the wire rack.)
- Evenly top with cooked and crumbled bacon. Enjoy!
Notes
- Follow the same instructions up to frying in oil.
- Place the donut sticks onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Bake at 400°F for 12 minutes.
- Add the glaze and crumbled bacon after the donuts have cooled
- Follow the same instructions up to frying in oil.
- Spray both sides of the donut sticks with cooking spray.
- Place the donut sticks into the basket of your air fryer and air fry for about 8 minutes at 350°F. (Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may have to work in batches.)
- Once cooled, add the glaze and crumbled bacon.
Did you make this recipe?
Thank you for making my recipe! You took pictures, right? Well go ahead and post them on Instagram! Be sure to mention me @iambaker and use the hashtag #YouAreBaker.
What the Test Kitchen had to say about this recipe:
Autumn
Maple and bacon is my new favorite donut combo! Every bite is a sweet and savory experience. If you have never tried this combination together, today is your day!
Bella
Maple and bacon go together so well! Sweet and salty! The bacon bits on top add so much to this donut. I can never get enough of bacon.
Rachael
I love maple bacon donuts! This is already a go-to donut flavor for me and these were fantastic. If you are going to go for homemade donuts you have to try these!
Annabelle
These are perfect for the maple lovers in your life! The maple really shines and the bacon flavor complements it very well!
Selena
These are so good! You can't go wrong with a deep fried donut, but add on some maple and bacon and it just takes it over the top!
Oh girl, you had me at BACON! Can’t wait to try these!
Have you tried making these dairy free?
Do the oven-baked ones taste as good as the fried ones?
I don’t think so! I am not a fan of any oven-baked donut. However, that is just my personal preference and the people that requested the oven-baked version have said they enjoyed it.