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Zucchini Pecan Bars

Zucchini pecan bars with spiced, moist zucchini baked into thick squares and topped with a creamy cream cheese frosting swirl. The bars bake up tender with toasted pecans scattered over the surface for a classic American easy bar recipe.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
cooling 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 16 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Bars
  • 2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1.5 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 0.5 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 0.25 tsp nutmeg
  • 1.5 cup granulated sugar
  • 0.75 cup vegetable oil
  • 3 eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 cup zucchini grated and squeezed dry
  • 1 cup pecans roughly chopped and toasted
Cream Cheese Frosting
  • 8 oz cream cheese softened
  • 1.5 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 2 tbsp milk

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Bake the bars
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9x13 baking pan.
  2. Whisk together all-purpose flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg.
  3. Beat granulated sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract until smooth.
  4. Stir in the grated, squeezed-dry zucchini.
  5. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until combined, then fold in the toasted pecans.
  6. Spread the batter into the prepared pan and bake at 350°F for 25–30 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
Frost and serve
  1. Cool the bars completely before frosting.
  2. Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter, vanilla, and milk until smooth and fluffy.
  3. Spread the frosting over the cooled bars, then cut into squares.

Notes

Pro tip: squeeze the grated zucchini very well so the bars stay thick and not gummy. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 4 days; freeze frosted bars up to 2 months (wrap tightly). For a lighter option, use reduced-fat cream cheese while keeping the frosting texture smooth with the same powdered sugar amount.