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Zucchini Pecan Bars

Zucchini pecan bars with a thick, spiced crumb and toasted pecans, baked until set then cooled for clean slicing. A cream cheese frosting is swirled on top for a tangy finish and bakery-style texture.
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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 zucchini pecan bars
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9x13 baking pan, then set it aside so it’s ready for batter.
  2. Whisk all-purpose flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg together in a bowl until evenly combined.
  3. Beat granulated sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract until smooth, glossy, and thickened.
  4. Stir in the grated, squeezed-dry zucchini until the batter looks evenly speckled.
  5. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture just until combined, then fold in the toasted chopped pecans.
  6. Spread batter into the prepared pan and bake for 25–30 minutes at 350°F, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean with no wet batter.
Cool and frost
  1. Cool the bars completely in the pan for about 30 minutes before frosting so the frosting doesn’t melt.
  2. Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter, vanilla, and milk until smooth and fluffy, then spread over the cooled bars.
  3. Cut into squares and serve, using the chilled set to keep the frosting swirls neat.

Notes

Pro tip: squeeze the grated zucchini very dry so the bars bake up thick instead of gummy. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 4 days; freeze frosted bars up to 2 months and thaw overnight in the fridge. Dietary swap: use a lactose-free cream cheese and lactose-free milk for a similar frosting texture (cream cheese consistency may vary by brand).