Pumpkin Pecan Bars

Name: Pumpkin Pecan Bars
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 1 cup butter (softened); ½ cup light brown sugar; ½ cup granulated sugar; 28 ounces canned pumpkin; 1 teaspoon maple extract; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 12 ounces evaporated milk; ½ teaspoon cinnamon; 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice; 4 large eggs; 1 box yellow cake mix; 1½ cups chopped pecans; 4 ounces unsalted butter (softened); 6 ounces cream cheese (softened); ½ teaspoon vanilla extract; 1 teaspoon maple extract; 4 cups powdered sugar (may need a bit extra)

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These Pumpkin Pecan Bars are loaded with the flavors of pumpkin pie, cream cheese frosting, and pecans. They’re the perfect treat for fall or any time of year when you’re hankering for pumpkin deliciousness.

slice of pumpkin pecan bars on a white and blue plate

We love pumpkin, and this time of year, we make an absolute ton of pumpkin treats from dips to pies and everything in between. One of our favorite recipes to make is these pumpkin pecan bars. They’re so good, we don’t even wait for fall! We just make them whenever we’re in the mood.

❤️ Why You’ll Love This Recipe
🛒Ingredients
🔪 How to Make Pumpkin Pecan Bars
📝Variations
🥄 Equipment
🥫 Storage
💭 Tips
⁉️ FAQ
🍽 More Pumpkin Desserts
📌 PIN IT!!
🧾Recipe Card

pumpkin pecan bar on a white and blue plate

❤️ Why You’ll Love This Recipe

They’re loaded with the flavors of pumpkin pie, cream cheese frosting, and pecans!
They’re an easy, homemade treat that’s perfect for the fall season.
They make a great dessert, snack, or addition to any party or gathering.
They only use simple ingredients that you can easily find at your local grocery store.
This dessert will look amazing on your Thanksgiving dessert table this year.

🛒Ingredients

This is a simple recipe that uses simple ingredients. most of them are already in your pantry, and the rest can be easily found at your local grocery store. The ingredients that give these bars their delicious rich flavor are listed below. You can find the complete list of ingredients along with amounts in the recipe card at the end of the post.

Canned pumpkin
Maple extract
Pumpkin pie spice
Cinnamon
Evaporated milk
Pecans
Yellow cake mix

🔪 How to Make Pumpkin Pecan Bars

Although this is a fully homemade recipe, it’s very easy to make. Even beginners can make this with no problems!

Step 1: Prep

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray a 13×9 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

Step 2: Cream the Butter and Sugar

Cream the butter, sugar, and brown sugar together until smooth.

flour, eggs, brown sugar and spices in a glass mixing bowl

Step 3: Add Remaining Bar Ingredients

Add the pumpkin, milk, extracts, spices, eggs, and cake mix to the creamed butter and mix until combined. Then, fold in half of the chopped pecans.

Step 4: Bake

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake on the center rack of the oven for 45 to 60 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and cool completely.

butter, cream cheese and vanilla in a glass bowl

Step 5: Make the Frosting

Mix the cream cheese, butter, and extracts until creamy. Then, add the powdered sugar a little at a time, mixing between each addition, until light and fluffy.

Step 6: Frost

When the pumpkin cake has cooled, frost it and cut it into squares. Enjoy!

📝Variations

Do you want to change up this recipe and make it your own? Here are some ways that you can do that!

Buttercream Frosting: Works very well with these bars.
Your Favorite Nuts: Walnuts, almonds, or any of your other favorite nuts will work.
Sweet Potato: Use canned sweet potato to make a sweet potato pie version.

If you love dessert bars like these, then check out these Brownie Bottom Butterfinger Cheesecake Bars.

birds eye pumpkin pecan bars on a blue and white plate

🥄 Equipment

You’ll only need a few basic pieces of baking equipment to make this recipe.

Measuring cups and spoons
Mixing bowls
Baking pan
Whisk or hand mixer
Spatula

🥫 Storage

You can store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. For longer storage, you can freeze them in an air-tight, freezer-safe container for up to a month.

💭 Tips

Although this is an easy recipe, there are a few things to remember when making it. We’re sharing these tips to ensure you make the best bars possible.

Be sure your butter is fully softened and at room temperature or you’ll end up with raw butter chunks in your batter and frosting.
Fully soften your cream cheese for the same reason you fully soften your butter.
Always let your pumpkin cake cool completely before frosting it so the frosting doesn’t get watery.
If you want easy removal from your baking pan you can line your pan with parchment paper, Make sure to leave some overlap on the sides.
Make sure that you use pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling in this recipe.
For a hint of chocolate, you can fold in chocolate chips to your recipe.
Instead of cream cheese frosting, you can top your bars with pecan streusel.

⁉️ FAQ

Do you have questions about this perfect fall dessert recipe? Here are the answers to the most commonly asked questions for this delicious dessert recipe.

How long do pumpkin bars last?

They’ll last for up to 5 days in the refrigerator or up to a month in the freezer.

How do you freeze pumpkin bars?

Chill them in the freezer until the frosting is hard. Then, wrap them in plastic wrap, place them in an air-tight, freezer-safe container, and freeze them for up to a month.

Why do you only freeze cream cheese products for a month?

Over time, ice crystals form in the cream cheese mixture, whether it’s cheesecake or frosting, and changes the texture.

🍽 More Pumpkin Desserts

Do you enjoy pumpkin? Then try these delicious recipes:

📌 PIN IT!!

pumpkin pecan bars on a blue and white plate

🧾Recipe Card

Want to make this recipe? Print the recipe card below, or pin this recipe, so you can find it later.