Pecan Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

This easy pumpkin recipe with cream cheese has been a long-time family favorite!  Pecan Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Icing will satisfy your cravings for a pumpkin dessert with rich frosting!  The big sheet pan makes enough to share at a party or for your family to enjoy for several days.

This post is sponsored by the Glass Barn and brought to you by Indiana Soybean Farmers, but all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Pumpkin Dessert Bars

Pumpkin bars are a recipe my mom has made many times over the years and is adapted from a Betty Crocker recipe.  She has always been great and finding some of the best baking recipes and keeping track of them to make again and again.  I shared with her that I was looking for a great pumpkin recipe, she opened her recipe drawer and produced this one in under a minute.  So, I’m grateful to work on building this website to keep track of her recipes in an easily searchable way for generations yet to come!

I altered my mom’s recipe by using Bisquick to make the pumpkin bars and by adding pecans.  We enjoy a little bit of crunch so I used 3/4 cup of pecans, but that amount can be increased to 1 cup.  Chopped pecans could also be sprinkled on top of the icing for an even nuttier flavor.

This pumpkin dessert is similar to my Pumpkin Tops and Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Icing cookies but is lighter than my Pumpkin Pie Cake or Farmhouse Pumpkin Pie recipes.

Covered in cream cheese icing these Pumpkin Bars are irresistible!  If I’m being honest cake is nice, but it’s truly the icing or frosting that really draws me to want to enjoy these pumpkin dessert bars!

I made these pumpkin bars for my husband one day when he was brush hogging pastures around the farm.  Random weeds always seem to grow up, even where cattle are grazing, so in an effort to keep the farm looking nice we try to mow those weeds down a few times each year.  Since he works to make the farm look nice I like to make him a special treat for hard work.

Another classic pumpkin recipe we love is our Pumpkin Spice Bread!

Best Frosting for Pumpkin Bars

My mom really amps up the amount of cream cheese icing that is slathered over these pumpkin dessert bars.  I think I make a batch of cream cheese frosting that is slightly bigger.  When I need cream cheese frosting I just default to the best icing recipe I’ve ever made from my Frosted Banana Bars. 

Here is the best frosting recipe for pumpkin bars:

1. In a large bowl cream 8 ounces of softened cream cheese, 1/2 cup softened butter and 2 teaspoons of real vanilla extract until fluffy.
2. Gradually add up to 4 cups of powdered sugar to achieve desired consistency.
3. Frost bars and store in the refrigerator.

How to Make Pecan Pumpkin Bars:

1. Beat sugar, oil pumpkin and eggs in large mixer bowl on medium speed. Clean edges of bowl occasionally.
2. Stir in baking mix and cinnamon. Mix well.
3. Mix in pecans by hand.
4. Pour into greased 15 1/2 x 10 1/2 x 1-inch jelly roll pan.  Bake in a 350º oven about 25 to 30 minutes until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
5.  Let bars cool and then cover with cream cheese frosting.

How to Tell When Pumpkin Bars are Done

I recommend decreasing bake time for pumpkin bars and most desserts by 5 to 10 minutes.  Test doneness by inserting a clean toothpick in the center of the pumpkin bars.  The dessert is done when the toothpick is removed and comes out clean.

If the toothpick has a few particles of cake on stuck to it the dessert is almost done.  If the toothpick is covered in battered there is significant baking time to go.

Testing the doneness early will prevent desserts from burning.

Other Delicious Fall Recipes:

• Cinnamon Applesauce Cake
• Sweet Potato Honey Bun Cake creates a simple twist on a classic cake!
• Pumpkin Carrot Cake
• Pumpkin Fluff
• Ranch Glazed Carrots
• Twice Baked Potato Casserole
• Easy Low-Carb Loaded Cauliflower Casserole

Printable Recipe for Pecan Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Icing