A few weeks ago, a friend of mine asked for a recommendation for a pumpkin-based recipe, with the specific request that it also include chocolate. Well, I hadn’t spent much time looking at pumpkin recipes or making them either, so I unfortunately didn’t have a quick answer for her. But I added to my list of “things to make”, and came up with a pretty stellar recipe while on my pumpkin kick!

Thankfully, I had some time to catch up on baking this weekend. I got an unexpected two days off work due to Frankenstorm Sandy, and I a lot of time to bake in between packing up my apartment for the move-in with the boyfriend coming in a few days! (By the way, all is well in DC after Sandy. A lot of branches and leaves came down, but we maintained power and stayed safe through the storm. My heart goes out to everyone in states much worse off than us, including New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut.)

These pumpkin chocolate chip bars are a like a cake’y Blondie, with chocolate chips and a strong pumpkin flavor. They are super-easy to mix and bake, which I was thankful for since my apartment is a bit crowded with boxes… I decided to bake them up in 2 8″ brownie pans, but you can also use a 9×13″ cake pan if you wish. (You may need to adjust the cooking time slightly though to make sure they are completely cooked in the center.)

Click below for the recipe! Have a question? Feel free to ask in the comments below! And thanks for reading!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars 

Yield: 18 squares

You are going to need:

• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon cloves
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 can pure pumpkin puree
• 2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

You are also going to need:

• Two 8″ baking pans
• Aluminum foil
• Spatula or wooden spoon

First, preheat your oven to 350° F. Line two 8×8” baking pans with aluminum foil.

Next, sift together the dry ingredients on to a sheet of wax paper or into a medium sized bowl.  Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugars. Add the egg and vanilla, and mix until combine. Beat in the pumpkin puree.

Last, mix in the sifted dry ingredients all at once, and beat until the batter is smooth. Fold in chocolate chips.

Divide the batter evenly between the two pans, and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached.

Let cool completely. To serve, lift the bars from pan, peel off the aluminum foil, and use serrated knife to cut into 9 squares each.

Enjoy!