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Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bar – The Bar For (My) Fall

These  chocolate chip  pumpkin bars are a  hit  in our  house.   The  texture is  almost  like a  moist brownie  but  with  pumpkin  flavors.   Even the  pumpkin  pie  haters  love  to  grab a  piece  of  this  bar.

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bar

Disclaimer: I have received products from Imperial  Sugar to use in my recipes. The   recipes  and  opinions are mine.

About  the  title –  let  me  just  say that I was  really tempted  to add  some   rum in this!  I guess   I already said   way too much!

These  bars  are  made  for #choctoberfest 2018. Just  two more   days  left    to  enter  the  raffle . Remember  there are  over $400  worth of  prizes to  win   with just a  few  clicks  or  taps  on the  screen !!!

Imperial sugar is   the  gold  sponsor  for  #choctoberfest 2018.  It is  their 175th anniversary !  Imagine  that !   They  must  know  their  business   really well  to   stay strong  for  so long. Happy 175th Anniversary Imperial Sugar! Don’t forget to checkout  their  Halloween  treats .

I have  used  two of  their  products  in this  recipe – the   light  brown sugar   and  the  powdered  sugar.  Oh and  here is another  reason for  me to  recommend   their  products –  it  is  pure  100%  non GMO cane  sugar !

Chocolate ChipPumpkin Bar Made with Imperial Sugar Ingredients

The  light  brown  sugar  is  used  in the bar  and  it   makes  the  bars a  little  darker  and  the light   molasses  flavors  go great  with  pumpkin and  the  spices.     The  powdered  sugar   went  into  making   the  frosting. I have   to be  honest  here, usually I am   not a  fan  of  frosting,  but  this cream   cheese  frosting  is  yum !  ?

Back to the  bars these are   moist, and full flavor  and  definitely not cake like.  It is an easy one-bowl recipe.    The  flavors  in these  bars  mature   as  it  stays.  Which means , that  it will taste   better  the  next  day, that is  if  you  save  some  for  the  next  day

Here is  what  you need  for the  bars

  • Flour
  • Leavening
  • Spices
  • Pumpkin puree
  • Sugar

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bar

 

Flour

I have  used   unbleached  all purpose   flour  in this  recipe .  That  is  what  I would  recommend   as  well.   You an   substitute   whole  wheat  flout  for a  part of  it – up to  50 %. Any more   you will have  to  change  the  recipe .

Leavening

This   recipe needs a  little  leavening as  the ingredients  make  it  very moist  and  dense.   2 tsp  baking  powder per  cup of   flour  is  what  I have used here.  Omitting the  leavening  will make  the   bars a  little  more  dense.

Since  we  are  using  brown sugar,  baking  soda  can be  substituted – if  doing  so add   ½ tsp to ¾  tsp baking  soda  and  no more.

Spices

What  goes  best  with   pumpkin – pumpkin pie  spices  of  course.  Here  I have  used 1 Tbsp. The  spices  are  mellow  and  not  overpowering.  Use 1 ½ Tbsp  if  you like  stronger  flavors.   Use   store bought   pumpkin  spice  mix, or cinnamon , ginger , cloves  and  nutmeg  in the  following  proportion 4:2:1:1 .

Pumpkin

Pumpkin   puree is  used  in this  recipe .  This is  the  cooked   pumpkin     that  is  pureed.   Be  aware  that  it  is  not  the   same as  the  canned  pumpkin  pie filling.   You can  make  it  yourself  or  get a  good  quality  canned one. If  you want  to  make  it  check out  my post on  how  to  roast  pumpkin .   Scoop the  roasted  pumpkin   and  blend  and  you are  all set.

Sugar

I   use  brown  sugar   in this  recipe ,  Imperial   Sugar  light  brown  sugar  to be  exact.   The  molasses in the   sugar  is  the  biggest  flavor   draw  for  me.  The  warm  flavors of  the  spices  and  the molasses  seems  to   be a natural match.

Frosting

To frost  or  not  is   entirely up to you.   Personally I liked  the  contrast  cream  cheese  frosting  provided, and  it happens  to be  my favorite   frosting  as  well ? .

 

In other words  if  I were  to  frost  this  bar  , it  will be   cream  cheese  frosting!  Slice  and  serve !!!

 

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bar

So this  happened  while  I  was shooting!  Little  monkeys  were  understandably impatient  after  school  :-).

BTW  there is  still time  to enter  the  raffle

a Rafflecopter giveaway

For more  details on  #choctoberfest  2018 and   the prizes  to  win  checkout  the  welcome post !

 

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bar

Chocolate Pumpkin Spice  Bars

By Syama
Moist almost  brownie  like  bars    filled  with pumpkin flavors  and  chocolate.  Perfect  flavors for  fall  that  even  pumpkin pie hater  will find  irresistible. 
No ratings yet
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 12

Ingredients
  

  • 2 C AP  Flour
  • 1 Tbsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
  • 2 Tsp Baking Powder
  • 1/2 Tsp Fine  Sea Salt
  • 1 C Butter, Unsalted
  • 1 C Brown Sugar I used Imperial Sugar
  • 1 Egg Large
  • 1 Tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
  • 1 C Pumpkin Puree Notes
  • 1½  C Semisweet Chocolate chips 

Cream  Cheese  Frosting

  • ½ C Cream Cheese
  • ½ Butter Salted/unsalted
  • 4 - 5 C Powdered  Sugar
  • ½ Tsp  Pure  Vanilla  Extract

Instructions
 

  • Make  sure that all the  ingredients  are  at  room temperature  before proceeding. 
  • Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking pan and set aside. In a medium bowl, mix the  dry ingredients - flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, and salt -  together. Set aside.
  • Using an electric mixer, or  spatula beat  the butter  until  fluffy. Add the  sugar  and   cream the butter and sugar until smooth.  Add the  egg  and   mix  well.  Mix  in the  vanilla.   Add  the  pumpkin puree  and  mix  well.  Slowly  mix  in the  dry ingredients  using a   spatula  until  just  combined. Fold in chocolate chips.
  • Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake bars for 35-40 minutes or until edges begin to pull away from sides of pan and a toothpick inserted in center comes out with just a few moist crumbs (gooey chocolate) attached.
  • Transfer  the  pan to a  cooling  rack. Cool completely in pan.   If   frosting ,  spread the  frosting  evenly on top.
  • Cut into squares and serve.

Cream  Cheese  Frosting.

  • Bring  the  cream  cheese  and  butter  to  room temperature.
  • Beat  the  butter  until  it  is  soft  and  increased   in  volume.
  • Add  the  softened  cream  cheese  to the   butter and  beat  until  fluffy.  Beat  in the  vanilla  extract.
  • Add  the  powdered  sugar  in batches  and    mix  in (lowest  setting  if  using  electric  mixer)  until  the  mix   is   shows  soft  peaks.

Notes

  • Use  pumpkin puree  and  not  pie  filling   mix.
  • To make  your own pumpkin puree  check  out  this  recipe.

Important: Nutrition Values are estimates. Actuals vary based on ingredients and serving size.

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Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bar

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Recipe Rating




PJ

Saturday 20th of October 2018

This looks amazing! Perfect for a holiday party or just munching on something with pumpkin-chocolate goodness!

Syama

Tuesday 6th of November 2018

Thank you !

Farrah

Friday 19th of October 2018

Ahh, this looks absolutely perfect for fall! <3!

Syama

Friday 19th of October 2018

Thank you Farrah !