The Best Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

Kristen Massad — Thu, 14 Oct 2021 18:58:42 +0000

Made with 100% pumpkin puree, a combination of spices and sprinkled with chocolate chips, The Best Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars are quick and easy to make and give you the perfect bite of fall flavors.

Whether you are a pumpkin lover or not, you are going to love these Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars. As my kids are getting busier and we are in full swing of fall activities, there is always a need for a quick treat that adults and kids will love. A classic cookie is always great, but there is something so much easier about baking batter in a square pan and cutting it into small, medium or large pieces, there is no scooping required! These are so fun and festive, the most delicious fall flavor and soft and chewy goodness, you are going to love these.

If you love bars as much as I do, check out our favorite Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Blondies or our cinnamon spiced Snickerdoodle Blondies for a non pumpkin option.

Ingredients

Flour-No fancy flours needed. All purpose flour is all that is needed for this recipe, but you can make these GF using your favorite gluten free flour.
Baking Soda- A small amount of baking soda will give these pumpkin bars a nice fluffy texture.
Spices-Cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg are our favorite pumpkin spices that added in to create a delicious fall flavor.
Egg-Only ONE egg!
Butter- Unsalted butter is what you need since there is salted added! Also make sure that the butter is melted for this recipe.
Pumpkin Puree- 100% Pumpkin Puree only…do not use pumpkin pie filling!
Light Brown Sugar-The softest and chewy bars are sweetened with light brown sugar or for a more intense flavor you can use dark brown sugar as well!
Chocolate Chips-Semi sweet chocolate chips are a great addition, but you can substitute for dark or milk chocolate chips as well.

Directions

In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg; set aside
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the melted butter, pumpkin puree and light brown sugar until fully combined
Whisk the egg into the pumpkin mixture and mix until smooth

Slowly add in the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture and mix until fully combined and smooth
Fold the chocolate chips into the cookie mixture and spread the batter into the prepared pan
Mix together the cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle it on top of the cookie batter to cover the top

Bake the Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars for 18-20 minutes
Remove the bars from the oven and allow them to cool completely before cutting and serving

Tips To Making The Best Pumpkin Bars

Pumpkin Puree-Make sure to only by 100% pumpkin puree with no other ingredients, pumpkin pie filling will not work in this recipe!

Chocolate Chips- For a little extra fun, sprinkle some chocolate chips on the top of the batter before baking. This will give the bars a beautiful look and there is never to much chocolate!

Why Do You Use Melted Butter?

Butter is a key ingredient in cookies and bars because it is the fat that give the important flavor. Melted Butter is going to create a much softer cookie/bar. Melted butter will make a cookie spread more but since we are creating a bar that is baked in a pan, we are going to benefit from the soft and chewy texture without the spread.

Can I Make These Gluten Free?

Yes! This is a pretty simple recipe that can be converted using your favorite GF flour and will still taste great!

How Should I Store These Pumpkin Bars?

These are a very soft and delicious bar that will stay good for several days. Keep the in an airtight container on the counter if you are going to be enjoying them within 3-4 days. If you want to keep the longer, freeze the bars and pull them out as needed.

More Pumpkin Recipes You Will Love