These Fudgy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars are what fall dreams are made of. Seriously! They combine the warm spices of pumpkin pie with the rich, gooey goodness of chocolate.
I find they’re perfect for pretty much any autumn occasion – a cozy night in, a Halloween party, or even a Thanksgiving dessert alternative.
They’re wonderfully moist, packed with flavor, and have that perfect balance of sweet and slightly spiced. Plus, they’re surprisingly easy to make!
Recipe Overview: Fudgy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars
These bars are a delightful cross between a pumpkin pie and a chocolate chip cookie. Imagine a soft, chewy center infused with pumpkin puree and fall spices, studded with melty chocolate chips throughout.
They’re not overly sweet, letting the pumpkin and spices really shine. And that fudgy texture? It’s absolutely amazing.
These are great served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, or at room temperature with a glass of cold milk.
They also make a wonderful addition to any fall dessert spread or bake sale.
I like to cut mine into small squares, but you can make them as big or small as you like!
Detailed Ingredients for Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars
Here’s what you’ll need to gather:
- All-purpose flour: 1 ½ cups. This provides the structure for our bars. You can use regular all-purpose, no need for anything fancy.
- Baking soda: 1 teaspoon. This helps the bars rise and become nice and fluffy. Make sure it’s fresh!
- Salt: ½ teaspoon. Just a little bit to balance the sweetness and enhance the flavors.
- Pumpkin pie spice: 1 ½ teaspoons. This gives that classic fall flavor. If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice, you can make your own by combining cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and allspice.
- Cinnamon: 1 teaspoon, If you make your own, you’ll add extra.
- Unsalted butter: ½ cup (1 stick), softened. Make sure it’s truly softened so it creams properly with the sugars.
- Granulated sugar: ½ cup. For sweetness and texture.
- Brown sugar: ¾ cup, packed. This adds moisture and a lovely caramel-like flavor. Light or dark brown sugar will work.
- Egg: 1 large. This helps bind the ingredients together.
- Vanilla extract: 1 teaspoon. For that warm, comforting flavor.
- Pumpkin puree: 1 cup. Make sure you use pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. They’re two very different things!
- Chocolate chips: 1 cup. I prefer semi-sweet, but milk chocolate or dark chocolate would also be delicious.
Step-by-Step Instructions: Making the Bars
Let’s get baking! Here’s how to make these delicious bars:
- Preheat and Prep: First, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Then, grease and flour a 9×13 inch baking pan. You can also line it with parchment paper, leaving some overhang on the sides. This makes it super easy to lift the bars out later.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon. Make sure everything is well combined – no clumps!
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy. You can use an electric mixer or do it by hand, but it’ll take a bit longer by hand. Aim for a pale, fluffy mixture.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until everything is well combined. Don’t overmix!
- Incorporate Pumpkin: Gently stir in the pumpkin puree until just combined. The batter might look a little curdled at this point, but that’s totally normal.
- Combine Wet and Dry: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed (or stirring gently by hand) until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
- Fold in Chocolate Chips: Fold in the chocolate chips until they’re evenly distributed throughout the batter.
- Pour and Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and spread it out evenly. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached. It’s okay if it’s not completely clean – we want them to be fudgy!
- Cool and Cut: Let the bars cool completely in the pan before cutting them into squares. Cooling them completely is key to getting nice, clean cuts. If you are using, you can simply lift the cooled dessert.
Variations & Tips for the Best Pumpkin Bars
Here are a few ideas to customize your bars and ensure success:
- Add Nuts: Stir in ½ cup of chopped walnuts, pecans, or your favorite nuts along with the chocolate chips.
- Spice it Up: Add a pinch of ground cloves or cardamom for an extra layer of flavor.
- Make it Extra Chocolatey: Drizzle melted chocolate over the cooled bars for an extra decadent treat.
- Make-Ahead: You can make the batter a day ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator, covered. Just let it come to room temperature for about 30 minutes before baking.
- Storage: Store leftover bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to a week.
- Reheating: If you want to enjoy a warm bar, simply microwave a square for 15-20 seconds.
- Serving: Dust the bars with powdered sugar.
Key Details
- Prep time: 15 minutes
- Cook time: 25-30 minutes
- Total time: 40-45 minutes
- Servings: 24 bars
- Equipment you’ll need: 9×13 inch baking pan, mixing bowls, whisk, electric mixer (optional), spatula