Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bars

These are like a hybrid between a pumpkin loaf and a chocolate chip cookie, I can’t really explain it better than that. These are also SMALL BATCH and if you want more, just double the ingredients!

what you need:

• 1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree NOT pumpkin pie filling
• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp cloves
• 1/2 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 cup dark or milk chocolate chips not semi-sweet!

what you need to do:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and line a 9×9 dish. Cut the parchment so that it hangs over the sides just a bit, this will make removing the bars from the pan so much easier.
• In large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and cornstarch. Set aside.
• In bowl of your stand mixer, beat the butter until fluffy, bout 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add both sugars, and beat another 2 – 3 minutes. You want the butter to be super fluffy.
• Add the egg and the vanilla extract and mix until the egg is completely incorporated. Scrape down sides of the bowl, add in the pumpkin. Mix on low.
• When you add the pumpkin it will get a little weird, like the texture will freak you out a bit but don’t worry!!
• With mixer on slow, add the dry ingredients a little at a time until completely incorporated. Add in the chocolate chips, keeping a handful on the side to use to sprinkle on the time. Mix until all is combined.
• Pour into the bottom of the greased pan, spread the top to make it even. Sprinkle the bit of reserved chocolate chips over the top.
• Bake for about 25 – 35 minutes. Check on the bars at 25 minutes, and if they are still jiggly or raw when you poke a toothpick in, check every 3 minutes until done. I like mine a bit raw in the middle so I bake for about 25-30 minutes!
• Let cool for about 30 minutes and then cut into squares!