The Best Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars Recipe for Fall Joy
Baking these delectable pumpkin chocolate chip bars brings autumn’s warmth right into your kitchen.
Soft, spiced, and loaded with rich chocolate chips, this recipe captures the essence of fall’s most beloved flavors.
The combination of tender pumpkin and melty chocolate creates a mouthwatering treat that everyone will adore.
Each bite delivers a perfect balance of sweet and comforting notes that dance across your palate.
Warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg weave through the bars, enhancing the deep pumpkin undertones.
Simple to make and utterly irresistible, these bars promise to become your new seasonal obsession.
Grab a plate and savor the delightful magic of autumn in every single square.
Quick Recipe Overview
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Calories: 301 kcal
Servings: 13
All About Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars Ingredients
For Dry Ingredients:
All-Purpose Flour: The foundation of the bar's structure, providing a soft and tender crumb. Choose unbleached flour for better texture and flavor.
Pumpkin Pie Spice: Brings warm, cozy autumn flavors with its blend of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Freshly ground spices offer more intense taste.
Baking Soda: Helps the bars rise and creates a light, airy texture. Check freshness by testing with vinegar for active reaction.
Salt: Enhances overall flavor and balances the sweetness of the bars. Use fine sea salt for even distribution.
For Wet Ingredients:
Butter: Adds richness and creates a smooth, creamy base. Use unsalted butter for better control of saltiness.
Sugar: Provides sweetness and helps create a tender crumb. Opt for granulated sugar for consistent results.
Egg: Binds ingredients and adds moisture to the bars. Choose fresh, room-temperature eggs for better mixing.
Vanilla Extract: Deepens flavor complexity and adds aromatic sweetness. Pure vanilla extract offers the best taste.
Pumpkin Puree: Brings moisture, autumn flavor, and beautiful orange color. Use 100% pure pumpkin puree, not pie filling.
For Mix-Ins:
Chocolate Chips: Adds delightful bursts of chocolate throughout the bars. Semi-sweet chips provide perfect balance of sweetness and chocolate intensity.
Tools for Making Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars
Large mixing bowl: Essential for combining wet ingredients and creaming butter and sugar.
Small mixing bowl: Perfect for whisking dry ingredients together.
Whisk: Ideal for blending flour, spices, and other dry ingredients smoothly.
Electric mixer or hand mixer: Helps cream butter and sugar quickly and efficiently.
9×13-inch baking pan: Crucial for spreading and baking the pumpkin bars evenly.
Spatula: Great for folding chocolate chips and spreading batter in the pan.
Measuring cups and spoons: Necessary for accurate ingredient measurements.
Toothpick: Used to check the doneness of the bars by testing the center.
Cooling rack (optional): Helps bars cool evenly after baking.
How to Make Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars Easily
Autumn’s Sweet Delight
Oven Preparation Cozy kitchen warmth starts with setting the oven to a perfect baking temperature, creating a welcoming environment for your delectable treat.
Ingredient Harmony Carefully blend dry ingredients in a bowl, allowing each component to whisper its unique flavor into the mix.
Butter Magic Transform butter and sugar into a creamy cloud, incorporating eggs and pumpkin until the mixture becomes smooth and inviting.
Batter Transformation Gently fold ingredients together, watching as the mixture transforms into a rich, velvety batter studded with chocolate morsels.
Baking Alchemy Pour the batter into a waiting pan, then slide it into the warm oven where culinary magic happens. Bake until the edges turn golden and a gentle test reveals a perfectly cooked center.
Cooling Celebration Let the bars rest and cool completely, allowing flavors to settle and meld. Slice into squares and savor the taste of autumn's sweetness.
Tips for Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars Variations
Add an extra tablespoon of pumpkin puree for incredibly soft, tender bars that melt in your mouth with rich autumn flavor.
Swap chocolate chips for white chocolate, butterscotch, or dark chocolate chunks to create unique flavor combinations that match your personal taste preferences.
Sprinkle chopped pecans, walnuts, or pumpkin seeds on top before baking to introduce delightful crunch and enhance the overall texture of your bars.
Increase pumpkin pie spice by half a teaspoon for a more intense warm, aromatic profile that highlights the classic fall season essence.
Store bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, or freeze individually wrapped bars for quick grab-and-go treats that last up to 3 months.
Serving Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars at Parties
Cozy Fall Dessert Companion: Serve these warm pumpkin bars with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream for a delightful contrast of temperatures and flavors.
Autumn Beverage Pairing: Enjoy these rich chocolate chip bars alongside a steaming mug of spiced chai tea or creamy hot chocolate to enhance the seasonal warmth.
Festive Party Presentation: Cut bars into smaller bite-sized pieces for holiday gatherings, arranging them on a rustic wooden platter with a light dusting of powdered sugar for an elegant touch.
Decadent Breakfast Twist: Transform these bars into a morning treat by crumbling them over Greek yogurt or serving with a dollop of whipped cream for a special weekend breakfast indulgence.
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars: Storing Tips
Flavor Fusion Strategies: Store these delightful bars in an airtight container at room temperature for maximum taste and freshness, ensuring they maintain their soft, moist texture for up to 5 days.
Freezer-Friendly Approach: Wrap individual bars tightly in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer-safe container. These treats can be frozen for up to 3 months, providing a quick sweet solution for unexpected cravings.
Smart Portioning Technique: Cut bars into uniform squares before storing, making it easier to grab a single serving and preventing unnecessary cutting each time you want a treat.
Temperature Wisdom: Keep bars away from direct sunlight or heat sources to prevent chocolate chips from melting and maintain the perfect texture. Room temperature storage works best for maintaining the bars' delicious consistency and flavor profile.
Seasonal pumpkin chocolate chip bars blend warm spices with rich chocolate in a comforting autumn dessert. Creamy pumpkin and melted chocolate create an irresistible treat you’ll want to savor with friends and family.
Ingredients
Scale
1½ cups chocolate chips
1 cup unsalted butter, softened (226 g/8 oz)
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 large egg
2 cups all-purpose flour (240 g/8.5 oz)
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
Instructions
Oven Preparation: Calibrate oven to 325°F and thoroughly grease a 9×13-inch pan to guarantee effortless release.
Dry Ingredient Fusion: Sift flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, and salt together, creating a uniform dry mixture that ensures consistent flavor distribution.
Butter Transformation: Cream butter and sugar until the mixture becomes light, fluffy, and dramatically increased in volume, signaling perfect aeration.
Wet Ingredient Integration: Incorporate egg and vanilla extract into the butter mixture, then seamlessly blend pumpkin puree until achieving a silky, homogeneous consistency.
Batter Formation: Gently fold dry ingredients into wet components, stirring minimally to prevent gluten development and maintain a tender texture.
Chocolate Chip Dispersion: Delicately fold chocolate chips throughout the batter, ensuring an even, generous distribution of sweet morsels.
Pan Filling: Smoothly transfer batter into prepared pan, using a spatula to create an impeccably level surface that reaches every corner.
Baking Process: Bake for 30 minutes, watching for golden-brown edges and confirming doneness with a clean toothpick inserted into the center.
Cooling and Serving: Allow bars to cool completely within the pan, which stabilizes the texture and facilitates clean, precise cutting into delectable squares.
Notes
Prevent Overmixing: Stir dry and wet ingredients gently to maintain a tender, soft texture without developing tough gluten strands.
Temperature Precision: Ensure butter and eggs are at room temperature for smoother blending and more consistent baking results.
Spice Balance: Adjust pumpkin pie spice to personal taste, but keep proportions consistent for optimal flavor profile.
Storage Strategy: Store bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerate for extended freshness.
Focus: Studying how food affects health, learning about balanced diets, and understanding the nutritional needs of different people.
South African Chefs Academy, Cape Town
Program: Professional Culinary Arts Diploma
Focus: Practical cooking skills, focusing on healthy meal preparation and understanding various cooking methods.
Sophie Martin is the nutrition brain and feel-good foodie at Good Tasting Meals. With a degree in Human Nutrition from Stellenbosch University and chef training from the South African Chefs Academy, Sophie brings balance to the table, literally. She loves creating meals that are easy to make, great to eat, and good for your body too.
Her recipes are made for everyday living, with a little flair and a lot of heart. Sophie’s not here to count calories, she’s here to show you how fresh, simple food can fit into your life, taste amazing, and still be nourishing.
Sophie Martin
Co-Founder & Content Creator
Expertise
Education
Stellenbosch University, South Africa
South African Chefs Academy, Cape Town
Sophie Martin is the nutrition brain and feel-good foodie at Good Tasting Meals. With a degree in Human Nutrition from Stellenbosch University and chef training from the South African Chefs Academy, Sophie brings balance to the table, literally. She loves creating meals that are easy to make, great to eat, and good for your body too.
Her recipes are made for everyday living, with a little flair and a lot of heart. Sophie’s not here to count calories, she’s here to show you how fresh, simple food can fit into your life, taste amazing, and still be nourishing.