Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars

I've talked about how much I love fall before, but I just don't want it to ever end. We can skip winter and head straight into spring for all I care. Even though it feels like we've gone back to summer with 80 degree temperatures the past few days, which I'm not complaining about one bit.

I went home Saturday and wanted to bake some Organically Hip cookies to bring home to my parents to try so I whipped up the Dark Chocolate Chip and Cowgirl Cookie mixes. But, I didn't stop there. I had a few hours to kill before meeting the boys for dinner so I decided to whip up some treats to bring to their house, as promised. I'm not sure if we've showed up at their house sans treats this year. Spoiled, spoiled boys let me tell you! I guess that makes up for us showing up at their door with our duffel bags packed full of multiple outfit choices, hair straighteners and make up to get ready at their house on Thursday before going out.

Pumpkin is just so good. And chocolate? I could eat the whole thing of whatever it is. I had made these Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars two weeks ago and they were a hit so when I saw them with pumpkin added I knew I had to try them, and who better to be the taste tester than our trusty boys?

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars
source: Two Peas and Their Pod


Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon pumpkin-pie spice
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
1 bag (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking pan and set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
2. Cream butter and sugar on medium-high speed until smooth; beat in egg and vanilla until combined. Add pumpkin puree and mix well. The mixture will look somewhat curdled. Reduce speed to low, and mix in dry ingredients until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips.
3. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake bars for 25-30 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 attached.
4. Make sure you cool bars completely in pan before cutting. It's to tempting to just dig in but it's crucial you wait!