Recipe: Martha Stewart Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars

My daughter designated me to make Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars for a bake sale next weekend. I've made Pumpkin Muffins, and Pumpkin Bread, but never Pumpkin Bars. 


I figured it might be a good idea to practice with a recipe before the weekend came and I just happened to have some leftover pumpkin in the refrigerator. After looking around the internet I found this recipe by Martha Stewart. They were a big hit and will be what I make next weekend. Quick, easy and really, really good. I made a few changes which I'll put in parentheses.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars  (Printable Recipe)
Adapted from Martha Stewart


Ingredients:


2 c. all purpose flour (I used 1 c. all purpose and 1 c. white whole wheat flour)
1 Tbs. pumpkin pie spice (I made my own using 1 tsp. cinnamon, 1/4 tsp. allspice, 1/2 tsp. ginger and 1/4 tsp. nutmeg)
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
1 c. butter softened
1 1/4 c. sugar
1 lg. egg
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. canned pumpkin
1 pkg. chocolate chips


1.  Preheat oven to 350. Line bottom and sides of a 9 x 13 pan with foil, leaving an overhang on all sides. Spray with cooking spray. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice and salt. Set aside.


2.  In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar till smooth. Add egg and vanilla and beat till combined. Add pumpkin puree. Mixture will appear curdled. Reduce speed to low and add in dry ingredients. Stir in chocolate chips.


3.  Spread batter evenly in pan. Bake until edges pull away from the sides of pan and toothpick inserted comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached, 35-40 minutes. Cool completely in pan.


4.  When cool, lift bars out with foil. Fold foil down and use a serrated knife to cut into 24 bars.


With Joy UNquenchable,