Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars

We are off to dive again in just a couple of days, and we like to bring goodies with us, either as dive snacks during our rest intervals or as dessert snacks or even for breakfast. I made some pumpkin chocolate chip bars to take along with us. I will just pack these up in airtight container and off they go, and off we’ll go. Belize, here we come! 🙂

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars

2 cups flour

3 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1 tsp baking soda

3/4 tsp salt

1 cup or 2 sticks softened butter

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed

1 egg

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

1 cup canned pumpkin

1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

powdered sugar for dusting, optional

Preheat the oven to 350* F or 180* C.

Spray a 9×13 baking pan with cooking spray.

Combine all the dry ingredients and set aside.

Mix the butter and sugars together until creamy, then add the egg and the vanilla and mix again. Add the pumpkin and 1/2 the flour mixture and mix. Add the rest of the flour mixture and mix just until everything is combined. Fold in 1 cup of the chocolate chips. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared baking dish.

The recipe called for adding parchment paper to the dish, but I find that more troublesome than it is worth, so I removed it before adding the batter.

Bake for about 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the middle.

Let cool before slicing, and let it cool again completely before dusting with powdered sugar, if using. Then it is time to eat them up, yum!

These are a fun treat anytime, anywhere. Enjoy.

Stay warm, stay safe and stay well. ‘Til next time.