Sometimes, a mishap can lead to a delicious result. When I started creating this treat, I was definitely craving pumpkin but I had also planned on mixing in peanut butter. The only problem: I could not — with all of my might — open the darn jar! Seriously, could not open it. Ugh. Luckily, I had a jar of pumpkin butter (that I could actually open) in the pantry that would have to do as a substitute.
With a late summer in SF, I’m beyond ready for fall, and this recipe is the perfect item to bring to kick off the season.
Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bars
Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bars – Recipe
Ingredients
1/2 cup of pumpkin butter – I used Trader Joe’s
{ you could do, 1/4 c. of each peanut butter and pumpkin butter as an alternative }
1 c of pumpkin puree { pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling }
2 c. of rolled oats {not quick cooking oats}
1/2 c. of granulated sugar
1 c. light brown sugar (packed)
1 tbsp. of pumpkin pie spice
1 ts.p of cinnamon
1 tsp. of nutmeg
1 tbsp. of vanilla extract
1/2 c. of Ghirardelli chocolate chips
Optional: add nuts, peanut butter chips, white chips or even dried cranberries. Add slowly till you have just the right amount, start with 1/3 c.
Directions
Preheat oven to 350F. Prepare a foil lined, and sprayed, 9 x 9 pan. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients (yep, all of them) and mix by hand. Bake at 350F for 20-25 minutes or until it passes the toothpick trick – insert pick; when it comes out clean, they are done. Mine looked slightly undone but continued to cook as they cooled, after I had removed them from the oven. For clean cut bars, be sure to let them cool completely. Even when cooled, I covered them and popped them into the fridge for a few hours.
I love the idea of wrapping the bars up for guests to take home after a dinner party. I used wax paper (shiny side inwards) and secured it washi tape on the back and a simple twine bow completed the look. Simply have some ready for guests to grab on their way out the door.
I hope you enjoyed this manicured, fall-ready recipe!
