Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
Soft, chewy, and spiced just right, these one-bowl chocolate chip cookie bars are the perfect blend of pumpkin and chocolate for effortless fall baking.
Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- Spatula
- - 9x13-inch baking pan
- Parchment paper
- Saucepan
- Whisk
Ingredients
- **For the Dough:**
- - ¾ cup unsalted butter 1 ½ sticks
- - 1 ¾ cups packed light brown sugar
- - ¾ cup pumpkin purée not pumpkin pie filling
- - 2 tsp vanilla extract
- - 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- - 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- - 1 tsp baking powder
- - 1 tsp baking soda
- - 1 tsp kosher salt
- - 1 tsp ground ginger
- - ¼ tsp ground cloves
- - ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- - 1 ½ cups semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
- **For the Pan:**
- - Cooking spray or neutral-flavor oil
- - Parchment paper
Instructions
- **Brown the Butter**
- In a saucepan, melt and brown butter over medium heat until amber and nutty. Cool for 15–20 minutes.
- **Preheat & Prep**
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease and line a 9x13-inch pan with parchment.
- **Mix Wet Ingredients**
- In the cooled butter, whisk in brown sugar, pumpkin purée, and vanilla until smooth.
- **Add Dry Ingredients**
- Stir in flour, spices, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix just until combined.
- **Add Chocolate Chips**
- Fold in most of the chips, reserving a handful for topping.
- **Assemble & Bake**
- Press dough into the pan, sprinkle remaining chips. Bake for 30–45 minutes, until a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs.
- **Cool & Serve**
- Cool in the pan for 1 hour. Lift with parchment, slice, and serve.
Notes
- Store bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- Freeze individually wrapped bars for up to 3 months.
- Freeze individually wrapped bars for up to 3 months.