Gingerbread Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars (Printable Version)

Spiced bars combine pumpkin, gingerbread, and chocolate chips for a cozy, easy-to-make autumn treat.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
03 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
05 - 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
06 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
07 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
08 - 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

→ Wet Ingredients

09 - 1 cup pumpkin puree
10 - 2/3 cup brown sugar, packed
11 - 1/3 cup vegetable oil
12 - 1/4 cup molasses
13 - 2 large eggs
14 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Add-ins

15 - 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x9-inch baking pan with parchment paper or lightly grease.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves until evenly mixed.
03 - In a large bowl, whisk pumpkin puree, brown sugar, vegetable oil, molasses, eggs, and vanilla until the mixture is smooth and cohesive.
04 - Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, mixing only until just combined to avoid overmixing.
05 - Gently fold in chocolate chips, reserving a handful to sprinkle over the surface, if desired.
06 - Transfer the batter to prepared pan, spreading evenly. Sprinkle reserved chocolate chips over the top.
07 - Bake for 23 to 27 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center emerges clean or with a few moist crumbs.
08 - Cool completely in the pan. Once cooled, cut into 16 bars for serving.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • Uses just one bowl for wet ingredients and one for dry
  • Busy weeknight friendly and comes together fast
  • Perfect for lunches, gifting, or potlucks
  • Great use for canned or homemade pumpkin puree
02 -
  • Rich in fall spices and naturally moist with pumpkin
  • Great for make-ahead holiday baking
  • Kid friendly and easy to pack for snacks or dessert
03 -
  • Measure your flour with the spoon and level method to avoid dense bars
  • Do not overmix once you combine wet and dry as this keeps the crumb soft
  • For extra sparkle, press a few extra chocolate chips into the top right before baking
  • If using homemade pumpkin puree drain off excess moisture for best results
  • Letting the bars cool completely before slicing helps them cut clean and hold together

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