Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Squares
Pumpkin chocolate chip squares are a classic recipe with just the right amount of spice and chocolate. They have a moist cake-like texture and MUST be eaten with a glass of cold milk.
PUMPKIN CHOCOLATE CHIP SQUARES
When did TV become the devil?
Growing up I always had the perception that it was. My mom had a lock and key on ours and the only time we could watch it was when she let us. I think she had this hidden goal to never turn it on. I think to her, turning it on was an admission that she had given up and needed a break from her ten kids. Yes, TEN kids. I mean how easy would it be to park a couple of the kids in front of the TV and take a break when you’re the mother of ten kids?
Subsequently, TV became this thing for me. As a grown adult, I always had to have it on even if it was just white noise in the background. I think subconsciously I was making up for years and years of not watching it as a child.
Then I had kids and realized this kid thing is a whole lot harder than my mom ever let on. To be “on” 24 hours a day was exhausting. Nevertheless, somewhere along the way I adopted the same philosophy that my mother had when it came to kids and TV. The roar of a children’s television show is like nails on a chalkboard to me. If I let them watch it, I feel like I’m admitting that I can’t fill every second they have with crafts and awe inspiring creative outlets.
Does turning on the TV make you a bad mother? Is a half hour of television going to turn their brains to mush? Probably not.
Guess what? I’m not supermom.
My boys are busy all day with sports, Legos, and riding bikes. The reality is that even if I wanted them to watch TV all day, they wouldn’t. And I don’t think it’s that awful to stick a show on so that when I come out of the shower there isn’t peanut butter on the windows.
Baking is an activity that both the kids and I love and it falls into the creative/productive category. I have an unwritten rule that I don’t bake pumpkin goodies until October 1st so that I don’t burn myself out on pumpkin treats by the time fall season is over. But rules,…they were meant to be broken.
OTHER PUMPKIN RECIPES:
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Squares
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin-pie spice
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
- 1 package, 12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line the bottom and sides of a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with foil, leaving an overhang on all sides. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, pie spice, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
- In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until smooth with a mixer; beat in egg and vanilla until combined. Beat in pumpkin puree. Reduce speed to low, and mix in dry ingredients until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips.
- Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake until edges begin to pull away from sides of pan and a toothpick inserted in center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool completely in pan.
- Lift cake from pan, peel off foil, and use a serrated knife to cut into 24 squares.
Christy, these are amazing! Thank you for sharing the recipe.
Thank you!
Thank you Christy for another great easy recipe.
I made these last weekend. Easy to make and the kids loved them.. Def going to make them again.
I made these into muffins & made them less “desserty” by using 1 1/2 cups white flour, and 1/2 cup oat flour, 1 stick of butter and 1/2 cup applesauce in place of other stick of butter. I used 1/2 cup white sugar, and 1/2 cup brown sugar, and 1 cups chocolate chips. I bake them at 425 for 14 minutes–don’t over cook! Kids ate them up and they were delicious.
I made these yesterday and oh my gosh! They are AWESOME! They’re so flaky and delicious. Most certainly the best pumpkin bar recipe I’ve made so far. Thanks!
I just took these out of the oven, I cooked them for the minimum time and they were definitely ready. Look and smell AMAZING! Hope they are the perfect thanksgiving treat!!
Can this be made with fresh pumpkin and if so, how much?
I think you could use the same amount of fresh pumpkin as canned.
I made these last night and this recipe is a keeper for sure! I love things that turn out the first time you make them!! So GOOD!
I just tried this Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Squares and it is AMAZING!! A great taste of Fall 🙂 Thanks for sharing this recipes – it will definetly be one of my classic from now on!
I made these today and they turned out perfectly!! Thank you so much for the recipe!!!! 🙂
@Meg,
I haven’t tried it but I think they would work as muffins.
Could you make these as muffins?
LOL that totally reminds me of my mom. Your pumpkin bars look DELISH!
@Anonymous,
I’m switching over to WordPress so we’re cleaning up before the move. What site were you looking for on my blogroll?
What happened to your blogroll?? 🙁
LOVE this recipe!! Will be making for my Bible Study group 🙂
I think it depends the time they spend in front on TV.
Your cake seems very good.
Yum yum! I love pumpkin everything, so this is right up my alley!
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Christina
Yeah when I grew up (my family has 11 kids, but they’re somewhat spread out- we didn’t have 11 at home for long) we didn’t even have a TV. We read books. But then again, my mom didn’t really have to watch us. We all watched each other, and if we did anything bad, she would know about it. 😀
These look so yummy! A perfect Halloween treat with the colors. (CL
Oh that sounds absolutely delish! I should tell my MIL about this site so she can make it for us. 😉
I think pumpkin and chocolate is a very underused combination. I will have to try these out!
This is like the world’s most awesome combination!?!?!?! Can’t wait to try them!!
Cheers
~ Jillian
http://www.hersplitends.com
Any chance whether some of that butter can be substituted with something else?
What a wonderful recipe! Nothing like pumpkin and chocolate! Yummy!!
I wish I had one of those right now to go with my coffee! Yum! Pinning!
I really need to crank out some more pumpkin recipes. This looks delish!
These sound lovely!
This looks like a wonderful recipe. It’s dessert tomorrow.
Ah, the TV thing. We had 6 small children (I home schooled them for 2 years) yes it was crazy but necessary. After 2 years my son could read. Now he speaks 3 languages fluently. He is a Federal Agent working with drug control. He is the guy you want with you–always!
TV was used seldom an occasional video. The younger kids grew up with Saved by the Bell etc. my standards had relaxed as had my energy.
Now I have a beautiful TV–upstairs no less. And Grandkids are free to watch cartoons in their jammies all day. Sadly they all live far away so I can have this rule!
TV is to be used–however YOU as the parent deems necessary (unless at nana’s).
my mom and i make martha’s pumpkin chocolate chip bars every year in November. 🙂 I looooove pumpkin & chocolate together. Yours look perfect. And yes, I need a glass of milk with these!
This is so funny, I made your pumpkin waffles yesterday morning and had leftover pumpkin I was looking to use. I found this martha stewart recipe online and made these last night. They are so good!