Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars

How is Thanksgiving this week?? And why was there snow on my car this morning? Fall is going by way too fast.

If you’re like me and have absolutely nothing prepared for Thanksgiving, fear not: here’s at least a dessert recipe you can easily whip up for the big day. Who needs dinner when you have a full dessert table anyway?

I have been making these pumpkin bars for…years. They’re oh-so moist and full of flavor thanks to the addition of some fall-friendly spices…and a touch of garam masala, which gives these bars that wow factor. (You can forego the garam masala if you don’t have any on-hand, but it does give these bars a little something-something, if you’re down to buy (or make) some!).

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars
Yields: 24 bars
-2 cups all-purpose flour
-1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
-3/4 tsp. ginger
-1/2 tsp. nutmeg
-1 tsp. garam masala (optional)
-1 tsp. baking soda
-3/4 tsp. salt
-1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
-1 1/4 cups sugar
-1 large egg
-2 tsp. vanilla extract
-1 cup canned pumpkin puree
-1 package (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:
1.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 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, spices, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
2.) With an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar on medium-high speed until smooth; beat in egg and vanilla until combined. Beat in pumpkin puree (mixture may appear curdled). Reduce speed to low, and mix in dry ingredients until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips.
3.) 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.
4.) Lift cake from pan (using foil as an aid). Peel off foil, and use a serrated knife to cut into 24 squares.

These pumpkin bars are basically fall baked into a cake-like form…with chocolate chips. Your Thanksgiving dessert table needs these.

Are you ready for Thanksgiving? Or are you totally unprepared like I am? (This happened to me last year, too, by the way…).