Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars

As you can see, this little blog of ours is doing its fair share of helping out with the pumpkin shortage.  I found this recipe and just couldn't resist making it, the perfect way to celebrate the end of the first round of midterms for the semester!

I was expecting these bars to be more cookie like, fitting more appropriately in the dessert category.  After consulting with my taste testers though, we've decided that they are more cakey and would probably fit better as a coffee cake.  They remind me of a cinnamon chip coffee cake that my mom makes.  Essentially, I'd consider these bars "all purpose" as they can appropriately be eaten at any time of day (not to say that I've never eaten a cookie for breakfast before).

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 package (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 9x13 pan.
2. Add butter and sugar to a mixing bowl and cream together.
3. Beat in vanilla and egg.
4. Add pumpkin puree and mix.
5. Mix in dry ingredients (flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, and salt).
6. Add chocolate chips.
7. Spread batter evenly into 9x13 pan and bake for approximately 35 minutes.

Recipe courtesy of Martha Stewart.