pumpkin butter chocolate chip cookie bars

Putting those four jars of pumpkin butter in my pantry to swell use as we approach Thanksgiving.

I don’t hate pumpkin pie by any means (matter of fact, I have a mean Chai Bourbon Pumpkin Pie recipe from a longass time ago) but I am generally more on board with alternative desserts on Thanksgiving. My mom sometimes does pumpkin or pecan pie, but I think last year she made mini cheesecakes, and a year or two prior I made a pumpkin cake not dissimilar to my Pumpkin Patch Layer Cake.

Which is also on my 2024 Thanksgiving Menu. Just eff why eye.

If you also like to think outside the pie pan, and especially if you’ve got a larger party to serve, why not some Pumpkin Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars? Adequate in number for many and tasty for all. Sweet and spiced pumpkin butter and a little extra spice flavors these gooey, chocolatey bars, and they’re totally simple to make too.

And hey, no need to wait until Thanksgiving. Just make a batch now as a recipe test. Hehe.

Buttah

As I’ve perhaps mentioned before, pumpkin butter is more like a preserve than it is a butter – a nice spread with which to bake or enjoy on toast. Trader Joes makes my favorite variety, but elsewhere I’ve seen it at Whole Foods or even Walmart I believe makes a jar. You can also make it at home. Pinterest has some swell recipes.

Aside from the pumpkin butter, there’s nothing exotic in these bars. Cream some butter and brown sugar with the pumpkin butter, then whip in an egg and some vanilla.

Next, mix in your flour, baking soda, pumpkin spices (cinnamon, ginger, and clove over here), and a touch of salt. Churn until just combined, then fold in lots of chocolate chips or chunks with a spatula. I like dark chocolate, but semi sweet or even milk are fine. Fuck, just use white if you prefer. Go crazy.

Bar Fight

Honestly, you might have one of those on your hands if two people are vying for the last bar. Best keep a second batch on hand just in case. Aaaand maybe don’t tell them right away that more await so you can witness an epic and petulant throw of hands.

Ahem. Anyway.

Spread the bars in a 9 x 13 inch cake pan lined with parchment. My best practice for this, since the dough will want to stick to the spatula, is to clamp down the parchment with binder clips, lightly grease said spatula with oil or butter, and pat the dough to shape. Sometimes I also use my clean hands with a touch of oil.

Bake the sheet o cookies at 350 for 25-30 minutes. I measure doneness by the golden hue of the edges and the lack of shine in the middle. You can try the toothpick test, but I don’t find that quite as useful here.

Remove the pan, set it on a wire rack, and cool the bars at least 25 minutes before attempting to slice. If storing for later, cool a couple hours before slicing, wrapping, and storing. Fridge for 7 days, freezer for infinity/3 months. Definitely something you can prep before actual Thanksgiving. They’ll be no worse for wear, just in danger of premature consumption.

Hope you’re enjoying my massive pre-Thanksgiving recipe posting scramble. More to come before the end of the week! COWABUNGA.

Tried this recipe out? Leave a rating and comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!

Use up that pumpkin butter!

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pumpkin butter chocolate chip cookie bars

Gooey and perfectly spiced, these chocolatey delights will please you through all the cozy season.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course Dessert
Servings 24 bars

Ingredients
  

  • 2 sticks butter, softened
  • 1 cup dark brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup pumpkin butter
  • 1 large egg, at room temperature
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract
  • 2 1/3 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ginger
  • 1/4 tso ground cloves
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 2 cups dark chocolate chips and/or chunks

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9 x 13 inch cake pan with parchment.
  • In a bowl, cream the butter, brown sugar, and pumpkin butter until smooth and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Whip in the egg, then the vanilla. Add the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt. Fold in the chocolate chips with a spatula.
  • Dump the dough into the prepared cake pan and spread/pat in an even layer. Bake 25-30 minutes until the edges are golden and the center is no longer shiny. Cool at least 25 minutes before slicing and serving.
Keyword chocolate, chocolate chip cookies, cookie bars, cookies, dessert, fall, pumpkin, pumpkin butter, thanksgiving

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