pumpkin chocolate chip bars with cream cheese glaze

Unless you've been living under a rock for the past few weeks, you're aware that pumpkin is all the rage right now.  Especially here at greens & chocolate.  So much so that Marc told me I should rename this blog to be greens & pumpkin.  He's probably right considering I have recipes for pumpkin cookies, pumpkin bars, pumpkin bread pudding, pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin french toast, pumpkin bread, pumpkin cheesecake, pumpkin granola, pumpkin snickerdoodles, pumpkin mac 'n cheese, and I may or may not have a pumpkin chili recipe coming.  It's likely.  


I'm continuing my love affair with pumpkin with these chocolate chip pumpkin bars drizzled with (what else?) cream cheese glaze.  Oh yes I did.  This pumpkin dessert is by far my favorite creation yet this fall.  The bars are more dense than my previous pumpkin bar recipe, and studded with chocolate chips.  Of course, the cream cheese glaze just puts them over the top.  I mean, can you really ever go wrong with a cream cheese glaze?  I think not.   

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars with Cream Cheese Glaze
adapted from Bake at 350


for the bars:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp allspice
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup pumpkin puree
12 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips


for the frosting:
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
4 ounces unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
3-4 tbsp milk


Directions:


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line 9x13" baking dish with foil and spray with cooking spray.  Set aside.


In medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, and spices and whisk well to combine.


In a separate large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth, about 2 minutes.  Add egg and vanilla and beat to combine.  Then add pumpkin puree.  It might look curdled at this point but don't worry - it's normal!


Slowly add in dry ingredients with mixer on low.  Finally, stir in chocolate chips.  


Pour into prepared baking dish and smooth out evenly.  Bake in preheated oven 35-40 minutes, until a toothpick comes out with just crumbs, not batter.  Cool completely in pan.


To make cream cheese frosting:  beat cream cheese and butter until smooth.  Add powdered sugar and vanilla and beat well to combine.  Add milk until frosting reaches your desired consistency.  Spoon frosting into ziploc bag or piping bag.  If using a ziploc baggie, cut one of the corners off the bag and drizzle over cooled bars.  Cut and enjoy!