Pumpkin White Chocolate Chip Bars

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Pumpkin White Chocolate Chip Bars

For my second day of a Week of Pumpkin, I bring you a classic flavor combo. These pumpkin bars originally come from a Martha Stewart recipe that uses semi-sweet chocolate chips. As I mentioned when I made the Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake Brownies, I definitely think of cream cheese or white chocolate as a better companion to the pumpkin flavor than chocolate (although dark chocolate is also great).

I took these bars to ReRack last week and they were a big hit. They disappeared really quickly. I’m glad I had the chance to taste one before we got there otherwise I might have missed my chance (I have to be honest, I ate two while I was cutting these bars. They’re that good).

Pumpkin White Chocolate Chip Bars

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon pumpkin-pie spice - I didn't have any, so I used this recipe to make a substitute
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) white chocolate chips

Directions:

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, pie spice, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

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.

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, 30 to 40 minutes. Cool completely in pan.

Lift cake from pan (using foil as an aid). Peel off foil, and use a serrated knife to cut into squares.

Recipe from Loves To Eat

And don’t forget about my Power of Pink Challenge going on all month.