Pumpkin Spice Bars

Here is another great pumpkin recipe I meant to share this last week, but life got busy and I didn't have a chance until now. I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. We have so much to be thankful for in our home, and I am truly overwhelmed by God's goodness when I stop to take account for all we have been given. We had a wonderful day with my family, full of good food and conversation, and of course, lots of action from the little ones.

Pumpkin Chocolate Spice Bars
recipe from Blissfully Content

Ingredients:
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 large egg (or 1 Tbsp ground flax seed mixed with 3 Tbsp water)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips or chunks

Directions:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9 x 13 pan with foil. You want it to overlap on the sides.
With an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until sweet and smooth. Add egg (or flax seed mixture) and vanilla until combined.Add the pumpkin puree.
It might look a little funny, that's okay.
Once the pumpkin puree is mixed well, add the dry ingredients.
This is what it should look like.
Now this step is really optional, but it will make your pumpkin bars much yummier if you add chocolate. We used chocolate chunks, but you could use chocolate chips too.
Add the chocolate chunks/chips to the mixture, about 1 1/2 cups.
Spread the mixture into your lined pan and use an offset spatula to smooth out the top.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 35 to 40 minutes. Let it cool COMPLETELY in pan. Do not try to cut or remove until these are cooled.
Once completely cooled, gently lift the foil out of the pan and place on a cutting board. Cut into 24 bars.
This is one of my favorite fall platters. It is vintage inspired tin platter.
Place your bars carefully on your serving platter and enjoy!
These bars are really yummy with the ooey gooey chocolate throughout. Pumpkin and chocolate are a great combination.

If you don't have pumpkin pie spice, you can make your own. Mix together:
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

Enjoy!