Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars

Happy new week and thanks for stopping by my blog! I am excited to share a baking post today. I have been so busy that I have neglected one of my favorite hobbies, trying new recipes!! I finally got around baking new treats this weekend. I decided to share this recipe because it’s the season for pumpkins. It’s fall after all and nothing is a bigger poster child for fall than pumpkins! I have never tried baking with pumpkins so I was extra excited about baking these treats. Its fairly easy to make and not time consuming. I especially loved the smell of the finished goodies aside from its taste. It is not too sweet and more on the moist side which I love. It tastes even better by the next day and its perfect with a cup of tea or coffee.

Ingredients:
1 cup all purpose flour
2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
2/3 cups brown sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup oil (I used olive oil)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Topping: (optional)
4 oz cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 cup confectioners sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

*Calories in one bar when I cut it into 20 equal pieces, is 97 calories, 39 calories from fat. It is high in Vitamin A. 77 calories par bar without the chocolate chip.

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, mix all your dry ingredients (flour, cinnamon, pumpkin spice, baking powder, baking soda & salt) together and set aside. In another bowl, using a hand mixer or spatula, mix your brown sugar and oil together. Add each egg to the mix, pumpkin, vanilla extract and milk. When well mixed, add the dry ingredients and mix together. Fold in the chocolate chips. Line a 9 by 13 baking sheet with parchment paper and pour in your mix. Bake for 15 minutes.
Put on a wire rack to cool.

Topping
Using a hand mixer, mix the butter and cream cheese together in a bowl. Add the confectioners sugar and vanilla extract.

Once your bars have cooled down, cut into squares and add the topping. I enjoyed it with and without the topping.