Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bars
Creamy dreamy Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bars with graham cracker crust!
Halloween is just around the corner. That means decorations are going up!
We always wait until the morning of October 31st to put up the outside decorations. That way, they will be a surprise for the neighbors. But the inside of my house is getting a spookier and spookier by the day.
Our Halloween menu is still in the works. It’s always a balancing act to come up with a glorious array of sweet and savory items, some heavily decorated and some that just taste great.
I go a little crazy this time of year with pumpkin treats. There’s such a small window of opportunity to go overboard on pumpkin without getting a cock-eyed look.
You know what I mean… Try pulling out a pumpkin pie July 4th and see what happens!
Clearly, I feel a certain urgency to serve pumpkin as often as possible.
These Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bars are the perfect blend of comfort and sophistication.
They combine the soothing effects of cream cheese, graham crackers, and chocolate with Bourbon, Chinese Five Spice, ultra creamy Creme Fraiche, and of course pumpkin.
The result is a decedent treat to satisfy the young and old. The bourbon and five spice in the Chocolate
Chip Pumpkin Bars deliver depth a distinguished palette can appreciate. Yet that won’t stop the ankle-biters from gobbling them down, so set some aside.
Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bars is a very easy recipe to pull together. Just allow plenty of time for cooling before you try to cut the bars.
Only the knife knows what goes on in the heart of a pumpkin.
~Simone Schwarz-Bart
Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bars
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 1 cup granulated sugar, divided
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted (1 stick)
- 16 ounces cream cheese
- 7 ounces Crème Fraiche
- 15 ounces pumpkin puree (1 can)
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon Chinese five spice powder or pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons bourbon
- 2 large eggs
- 12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips (1 package)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line a large 10x15 inch pan with foil. Crush graham crackers into crumbs in the food processor, or in a zip bag.
- Mix the graham cracker crumbs with 1/4 cup sugar, salt, and melted butter. Press the mixture into the bottom of the pan.
- Using an electric mixer beat the cream cheese, Crème Fraiche and 3/4 cup sugar together until smooth. Add the pumpkin, flour, five spice, salt, bourbon and eggs. Blend until smooth. Fold in the chocolate chips, reserving a handful for the top.
- Pour the mixture on top of the graham cracker crust. Smooth out with a spatula. Sprinkle the rest of the chocolate chips on top. Smack the pan on the counter a couple times to smooth everything out.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes, until the center is almost set, but still jiggles a little.
- Cool on a rack for one hour, then refrigerate another hour before cutting.
- To serve: pull the foil up on the sides and lift the whole pan of pumpkin bars out of the baking dish. Peel the foil off the sides carefully, then slice into desired size. Wipe the knife with a paper towel occasionally to keep the sides smooth.
these look delicious! still trying to decide on a costume, but have decided these pumpkin treats are being made this week!
So many glorious flavors going on in here! I love the five spice powder – very unique! I bet they are tasty little treats.
Great post! Looks wonderful.
These pumpkin bars look delicious! I have never done a foil lined pan, looks like it worked like a charm though, thanks for the idea!
these look fab and love the halloween decor spooky!
This is too much fun. I'll take an entire pan of those delicious bars right now. Love Halloween! Have to love a home filled with spooky ghosts.
those pumpkin bars look so very very good! What a combination of ingredients….wow….bourbon, chinese 5 spice, cream cheese…..I have to taste these!! And I love your cat decoration, I would love to just leave it by my door all year long!
These are gorgeous, Sommer! I love pumpkin treats and the sound of the spices, bourbon, and graham cracker crust are irresistable. ( : You're decorations really are spooky!! Love the hot pink boa!!!
this looks so good and the picture is stunning:) thanks for sharing.
I love those decorations! A pity Halloween is celebrated nor big here…
Gorgeous bars! Can I have one, please…
Cheers,
Rosa
Those look delicious! Great little flavorful additions to the usual bars that really make these even better.
Very interesting. These look just like my more simple pumpkin bars but I am intrigued by the different flavors thrown in there. The next time I have a hankering to make pumpkin bars, I might just need to try these!
These look super delicious and so nice!
Now I know what to use my five spice powder for :) Looks fabulous!
OMG! A bourbon, chocolate, pumpkin cheesecake….sorta! I love it! I really wish I lived in your neighbourhood :D
I loved this post! You gave me a true sense of Halloween, something I'm not usually into it! Now I just want to start decorating my home and have a bite at these wonderful bars. Btw, my fav is the scary (or scared?!) black cat!
Great recipe and delightfully spooky decorations—-:P ! loved the presetation and write up !
These look absolutely delicious!