Chocolate Swirled Pumpkin Bars

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Servings 18 bars

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups of sugar
2 teaspoons of baking powder
1 teaspoon of baking soda
2 1/2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon of kosher salt
4 eggs lightly beaten
1 15 oz can of 100% pure pumpkin
1 cup of vegetable oil
For the filling:
1 cup of mini chocolate chips divided
1 8 oz package of cream cheese softened
1/3 cup of sugar
1 egg
1 tablespoon of milk

Instructions

Line a 10x15 baking pan with foil.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice and kosher salt.
Stir in eggs, pumpkin and vegetable oil.
Pour batter into foil lined baking pan.
Melt 1/2 cup of the mini chocolate chips.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together softened cream cheese, sugar, egg, milk and melted chocolate.
Dot pumpkin batter with chocolate cream cheese mixture and use a butter knife to swirl.
Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup of mini chocolate chips over batter.
Bake for about 25 minutes until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Let cool, remove using foil lining and cut into bars.

Recipe Notes

These bars are soft, like pumpkin bread. To cut them, I found it easier to cut straight down with a long knife and not slice and pull through the bars. Wipe the knife clean before the next cut.

If using table salt instead of kosher salt, reduce measurement to 1/2 teaspoon.