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Best Kid-Approved Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars with Cream Cheese Swirl

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These pumpkin chocolate chip bars feature a gorgeous cream cheese swirl that’s easier than traditional methods. Made with simple ingredients in one bowl, they’re moist, perfectly spiced, and packed with chocolate chips — a foolproof fall dessert that kids and adults alike devour.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (or 1 tsp cinnamon, ½ tsp ginger, ½ tsp nutmeg, ¼ tsp cloves)
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup packed brown sugar (light or dark)
  • ½ cup vegetable oil (canola or melted coconut oil)
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 cup canned pumpkin purée (100% pumpkin, not pie filling)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 8 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar (for cream cheese swirl)
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract (for cream cheese swirl)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving about 2 inches of overhang on the long sides.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vegetable oil until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, whisking well after each. Stir in pumpkin purée and vanilla extract until fully combined.
  4. Pour dry ingredients into wet ingredients and fold gently with a rubber spatula until just combined. Do not overmix. Fold in chocolate chips, reserving about ¼ cup for topping.
  5. In a separate small bowl, beat softened cream cheese with an electric mixer until smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add ¼ cup sugar, egg yolk, and ½ teaspoon vanilla; beat for another minute until silky.
  6. Pour pumpkin batter into prepared pan and spread evenly. Drop spoonfuls of cream cheese mixture randomly across the surface (8-10 dollops). Use a butter knife or skewer to drag through batter in a figure-eight pattern, 3-4 passes only.
  7. Sprinkle reserved chocolate chips over the top. Bake for 28-32 minutes, until edges are set and a toothpick inserted in center comes out with moist crumbs (not wet batter).
  8. Cool in pan on a wire rack for at least 1 hour. Lift out using parchment overhang and transfer to a cutting board. Cool completely before cutting (about another 30 minutes). Cut into 24 squares or 12 rectangles.

Notes

Don’t over-swirl the cream cheese — 3-4 passes is plenty. Room temperature ingredients are crucial for proper emulsification. Start checking for doneness at 28 minutes. Let bars cool completely before cutting to avoid crumbling. Bars taste even better the next day as flavors meld.

Nutrition

Keywords: pumpkin bars, chocolate chip bars, cream cheese swirl, fall dessert, kid-friendly, pumpkin dessert, easy baking, one-bowl recipe

Find it online: https://siennaspoon.com/best-kid-approved-pumpkin-chocolate-chip-bars-with-cream-cheese-swirl/