Pumpkin Cookie Bars with Chocolate Chips

Ingredients

• Graham Cracker Crumbs: This creates the base of the cookies. I used Honey Maid Graham Wafer Crumbs, but you can use any brand of graham crumbs or create your own (see tip below).
• Pumpkin Spice: Use store-bought or make your own spice blend.
• Unsalted Butter: Used to create the crust. I have not tested this recipe with salted butter.
• Sweetened Condensed Milk: I used the Eagle brand, but any condensed milk will work. This recipe has a lot of condensed milk, so it cannot be omitted entirely. Substitute with condensed coconut milk.
• Pumpkin Pie Filling: You should be able to find canned pumpkin pie filling in the baking aisle of your grocery. If not, substitute with plain canned pumpkin and add more pumpkin spice (to taste).
• Pecans: While these add a nice crunch to the cookies, you can substitute them with puffed rice cereal (i.e. Rice Krispies) instead.
• Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips: This recipe has a lot of sweet ingredients, so I prefer to use semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips. Substitute with butterscotch, caramel or toffee baking chips.
• Flaked Sweetened Coconut: The coconut adds texture to the cookie bars. If you can't find flaked sweetened coconut, try shredded sweetened instead.

(If you like the idea of pumpkin and pecans together, try my pumpkin waffles with pecan syrup!)

Chocolate and Pumpkin?

It might sound weird if you haven't had this flavour combination before. I promise you, though - it's delicious!

I pour chocolate syrup over my pumpkin pie crepes, and it just takes them to the next level, so I knew that flavour combination would also work well here.

What Size Baking Pan Should You Use?

I used a 9" x 13" baking pan for this recipe.

If you don't have one, you could use a different size. Just keep in mind that the size of the pan may affect the thickness of the bars, as well as the cooking time.

To find a suitable alternative to the 9" x 13" pan, check out this guide to alternative baking pan sizes by the King Arthur baking company.

Tips for Success

• Lining the Pan: To make it easier to remove the bars, line your baking pan with parchment paper or foil, allowing extra to hang over the sides. This creates handles you can use to lift the bars out cleanly after baking, making slicing much easier.
• Chilling for Clean Slices: If the bars are too soft to cut right out of the oven, let them cool completely at room temperature or refrigerate them for about an hour. This will firm them up, making it easier to get clean slices without the cookie sticking to your knife.
• Chilling for Texture: Some people prefer to eat these cold (straight out of the fridge), as they have a firmer texture than they do at room temperature.
• Customize Your Layers: While this recipe uses pecans and semi-sweet chocolate, feel free to switch things up! Try almonds or hazelnuts for crunch, or substitute mini marshmallows for a sweet variation.
• Storage: These bars keep well at room temperature for up to 5 days or can be refrigerated for up to a week. If you're planning to make them ahead, they also freeze beautifully for up to a month. Thaw them at room temperature before serving.