Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars
Posted Oct 04, 2026
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These are the best pumpkin chocolate chip bars – they’re soft, moist and perfectly spiced with lots of chocolate chips in every bite. They use a whole can of pumpkin and are easy to make in 30 minutes!
These pumpkin chocolate chip bars instantly became a family favorite the first time I made them – and ever since then they’re one of my top dessert requests every fall. Even the people in my family who claim they don’t like pumpkin devour these bars.
They’re stick-to-your-fork moist, perfectly spiced, and loaded with chocolate chips in every bite. Plus, these chocolate chip pumpkin bars are easy to make with simple ingredients and uses an entire can of pumpkin – so there’s no leftover puree to worry about!
Why You’ll Love These Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars
- Quick & easy. These pumpkin chocolate chip bars are easy to make with simple ingredients and bake in about 30 minutes. You can even make the batter in one bowl!
- Incredibly moist. These aren’t dry or cakey, but they’re not pumpkin cookie bars or pumpkin blondies either. They’re incredibly soft, stick-to-your-fork moist and have the best texture.
- Full can of pumpkin. No waste!
- Chocolate. No notes, just lots of chocolate chips.
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars Ingredients & Substitutions
- Pumpkin Puree. This recipe calls for one 15-ounce can of pumpkin puree, or you can learn how to make pumpkin puree with this recipe and use 1 ½ cups. Do not use pumpkin pie filling – pumpkin puree has one ingredient – pumpkin – and does not have added sugar or spices.
- Salted Butter. Unsalted butter and coconut oil are good substitutes.
- Sour cream. I recommend full-fat sour cream for the richest taste and best texture; however, low-fat works too, or plain Greek yogurt or whole milk yogurt.
- Granulated sugar. Organic cane sugar and white sugar both work well.
- Light Brown Sugar. If you like a slightly bolder molasses taste, use dark brown sugar.
- All-purpose flour. Use a gluten-free baking flour to make this recipe gluten-free.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice. Use store-bought or make your own homemade pumpkin pie spice. I always make a big batch to use in my favorite pumpkin recipes all season long like pumpkin pie, Pumpkin baked oatmeal, pumpkin bread, etc.
- Chocolate chips. I recommend semisweet chocolate chips, but any variety works well – milk, dark, or even white chocolate chips. Or you can use cinnamon chips, chopped nuts, etc.
How to Make Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars
Let’s walk through how to make pumpkin chocolate chip bars step-by-step, and don’t forget to watch the video.
Begin by preheating your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (177 degrees Celsius) and greasing a 9×13” (23×33 cm) pan. I prefer to butter the pan for the best results, but you can use cooking spray.
Then, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, sea salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice in a medium bowl and set it aside. To make this a one-bowl recipe, you can add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients later, but I like to mix them separately to ensure they’re evenly distributed throughout the batter.
Next, whisk the pumpkin, melted butter, sour cream, whole milk, eggs, and vanilla together in a large bowl until the mixture is smooth.
Then, whisk in the granulated sugar and brown sugar into the wet ingredients until dissolved.
Add dry ingredients and whisk or stir until the mixture is smooth.
Lastly, fold in the chocolate chips until they’re evenly distributed throughout the batter.
Then, evenly spread the batter into the prepared baking dish, and if you’d like, sprinkle a few extra chocolate chips on top.
Bake the pumpkin chocolate chip bars in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes or until the top and edges are lightly browned and puffed and a toothpick comes out clean. Put the baking pan on a wire cooling rack to cool.
Let the bars cool to room temperature before cutting them into squares and serving. I honestly think these taste even better the second day, so you can bake them in advance and serve them the next day if you’d like.
Tips for the Best Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars
- Don’t overbake or they’ll be dry. Instead, bake until the top is set and lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Watch out for melted chocolate. If your toothpick looks wet, make sure it’s actually batter and not melted chocolate from one of the chocolate chips before baking the bars longer.
- Let them cool. The bars continue to set as they cool, so let them cool completely before cutting them into squares.
- Make them ahead. I actually think these pumpkin bars taste even better the next day! Bake them the day before you plan on serving them and store them in an airtight container once they’re completely cool.
- Add extra chocolate chips on top. I like to sprinkle additional chocolate chips over the batter before baking. It makes the finished bars extra chocolatey and pretty!
How to Serve Pumpkin and Chocolate Chip Bars
These pumpkin chocolate chip bars are best served at room temperature. You can also warm them slightly and serve them with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or homemade whipped cream.
They’re a great make-ahead dessert for fall parties, potlucks, Thanksgiving, or an easy after-school treat, along with some of my other pumpkin recipes!
More Delicious Pumpkin Recipes
You’ll want to make all of these.
- Pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting if you’d prefer frosting over chocolate chips.
- These pumpkin chocolate chip cookies are incredible, also try my brown butter pumpkin cookies.
- Hands down the best pumpkin cake you’ll ever make, or make pumpkin cupcakes.
- Double chocolate pumpkin bread and chocolate chip pumpkin bread are both amazing.
- You have to make these pumpkin brownies. Have to.
How to Store Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars
Store leftover chocolate chip pumpkin bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Freeze
Let the pumpkin chocolate chip bars cool completely, then store them in a single layer in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature before serving.
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars FAQs
Yes, make your own homemade pumpkin puree and use 1 ½ cups in this recipe.
No. This recipe is made with pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. Pumpkin pie filling contains added sugar and spices and will change the flavor and texture of the bars.
Yes! You can add frosting if you’d like. Here are some recommendations:
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting (chocolate/pumpkin combo is so good)
Cream cheese frosting
They’re done when the top is set, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. You just need to be able to discern if it’s batter or just melted chocolate on the cake tester.
Yes, I recommend storing them in the refrigerator, then warming them up or letting them sit at room temperature for serving.
Yes, use gluten-free baking flour in place of the all-purpose flour.
Yes, you can use different flavored baking chips like butterscotch, cinnamon chips, caramel chips, or white chocolate chips. You can also add chopped nuts, dried fruit, etc.
These pumpkin chocolate chip bars aren’t cakey like pumpkin cake, but they aren’t chewy like pumpkin chocolate chip cookies either. They’re incredibly soft, moist and tender with a texture somewhere between a cake and a dense, moist bar.
Absolutely! I personally think these bars taste even better the next day. Bake and cool them completely, then store them in an airtight container until you’re ready to serve.
If you make and love my recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, TikTok and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so I can see your creations!
Pumpkin and Chocolate Chip Bars (Soft & Moist!)
Video
Ingredients
- 15 ounces pumpkin puree
- ½ cup salted butter (melted)
- ½ cup sour cream (room temperature)
- ¼ cup canola oil
- 2 eggs (room temperature)
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 9 ounces chocolate chips (about 1 ½ cups, plus additional for topping if desired)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (177 degrees Celsius).
- Grease or butter a 9×13” (23 x 33 cm) pan, set aside.
- Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, sea salt, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice in a medium bowl, then set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk the pumpkin puree, melted butter, sour cream, whole milk, eggs and vanilla together until mixture is smooth.
- Add granulated sugar and brown sugar and whisk until the sugar is dissolved.
- Add the dry ingredients and stir or whisk until the mixture is smooth.
- Fold in the chocolate chips until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
- Spread the batter evenly into the prepared baking dish.
- If desired, sprinkle extra chocolate chips on top of the bars.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 28-32 minutes or until the top is set and puffed, the edges are lightly brown and a toothpick comes out clean.
- Let the bars cool to room temperature before cutting the into squares and serving.
Notes
- Pumpkin Puree. This recipe calls for one 15-ounce can of pumpkin puree, or you can learn how to make pumpkin puree with this recipe and use 1 ½ cups. Do not use pumpkin pie filling – pumpkin puree has one ingredient – pumpkin – and does not have added sugar or spices.
- Salted Butter. Unsalted butter and coconut oil are good substitutes.
- Sour cream. I recommend full-fat sour cream for the richest taste and best texture; however, low-fat works too, or plain Greek yogurt or whole milk yogurt.
- Granulated sugar. Organic cane sugar and white sugar both work well.
- Light Brown Sugar. If you like a slightly bolder molasses taste, use dark brown sugar.
- All-purpose flour. Use a gluten-free baking flour to make this recipe gluten-free.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice. Use store-bought or make your own homemade pumpkin pie spice. I always make a big batch to use in my favorite pumpkin recipes all season long like pumpkin pie, Pumpkin baked oatmeal, pumpkin bread, etc.
- Chocolate chips. I recommend semisweet chocolate chips, but any variety works well – milk, dark, or even white chocolate chips. Or you can use cinnamon chips, chopped nuts, etc.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
