If you're looking for a gluten-free pumpkin chocolate chip dessert, maybe even a pumpkin chocolate chip cookie, I have just the recipe for you.
I bet you have people you love in your life who eat gluten-free for any number of reasons. So, when my aunt told me she was making these bars with King Arthur Flour's Measure for Measure, I had to try them myself. I also added a couple more tweaks (totally optional) since I was making a new version.
How I adapted the recipe...
King Arthur Measure for Measure Flour makes for easy gluten-free baking. No, this isn't a sponsored post. This is just a girl who loves when a product makes life easier. For most baking applications, this is a 1:1 swap. It's not for yeasted bread or recipes in that realm, though. Think cookies, muffins, etc.
Optional tweaks...
I swapped some of the white sugar out for coconut sugar. Coconut sugar has a lower glycemic index, so if sugar spikes bother you, coconut sugar is fun to experiment with. (Warning: it's not a 1:1 swap for sugar in every recipe, though.) I added just a bit more pumpkin since coconut sugar is so dry and needs moisture.
Yes, I'm still on that "more plants, more better" kick, so I added in a little ground flaxseed. Plants aren't just leafy greens - seeds count, too.
Let's talk about the chocolate chip situation. I had 5 bags of chocolate chips in my pantry, none with enough to make this recipe. So, I combined them all. I started with coconut sugar chocolate chips from Guittard. I found using them in a mix with other chocolate chips worked well. The coconut sugar chips are flat and wider, while typical chocolate chips are taller and, er, beefier. Can chocolate chips be beefy? You know what I mean. I also had to resort to using some mini chocolate chips in the mix. It all worked out fine in the end, but guess who is replenishing her chocolate chip stash today?
Let's make Gluten-Free Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars
Whisk the dry ingredients together and set aside.
Next, cream butter and the sugars together until light and fluffy. Mix in the eggs and vanilla. Once combined, mix in the pumpkin.
On low speed, mix in the dry ingredients.
Stir in chocolate chips. Spread into a prepared ban and bake!
The bars bake up light and fluffy. The aroma that fills the house is worth making them ALONE. So, so good!
2 cups King Arthur Measure for Measure Gluten-Free Flour
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon allspice
1/8 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup salted butter, cut into chunks
1 1/4 cup sugar (I used 3/4 cup coconut sugar, 1/2 cup granulated)
1 egg
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract)
1 cup canned pumpkin (if using coconut sugar, increase to 1 & 1/4 cup)
12 ounces semisweet/bittersweet chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350. Line a 13x 9" pan with foil. Lightly grease foil.
Whisk together the flour, flax seeds (if using), spices, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.
Cream together the butter and sugar until smooth and fluffy. Add in the egg and vanilla and beat until well combined, scraping down the bowl as needed. Beat in the pumpkin.
On low speed, add in the flour mixture in two additions, mixing just until combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.
Spread the batter into the prepared pan; an offset spatula is excellent for this. Bake for 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out with loose crumbs but not wet.
Cool completely on a wire rack. To cut, lift the foil from the pan. Use a bench scraper to cut into bars.
{adapted from Everyday Food, Nov. 2004}
How do these compare to the original? While I prefer the original version in a side-by-side taste test, this gluten-free version is downright delectable. I think you'll love it, too.
