Brown Butter Pumpkin Chocolate Chunk Bars

By Maria Lichty

Updated March 26, 2019

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Brown Butter Pumpkin Chocolate Chunk Bars with sea salt are the perfect Dessert for fall! The brown butter makes these easy pumpkin bars extra special!

This post is sponsored by Kroger. 

Ultimate Pumpkin Dessert

If you are a pumpkin fan, you are in for a real treat today because I am sharing the ultimate pumpkin dessert, Brown Butter Pumpkin Chocolate Chunk Bars. How good do they sound? SO good, right? I can’t even describe the deliciousness! I have been making these bars all fall and figured it was time to share the recipe with you so you can make them for your family and friends. You NEED these pumpkin bars in your life. They are so good I even made them twice in one week. I couldn’t help myself!

Brown Butter is Magic

Pumpkin bars have always been one of my favorite fall desserts, but when you add brown butter to the mix, magic happens. The nutty, caramel flavor goes SO well with the pumpkin! I truly believe that brown butter makes everything better:)

If you haven’t browned butter before, don’t be afraid, it is so easy! To brown butter:

• I like to use a light colored pan so it is easier to see the butter changing colors. Put the Kroger unsalted butter in a small saucepan and melt over medium heat.
• Once the butter is melted, turn the heat to medium high. Continue stirring and look for small golden bits that will start to settle on the bottom of the pan, this should take around 3 to 5 minutes. Once this happens, take it off the heat and pour into a medium, heat-safe bowl to cool for a few minutes. Make sure you scrape all of the brown bits from the pan into the bowl.
• Pro tip-make sure you don’t walk away while browning butter, it will brown quickly. You will smell a nutty aroma when it starts to brown.

Best Pumpkin Bars

After you brown the butter, you are ready to make the BEST pumpkin bars! The ingredients are simple and scream fall!

For this recipe, you will need all of the baking basics: all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Plus, pumpkin puree and all the fall spices that really bring out the flavor in these pumpkin bars. I use Private Selection ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves.

After you mix up the brown butter pumpkin batter, you stir in Private Selection chocolate chunks. OH, YEAH! Pumpkin and chocolate are a match made and heaven. I also sprinkle the bars with a little sea salt before they go into the oven. The salt kick is so nice!

You are going to love these pumpkin bars because they are made in one pan, making this a great dessert to take to parties and potlucks! Move over pumpkin pie, these pumpkin bars will be the hit of Thanksgiving. Everyone will love the soft and gooey brown butter pumpkin bars with big chunks of chocolate!

How to Make Brown Butter Pumpkin Chocolate Chunk Bars

If you like these Brown Butter Pumpkin Chocolate Chunk Bars, try:

• Pumpkin Bread
• Chocolate Pumpkin Bread
• Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars
• Pumpkin Sheet Cake with Brown Butter Frosting
• Pumpkin Muffins
• Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

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Bars

Brown Butter Pumpkin Chocolate Chunk Bars

The brown butter makes these pumpkin bars extra special! The perfect dessert for fall potlucks and parties!

5 from 7 votes

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Servings 24 bars

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 cup Kroger unsalted butter
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Private Selection ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon Private Selection ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon Private Selection ground nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon Private Selection ground cloves
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 cup Kroger pumpkin
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 10 oz bag Private Selection Chocolate Chunks (1 ¾ cups)
• Sea salt flakes for sprinkling over bars, optional

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x13 pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
• In a medium skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Once melted, turn up the heat to medium high. Continue stirring and look for small golden bits that will start to settle on the bottom of the pan. This should take around 3 to 5 minutes and the butter will have a nutty aroma. Once this happens, take it off the heat and pour into a medium, heat-safe bowl to cool while you prepare the other ingredients.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine the brown butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Mix with a spoon or spatula until smooth. Add in the egg, egg yolk, pumpkin, and vanilla and stir until well combined.
• Add the dry ingredients and stir until just combined, don't over mix. Stir in the chocolate chunks.
• Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Sprinkle with sea salt flakes, if using. Bake the bars for 28 to 35 minutes or until the bars are set and golden brown around the edges.
• Let the bars cool completely before cutting into squares.

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