½cup(113g)salted butter, softened to room temperature
½cup(113g)unsweetened applesauce
¾cup(159g)granulated sugar
¾cup(159g)packed light brown sugar
1large egg
2teaspoonsvanilla extract
1 (15-ounce)canpumpkin, (about 2 cups)
1 ½cups(255g)semisweet chocolate chips
Streusel:
1cup(142g)all-purpose flour
¾cup(159g)packed light brown sugar
1teaspoonground cinnamon
Pinchof salt
½cup(113g)salted butter, cut into tablespoon-size pieces and softened to room temperature
½cup(85g)semisweet chocolate chips
½cup(57g)toasted pecans (optional)
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9X13-inch metal baking pan with nonstick cooking spray (or you can line with parchment or foil and then grease for easy cleanup).
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl using a handheld electric mixer, cream the butter, applesauce, granulated sugar and brown sugar on medium-high speed until smooth. Beat in egg and vanilla until combined. Add canned pumpkin and mix until combined. It's ok if the mixture looks curdled.
Mix in the dry ingredients, stirring just until combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.
Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan.
For the streusel, in a small bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add the butter and mix with a pastry blender or your fingers until the streusel is evenly combined and forms small clumps.
Sprinkle the streusel mixture over the pumpkin bars followed by the 1/2 cup chocolate chips and toasted pecans (if using).
Bake until the edges begin to pull away from the sides of the pan and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs attached, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool completely in the pan before serving. These bars are delicious at room temp or warm (and super tasty with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!).
Notes
For a Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice:mix use the following: 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ginger, 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg and 1/8 teaspoon cloves. Mix together for the equivalent of 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (you'll want to triple these amounts for this particular recipe since it calls for 1 tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice).