Description
These White Chocolate Pumpkin Bars combine the rich, creamy flavor of pumpkin with sweet white chocolate chips and a hint of cinnamon for a perfect fall treat. Topped with a decadent white chocolate pretzel ganache, these bars are sure to please with their balance of sweet and salty flavors and moist texture.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
Wet Ingredients
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter (melted and cooled)
- 1 1/2 cup light brown sugar (packed)
- 1 large egg
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 15 ounce can pumpkin puree
Mix-ins and Toppings
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
- 1 cup white chocolate covered pretzels (chopped)
- 6 ounce Ghirardelli white chocolate wafers
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup white chocolate chips (for ganache)
- 1 cup pretzels (for garnish)
Instructions
- Prepare Oven and Pan. Move the oven rack to the center position and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9 x 9-inch baking pan with foil, allowing some foil to overhang on all sides for easy removal. Press the foil firmly into the corners of the pan and spray the foil-lined pan with nonstick baking spray.
- Mix Dry Ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, kosher salt, and ground cinnamon until well combined.
- Combine Wet Ingredients. In a large bowl, mix the melted and cooled unsalted butter with the light brown sugar until smooth. Add in the egg and vanilla extract, stirring until fully incorporated. Then add the canned pumpkin puree and stir until the mixture is uniform and smooth.
- Combine Wet and Dry. Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture into the wet ingredients, folding carefully to make a smooth batter without overmixing.
- Add White Chocolate and Pretzels. Fold in the white chocolate chips and chopped white chocolate covered pretzels evenly into the batter.
- Bake the Bars. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and smooth the top evenly. Bake in the preheated oven for about 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs attached.
- Prepare the Ganache. While the bars bake, heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan or microwave until just simmering. Pour over the Ghirardelli white chocolate wafers and 1/2 cup white chocolate chips in a medium bowl. Let sit for a few minutes, then stir until smooth and glossy.
- Add Ganache and Garnish. When the bars come out of the oven, let them cool in the pan for about 15 minutes. Pour the white chocolate ganache evenly over the top. Immediately sprinkle the 1 cup of pretzels evenly on top of the ganache to garnish. Let the bars cool completely and ganache set before lifting from the pan using the foil edges and cutting into 16 bars.
Notes
- Use room temperature eggs for easier mixing.
- If you can’t find white chocolate covered pretzels, regular pretzels can be used, but the flavor and texture will vary.
- Allow the bars to cool completely so the ganache sets properly for easier slicing.
- Store bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for longer freshness.
- For a gluten free version, substitute the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend.