Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookie Cake

If you were to meld a cookie cake with pumpkin bread, this Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookie Cake would be the outcome!  I have to say, I think it’s one of the most popular desserts I’ve ever made.  As a chocolate lover coming from a family of chocolate lovers, it’s decadently heavy on the chocolate with a background of autumn spice and flavor.

I’m always on a mission to create a crowd-pleaser, and was absolutely delighted at our Thanksgiving table this year when even those who described themselves as “not dessert people” (and “not pumpkin people”) kept coming back for another piece! 

The ingredients are very simple, and many of them you likely already have in your pantry.  The baking process is also extremely easy.  The instructions contain an unconventional step to let the partially cooked dessert cool before placing it back in the oven.  This was how I achieved the perfect texture balance of soft on the inside while crisp and brown on the outside.  Trust me on this one!

Notes:

-The White Whole Wheat Flour creates the perfect flavor profile for this chocolate-heavy treat!  It adds just the right amount of heartiness and body that keeps it from going overboard on sugariness.

-Be sure to grab a plain pumpkin purée with the pumpkin as the only ingredient!  (I know how common it is to accidentally pick up a canned “pumpkin pie mix” by mistake.)

-Once you’ve completed the baking process, the chocolate will be very melty.  While I love melty chocolate, I highly recommend letting it completely cool before consuming it so that it can solidify.  I personally put the baking pan outside in the cold November air to speed up the cooling until everyone was ready for dessert.  It was also the general consensus that, though it was incredible on Day 1, like many desserts, it had reached its “perfect consistency” by the following day!  I say this so that, should you like to plan accordingly, it is best baked with a little time buffer before serving.  It’s worth the wait!

Servings: About 12 – 15

Ingredients:

2 Cups White Whole Wheat Flour

3/4 Teaspoon Ground Saigon Cinnamon

1/8 Teaspoon Allspice

1/8 Teaspoon Ground Cloves

1/8 Teaspoon Ground Nutmeg

1/8 Teaspoon Ground Ginger

1 Teaspoon Baking Soda

3/4 Teaspoon Sea Salt

2 Sticks Unsalted Butter (plus enough extra to grease the pan)

1 Cup Sugar

1 Egg

2 1/8 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract

1 Cup Pumpkin Purée

2 1/4 Cups Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips (plus 1/4 Cup extra for the topping)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350°

Grease a 9 x 13 pan with butter

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, baking soda, and sea salt with a fork, then set aside

In a second larger bowl, briefly microwave the butter until just soft, then beat in the sugar on a low setting until evenly combined and creamy.  Add in the egg, vanilla extract, and pumpkin purée and blend again

Pour the bowl of the dry ingredients into the bowl of the wet ingredients and beat evenly until combined

Gently stir in the chocolate chips

Pour the mix into the pan and smooth evenly

Sprinkle the extra chocolate chip topping evenly across the surface

Bake on the middle oven rack for about 32 minutes, until the outer edges get slightly browned and firm

Remove from the oven and let it cool down (for approximately 2 hours)

Add the pan back into the oven at the same temperature of 350° for an additional 36 minutes, or until the texture of the middle more closely resembles the texture of the edges, yet slightly squishier.  The whole tray should now appear lightly browned

Let cool completely for the chocolate to solidify

Enjoy!

[Leftovers can be stored directly in the pan with an airtight cover such as cling wrap, or in another airtight container of choice.]

Ingredient recommendations linked!