• Preheat your oven to 350F (175C) and line a metal 13x9 baking dish with parchment paper. Set aside.

For the crust

• To the basin of your food processor, add the flour, sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Pulse several times to combine.
  2 ½ cups all-purpose flour, ½ cup light brown sugar, 1 ½ teaspoons cornstarch, ¾ teaspoon table salt
• Scatter the cubed butter pieces over the surface and pulse again in 1-second intervals, until the butter is incorporated (remaining pieces are no larger than the size of a chocolate chip).
  1 cup unsalted butter
• Drizzle the heavy cream overtop then continue to pulse in 1-second intervals until the dough is still crumbly but just begins to hold together. Check it by pinching the dough between your finger, if it sticks together it’s good to go.
  2 Tablespoons heavy cream
• Pour the crumbly mixture into your prepared baking pan and press it firmly and evenly into the bottom of a pan (use the back of a spoon or clean hands to do this, sometimes I’ll lay a piece of wax paper overtop and smooth over it that way, just remember to remove the wax paper!).
• Transfer to center rack of 350F (175C) preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, until the crust is a light golden brown. While the crust bakes, prepare your pumpkin pie topping.

Pumpkin pie topping

• In a large mixing bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, nutmeg, and salt until completely combined.
  15 oz canned pumpkin puree, ¾ cup light brown sugar, 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract, 1 ¾ teaspoons ground cinnamon, ¾ teaspoon ground ginger, ½ teaspoon ground allspice, ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ½ teaspoon table salt
• Use a spatula to gently stir in the eggs, one at a time, stirring until just-combined after each addition (don’t stir too vigorously or whisk or use an electric mixer, you risk over-mixing and causing the pumpkin pie to crack).
  3 large eggs
• Gently stir in heavy cream until batter is completely combined, smooth, and uniform.
  1 cup heavy cream

Assembly

• Once the crust has finished baking, remove it from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 325F (165C).
• Pour filling evenly over the pie crust and return to the center rack of 325F (165C) oven. Bake for 28-30 minutes, until the edges are set, and the center is mostly set with just a very slight jiggle.
• Allow pumpkin pie bars to cool at room temperature for an hour or two, then transfer to the refrigerator to set completely, for at least 4-6 hours.
• Slice and serve, topped with homemade whipped cream, if desired.
  1 batch homemade whipped cream