1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8×8 metal baking pan (avoid glass, which tends to heat unevenly) with parchment paper or heavy-duty aluminum foil, leaving a slight overhang on the sides. If using foil, mist it with cooking spray.
2. Make the crust:  in the bowl of a food processor, pulse the cookies until they are uniformly pulverized (you can also do this by putting them in a plastic zip-top bag and beating them with a mallet or rolling pin). Mix in the sugar until thoroughly combined, then drizzle the melted butter over the mixture, using a spoon or your hands to work it in. The resulting mixture should resemble coarse wet sand.
3. Press the mixture firmly onto the bottom of the lined pan (I like to use the bottom of a drinking glass for this to ensure it’s packed tightly and evenly).
4. Bake the crust at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes, then remove the pan from the oven and set aside to cool.
5. While the crust is cooling, make the filling. In the bowl of a stand mixer or medium bowl using a hand mixer, combine the room-temperature cream cheese with the sugar. When it’s smooth and uniform, beat in the sour cream, vanilla, and salt. Beat the eggs in one at a time, mixing only long enough to fully integrate them (over-beating can lead the filling to collapse and become dense). Stop the mixer and give the mix a good whisk by hand to make sure there are no lumps. 
6. Pour the filling into the still-warm crust and return the pan to the oven. Bake 35-40 minutes, until the filling is set with maybe a slight wobble in the middle. The cheesecake won’t brown; that’s ok. You’re going for texture, not color here. Transfer the cheesecake to a baking rack and let it cool to room temperature.
7. While the cheesecake bars are cooling, prepare the topping. In a medium sauté pan set over medium-low heat, toast the chopped pecans until they are fragrant, stirring frequently. Be careful not to burn them! Set aside to cool.
8. In a medium saucepan, combine the 6 TB butter, 1/2 cup brown sugar, heavy cream, corn syrup, and vanilla. Cook the mixture over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally to combine, until it begins to bubble. Continue to cook until the mixture thickens and turns golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and and stir in the toasted pecans. Set aside and allow to cool.
9. When the cheesecake bars and topping have both cooled nearly to room temperature, carefully dollop the topping on the bars, smoothing it evenly across the top.
10. Cover the pan and refrigerate at least six hours, preferably overnight.
11. When you’re ready to cut the bars, lift the entire bake from the pan using the overhanging parchment or foil. Place on a cutting surface and slice evenly into bars – three across for nine large bars, or four across for smaller servings. Wipe your knife in between each cut.
12. Bars can be served chilled or at room temperature.

Store leftovers for up to a week in an airtight container.