Start by preheating your oven to 350°F and prepare an 8×8-inch square baking pan by greasing and lining it with parchment paper, leaving some extra paper on two sides for easy lifting later.

For the graham cracker crust, mix together 1 ½ cups of graham cracker crumbs, ¼ cup granulated sugar, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ½ cup melted butter in a large bowl until all crumbs are evenly coated. Press this mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 10 minutes, then allow it to cool completely.

Now, onto the cheesecake filling. In a large bowl, combine 16 oz of softened cream cheese, ½ cup granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, and 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour. Cream together until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition, and then stir in 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.

Pour the cheesecake filling evenly over the cooled graham cracker crust. Bake in the preheated oven for about 30-35 minutes or until the cheesecake has a gentle jiggle in the center. Let it cool before adding the pecan pie topping.

To prepare the pecan topping, combine 1 cup chopped pecans, ¼ cup light corn syrup, ⅓ cup light brown sugar, ⅓ cup heavy cream, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, and ¼ teaspoon salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, stirring constantly, then reduce the heat and simmer for 4-5 minutes until it thickens slightly.

Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Once done, pour the pecan pie topping over the slightly cooled cheesecake layer, ensuring an even spread. Allow the bars to cool completely in the fridge for 3 hours before slicing into portions for serving.