Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).

Combine graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and sugar in a bowl. Press the mixture firmly into the bottom of a 9x9 inch baking pan lined with parchment paper.

Bake for 8-10 minutes until set and golden. Remove from oven and let cool.

In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth and creamy.

Add eggs one at a time, fully incorporating each before adding the next. Stir in the vanilla extract.

Pour the cheesecake mixture over the cooled crust, smoothing out the top with a spatula.

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the cheesecake is set but slightly jiggly in the center.

Remove from the oven and cool completely, then refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

In a medium saucepan, heat the granulated sugar over medium heat, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon. The sugar will form clumps and eventually melt into a thick brown, amber-colored liquid as you continue to stir.

Once sugar is completely melted, immediately add the butter. Be careful as the caramel will bubble rapidly when the butter is added.

Stir the butter into the caramel until it is completely melted, about 2-3 minutes.

Very slowly, drizzle in the heavy cream while stirring. The mixture will rapidly bubble when added. Allow the mixture to boil for 1 minute. It will rise in the pan as it boils.

Remove from heat and stir in 1 teaspoon of sea salt. Allow to cool down before using.

Pour the cooled caramel sauce over the chilled cheesecake layer. Smooth it into an even layer.

Sprinkle with additional sea salt.

Refrigerate the bars for another 1-2 hours to set the caramel.

Lift the bars out of the pan using the parchment paper overhang and cut into squares.

Serve chilled.