Salted Caramel Cheesecake Bars

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• 12 each graham cracker sheets
  Ingredient note

  Source: 12 graham cracker sheets
• ¼ cup + ⅓ cup sugar
  Ingredient note

  Source: ¼ cup sugar; Source: ⅓ cup sugar
• ½ cup butter (melted)
  Ingredient note

  Source: ½ cup butter (melted)
• 1 each egg (at room temperature )
  Ingredient note

  Source: 1 egg (at room temperature )
• 16 ounces cream cheese (softened)
  Ingredient note

  Source: 16 ounces cream cheese (softened)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
  Ingredient note

  Source: 2 teaspoons vanilla
• ⅓ cup store-bought or homemade salted caramel sauce (click [url:1]HERE[/url] for my simple 15 minute recipe!)
  Ingredient note

  Source: ⅓ cup store-bought or homemade salted caramel sauce (click [url:1]HERE[/url] for my simple 15 minute recipe!)
• As Needed Salt
  Ingredient note

  Required by source directions; authorized salt/pepper exception.

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line an 8x8 inch pan with foil or parchment (I prefer the foil) and spritz with nonstick spray.
2. In a blender or food processor combine the graham crackers (you may need to break them first so they'll fit), and sugar and pulse until fine crumbs form. Add the melted butter and pulse again until mixture comes together.
3. Press crumb mixture into the bottom of your prepared baking pan. Bake for 5 minutes. While crust is baking, in a medium bowl combine egg, sugar, cream cheese, and vanilla and mix until smooth.
4. Pour mixture over baked crust. Drop teaspoons of caramel sauce on top of the cheesecake layer, then swirl in with a knife being careful not to disturb the bottom crust layer. Bake for 20 minutes or until cheesecake is set.
5. Allow to cool at room temperature for about 10-20 minutes, then transfer to the fridge to finish cooling completely. Serve drizzled with extra caramel sauce and sprinkled with coarse sea salt if desired.