Set the cream cheese out for about 60 minutes and the sour cream and eggs for about 30 minutes, aiming for cool room temperature rather than warmth. Heat the oven to 325°F with a rack in the center. Lightly grease a 9-inch square metal pan with sides at least 2 inches deep. Line it with two crossing parchment strips, leaving enough overhang to lift the chilled cheesecake out without bending it.

Place the 20 crust cookies, including their cream centers, in a food processor and pulse until they resemble fine, evenly dark sand with no large pieces. Add the 57 g melted butter and pulse until the crumbs look uniformly moistened and hold when squeezed. Press them firmly across the pan with a flat-bottomed measuring cup, paying attention to the corners. Bake for 10 minutes, then place the pan on a wire rack while preparing the filling. Keep the oven at 325°F.

Place the softened cream cheese in a large bowl or stand mixer fitted with the paddle. Mix on low speed for 1 to 2 minutes, scraping the bowl and paddle, until completely smooth with no firm lumps. Add the sugar and mix on low for 1 minute. Blend in the sour cream, vanilla, and salt just until uniform. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing on low only until each yolk disappears. Scrape the bottom and fold several times by hand; the finished batter should be glossy, thick, and minimally aerated.

Reserve a small handful of the quartered filling cookies, then fold the remainder into the cheesecake batter with a flexible spatula using broad, gentle strokes. Pour the batter over the warm or room-temperature crust and spread it into an even layer without pressing out the cookie pieces. Tap the pan lightly on the counter two or three times to release large air pockets. Scatter the reserved quartered cookies and all 6 coarsely crushed topping cookies evenly over the surface.

Bake at 325°F for 38 to 44 minutes. The outer 2 inches should look set and slightly puffed, while the center should move as one soft, shallow wobble when the pan is nudged. It must not ripple like liquid or show wet batter. An instant-read thermometer inserted away from a cookie piece should register about 155°F. Turn off the oven, crack the door, and leave the pan inside for 15 minutes. Transfer it to a wire rack and cool uncovered for 45 minutes, keeping the cheesecake in its pan.

Cover the pan once it no longer feels warm and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight. Lift the firm cheesecake out by the parchment and place it on a cutting board. For 16 bars, trim nothing, then make four equal columns and four equal rows. Dip a large sharp knife in hot water, wipe it completely dry, and press straight down for each cut. Clean and rewarm the blade between cuts so cookie crumbs and filling do not drag across the pale edges.