This easy sopapilla cheesecake is an easy dessert that has layers of crescent dough, stuffed with a creamy cheesecake filling, and is topped with a buttery sugar cinnamon mixture, making it taste like the classic dessert.
This easy sopapilla cheesecake requires no water bath like traditional cheesecakes. Not to mention, there’s no deep-fried dough, which is another plus when you are looking for a simple dessert. Using premade crescent dough sheets turns this into a convenient and quick recipe to prepare.
The buttery cinnamon sugar topping reminds me of our churro recipe! If you like these delicious desserts, you have to try my fried ice cream recipe and my Disney inspired churro toffee.
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🥐Ingredients:
- cans of crescent rolls – we like using the crescent roll dough sheets without the seams, but we’ll show you how to easily convert the traditional perforated crescent rolls into a solid layer in the step by step instructions.
- cream cheese – bring to room temperature – I like full fat cream cheese, but you can get away with reduced fat cream cheese
- granulated sugar – we use sugar in the cheesecake filling and in the cinnamon sugar topping
- vanilla extract
- butter – we like unsalted.
- ground cinnamon
- Optional: drizzle of honey
For a full list of ingredients and their measurements, 📋 please view my printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Optional Garnish:
This sopapilla cheesecake bar recipe is perfect by itself, but is delicious with a drizzle of honey on top or alongside a scoop of ice cream.
Substitutions and Variations
- Topping ideas – drizzle caramel sauce, chocolate sauce, or add a dollop of whipped cream
- Thinner filling – use 16 ounces of cream cheese and only one cup of sugar. Check the cake after it has cooked around 30-35 minutes.
🔪 Instructions:
PREP: Grease a 9×13 baking dish with non stick cooking spray and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Step 1: Roll out one layer of crescent roll dough in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Press gently to cover and pinch any seams together.
Step 2: In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with 1 ¼ cups of sugar and vanilla at medium speed until fluffy and creamy.
Step 3: Spread the cream cheese filling on top of the dough in an even layer.
Step 4: Roll out the second can of dough on a piece of parchment paper. Pat it out to form a 9×13 rectangle.
Pro Tip: Rolling out the second can of crescent roll dough on parchment paper makes it easier to fit the dish without squishing the cheesecake layer out.
Step 5: Lift the parchment paper up and flip it upside down on top of the cream cheese layer. Peel away the paper and tuck the dough to the edge of the dish.
Step 6: Pour the melted butter over top and use a pastry brush to spread.
Step 7: In a small bowl, combine the remaining sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture over top of the butter.
Step 8: Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the dough is puffed across the top and its golden brown.
SERVE: Allow the sopapilla crescent roll cheesecake to cool completely, then slice into bars. Drizzle with honey and additional toppings if desired.
Recipe Tips for Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars
- Use a rolling pin to roll out the dough on the parchment paper to make it easier.
- If you are using the crescent sheets with the seams, be sure to pinch these together so the filling doesn’t bake out.
- The top of the cheesecake bars will turn dark brown because of the cinnamon, but to make sure it bakes without over-browning, place it on the bottom shelf or place a baking pan on the shelf above the cheesecake to act as a shield.
- The cake needs to cool at least 30 minutes before slicing. We like to cut it once it has cooled completely because it’s easier to lift the bars from the pan once the filling firms up.
- Do not remove the cheesecake from the oven too soon. The edges will puff first, but the center needs to puff as well.
- If you add more cinnamon to the sugar mixture, the top will be darker.
Fun Fact
Sopapilla originated in New Mexico hundreds of years ago! – HuffPost
Recipe FAQs
A sopapilla is a type of fried pastry that is popular in Mexican and Southwestern cuisine. It is made from a simple dough of flour, water, and sometimes other ingredients such as baking powder or salt. The dough is rolled out, cut into shapes (often triangles or squares), and then deep-fried until it puffs up and becomes golden brown.
Sopapillas can be served as both a sweet and a savory dish. When served as a Mexican dessert, they are typically sprinkled with powdered sugar or cinnamon and sugar, and sometimes drizzled with honey or chocolate sauce. On the savory side, sopapillas can be used as a base for toppings such as beans, cheese, and meat, transforming them into a kind of Mexican or Southwestern pizza. In some regions, sopapillas are also enjoyed with a side of honey or salsa.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Once it has cooled, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for 1 month.
More Decadent Cheesecake Recipes
If you tried this Sopapilla Cheesecake Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you liked it in the 📝 comments below.
Sopapilla Cheesecake
Ingredients
- 2 – 8 oz. packages of crescent rolls
- 3 – 8 oz. packages of cream cheese room temperature
- 1 ¾ cup granulated sugar divided
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- Optional: drizzle of honey
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9”x13” glass baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Opening one can of crescent rolls, roll them out into the bottom of the baking dish. Press to fill out the entire bottom of the dish and press any seams together. (see note)
- In a medium mixing bowl, beat together cream cheese, 1 ¼ cups of granulated sugar, and the vanilla extract. Beat until creamy and fluffy.
- Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over the bottom crescent roll crust.
- Roll the second can of crescent rolls out on a sheet of parchment paper. Press the seams together well and pat out the dough to form a 9×13 rectangle that will fill out the top of the baking dish.
- Lift the parchment paper and flip it upside down over the cream cheese mixture. Peel away the parchment paper and tuck the dough to each edge of the baking dish.
- Pour the melted butter over the top of the dough and use a pastry brush, if needed, to spread.
- Combine the remaining ½ cup sugar and the cinnamon to make cinnamon sugar. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar over the melted butter as evenly as possible.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes, until the crescent dough is puffed across the top and the sopapilla cheesecake is golden brown.
- Allow the cheesecake to cool and then cut into bars. Serve with a drizzle of honey, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
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Comments & Reviews
Stefanie says