These sopapilla cheesecake bars are layered with a flakey crescent roll crust, creamy cheesecake filling, and a sweet cinnamon sugar topping and they couldn’t be easier to make with only 6 ingredients!
Why this recipe works
Using crescent dough to make sopapilla cheesecake helps this dessert come together quickly, which means there’s no need to deep fry homemade dough. Simply layer it together with an easy cheesecake filling, top again with crescent rolls, then add the buttery cinnamon sugar topping for the finishing touch.
Though these bars aren’t your traditional fried sopapilla, they make a truly dreamy combination when paired with cream cheese filling and cinnamon sugar. Imagine a cheesecake stuffed churro but in dessert bar form – yes please.
Ingredients you will need
Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.
Ingredient Info and Substitution Suggestions
CRESCENT ROLLS – Crescent rolls typically come with perforations to easily separate each crescent roll. It’s easy to press the seams together to form a single sheet. Some stores also carry crescent roll “sheets”, which are in a single sheet, without perforations. If you have the option, grab two cans of the sheets so that you can skip the step of pressing the seams together.
FILLING – For the cheesecake filling, you’ll need cream cheese, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract. If you’d like, you can reduce the amount of cream cheese to 16 ounces instead of 24 ounces. Reduce the sugar that you mix in to just 1 cup. This will make a thinner filling and the cook time may be a few minutes less.
TOPPING – You can adjust the cinnamon-sugar ratio as desired. Do note that if you have a higher ratio of cinnamon to sugar, the top will be darker.
How to Make Sopapilla Cheesecake
These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13 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.
- In a medium mixing bowl, beat together cream cheese, 1 1⁄4 cups of granulated sugar, and the vanilla extract. Beat with a hand mixer 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 1⁄2 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.
Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips
Store sopapilla cheesecake with an air-tight lid or covered with plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Yes, to freeze, wrap the bars a few times with plastic wrap, followed by a layer of aluminum foil (or transfer them to a freezer safe air-tight container) and freeze for up to 1 month. Allow to thaw in the refrigerator overnight or on the countertop for around 5 hours.
Absolutely. You can prepare, bake, and let the dish fully cool then wrap it tightly with plastic wrap or seal with an air-tight lid and store it in the refrigerator a day in advance.
Serving Suggestions
Sopapilla cheesecake bars are appetizing all on their own, but to really take it to the next level, drizzle the top with honey. We would suggest allowing the dessert to fully cool before slicing for neater cuts, but you can certainly enjoy them warm as well.
More Dessert Recipes
- Fried Ice Cream
- Air Fryer Churros
- Cinnamon Roll Cookies
- Oreo Cheesecake Brownies
- Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars
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Sopapilla Cheesecake
IMPORTANT – There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
Print It Rate ItIngredients
- non stick cooking spray
- 16 ounces crescent rolls two 8 ounce tubes
- 24 ounces cream cheese three 8 ounce blocks at room temperature
- 1 ¾ cup granulated sugar divided
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Things You’ll Need
Before You Begin
- Crescent rolls typically come with perforations to easily separate each crescent roll. It’s easy to press the seams together to form a single sheet. Some stores also carry crescent roll “sheets”, which are in a single sheet, without perforations. If you have the option, grab two cans of the sheets so that you can skip the step of pressing the seams together.
- The top of the sopapilla cheesecake will turn golden brown – some areas will appear very dark from the cinnamon. To ensure that the crescent dough portion cooks (and puffs) without overbrowning the top, bake the cheesecake on the bottom shelf (or bottom third) of the oven.
- Don’t remove the cheesecake from the oven too soon. The edges start to puff first, but the center of the pan needs to also puff for the crescent dough to cook.
- The cheesecake needs to cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing. I would recommend cooling completely in order to cut into neat bars that lift easily from the pan. They are good warm, though, if you just can’t wait.
- If you’d like, you can reduce the amount of cream cheese to 16 oz. instead of 24 oz. Reduce the sugar that you mix in to just 1 cup. This will make a thinner filling and the cook time may be a few minutes less.
- If you use a greater ratio of cinnamon to sugar, the top will be darker.
- Store, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze, wrapped well, for up to 1 month.
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 below)
- In a medium mixing bowl, beat together cream cheese, 1 1⁄4 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 1⁄2 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.
Nutrition
Lindsay Formaro
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