Sopapilla Cheesecake

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.

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13 glass baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over the bottom crescent roll crust.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. Pour the melted butter over the top of the dough and use a pastry brush, if needed, to spread.
8. Combine the remaining 1⁄2 cup sugar and the cinnamon to make cinnamon sugar.
9. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar over the melted butter as evenly as possible.
10. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until the crescent dough is puffed across the top and the sopapilla cheesecake is golden brown.
11. 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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