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These Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars have layers of buttery crescent roll dough, a sweet cream cheese filling, and a crispy cinnamon sugar topping. They’re incredibly easy to make and perfect when you’re craving cheesecake without all the work!
If you love Crescent Roll Cheesecake and Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars, you’re going to love this sopapilla cheesecake recipe too!
Why you’ll love this sopapilla cheesecake bar recipe!
These sopapilla cheesecake bars are one of those desserts that look impressive but are surprisingly simple to make. Refrigerated crescent roll dough does most of the work, while the homemade cream cheese filling comes together in minutes.
- Easy to Make: Refrigerated crescent rolls eliminate the need to make pastry dough from scratch.
- Creamy Cheesecake Filling: Cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and egg create a rich, smooth center.
- Cinnamon Sugar Topping: Melted butter and cinnamon sugar bake into an irresistible sweet and slightly crisp topping.
- Great for a Crowd: Bake everything in a 9×13-inch pan, then slice the cheesecake into bars for easy serving.
Table of Contents
Ingredient Notes
See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
- Crescent rolls: You’ll need two cans of refrigerated crescent roll dough to create the top and bottom layers.
- Cream cheese: Use full-fat cream cheese and allow it to soften to room temperature before mixing.
- Vanilla extract: Adds warm vanilla flavor to the cheesecake filling.
- Egg: Helps give the cream cheese filling structure so the bars slice easily.
- Sugar: Sweetens both the cheesecake filling and the cinnamon topping.
- Butter: Use unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled.
- Cinnamon: Combines with sugar to create the sweet, warmly spiced topping.
Variations
- Drizzle honey over the bars before serving for extra sweetness and a classic sopapilla-inspired finish.
- Add a drizzle of chocolate or caramel sauce over individual slices.
- Sprinkle chopped pecans over the cinnamon sugar topping before baking for some crunch.
- Use crescent roll dough sheets instead of perforated crescent rolls to make assembling the layers even easier.
How to Make Sopapilla Cheesecake
- Prepare: Set the cream cheese and egg on the counter to come to room temperature. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Unroll one can of crescent roll dough into the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish. Press the dough evenly into the pan, pinching the perforations together.
- Make the filling: Beat the cream cheese, vanilla, egg, and 1 cup of sugar in a medium bowl with an electric mixer for 1 to 2 minutes, or until smooth and fluffy.
- Assemble: Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over the bottom layer of crescent dough.
- Add the top crust: Unroll the second can of crescent roll dough and carefully place it over the cheesecake filling. Gently stretch the dough to cover the filling and pinch the perforations together.
- Add the topping: Pour the melted butter over the dough and spread it evenly with a spoon or pastry brush. Combine the remaining 1/3 cup sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl, then sprinkle the mixture evenly over the butter.
- Bake: Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the crescent roll dough is baked through and the cinnamon sugar topping is lightly golden. Allow the bars to cool before slicing. For firmer, cleaner slices, chill them in the refrigerator before serving.
Kasey’s Tips
- Soften the cream cheese: Room-temperature cream cheese blends much more easily, helping you create a smooth filling without lumps.
- Mix the filling well: Beat the cream cheese mixture until it’s smooth and fluffy for the creamiest cheesecake layer.
- Seal the crescent roll seams: Pinch the perforations together before adding the dough to the pan. You can also use crescent dough sheets if you can find them.
- Don’t worry about perfection: The crescent roll layers don’t need to look completely perfect. They’ll puff and spread slightly as they bake.
- Let the bars cool: The cheesecake filling needs time to set. Cooling and chilling the bars also makes them much easier to slice.
Serving Suggestions
This sopapilla cheesecake bar recipe is delicious served chilled or slightly warmed. Add a drizzle of honey for a simple finishing touch, or make them extra decadent with caramel sauce or chocolate sauce.
You can also serve them with fresh strawberries, raspberries, or blueberries to balance the rich cheesecake filling.
How to Store + Freeze
- To Store: Cover the cheesecake bars tightly or transfer them to an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- To Freeze: Place the cooled bars on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze until firm. Transfer them to an airtight freezer-safe container, placing parchment paper between the layers.
- To Thaw: Transfer frozen bars to the refrigerator and allow them to thaw overnight before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sopapilla cheesecake is a Mexican-inspired dessert with crescent-roll “pastry” layers around a sweet cream cheese filling, topped with cinnamon sugar, like a churro-flavored cheesecake bar.
I recommend using regular full-fat cream cheese. It creates a thicker, richer cheesecake filling and gives the bars the best texture.
Yes! These bars are a great make-ahead dessert because they need time to cool and set. Prepare them the day before, refrigerate overnight, and slice when you’re ready to serve.
Yes. Freeze the bars until firm, then transfer them to an airtight container with parchment paper between the layers. Thaw them overnight in the refrigerator.
It’s named after the fried sopapilla pastry the cinnamon-sugar flavor mimics.
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Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars
Ingredients
- 2 (8-ounce) cans refrigerated crescent rolls
- 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese at room temperature
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup sugar
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
topping
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/3 cup sugar
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
- Unroll 1 can of the dough and add to the bottom of a 13×9 glass or metal baking dish. Carefully stretch to cover the bottom of the pan and press the perforations to seal.
- In medium bowl, beat cream cheese and 1 cup of the sugar with electric mixer until smooth. Add in the egg and vanilla and mix well. Spread over the dough.
- Unroll the second can of dough and add to the top of the cream cheese layer. Carefully place on top of cream cheese layer. Pinch seams together carefully.
- Pour the melted butter evenly over top. Mix remaining 1/3 cup sugar with the cinnamon, and sprinkle evenly over butter.
- Bake 25-30 minutes or until bars appear set when gently shaken and are golden on top.
- Cool for 15-20 minutes before serving.
- Store remaining bars in the refrigerator.
- To rewarm, microwave on 50% power 5 to 10 seconds.
Video
Notes
- Soften the cream cheese: Room-temperature cream cheese blends much more easily, helping you create a smooth filling without lumps.
- Mix the filling well: Beat the cream cheese mixture until it’s smooth and fluffy for the creamiest cheesecake layer.
- Seal the crescent roll seams: Pinch the perforations together before adding the dough to the pan. You can also use crescent dough sheets if you can find them.
- Don’t worry about perfection: The crescent roll layers don’t need to look completely perfect. They’ll puff and spread slightly as they bake.
- Let the bars cool: The cheesecake filling needs time to set. Cooling and chilling the bars also makes them much easier to slice.
Beware! Everyone who has tried these now asks for them on a regular basis! They turn out great every time and are super easy to create. Thanks for such a delicious recipe!
Can this be made a day ahead?
Yes. my gang thinks they are better made a day ahead
Made this dessert many times. Always a crowd pleaser!
Thank you, Connie! We’d love to see a picture of your recreation! 😍
Make these and they were delicious! My family loved them. The bottom layer of crescent rolls were soggy even though it was fully cooked. Was the pan not supposed to be greased? Thanks.
Sorry to hear it turned out soggy, Kate! Greasing the pan shouldn’t be an issue as long as it wasn’t super wet. Did you use room temperature ingredients by chance?
When I first made a similar recipe that very situation happened to me. The next time I made it I baked the crescent rolls after placing them in the dish sealed seams and poked very small holes and blind baked it for like 10 minutes just to set them proceeded with the rest of the instructions good luck 👍 next time
This is going to be my go to dessert! They’re also called Churros Cheesecake so that’s what I say it is. I use one cup of Xylitol or monk fruit in the body instead of sugar & say it’s almost sugar free. My new favorite dessert.
Such a good idea! We’re so glad you enjoy it. 😊
I have this exact recipe in a cookbook from the 1930’s. It’s called Williamsburg Bread in that book. I’ve been making this for years and it’s a never-miss. Rows pleaser for sure!
Wow! It’s definitely one of our favorites. 😊
Love this recipe. So delicious. Everyone enjoys it. Can you make it with the dough sheet instead of the crescent rolls dough?
Thank you, Lisa! We haven’t tried a dough sheet but think it would work! The taste and texture will just be slightly different.
Would love for these things to not have so many ads!
I add a little fresh squeezed orange juice and orange zest to my cream cheese. I also add brown sugar to tge cinnamon topping.
I made this for a work birthday luncheon. Only one piece left! I found this to be a very simple recipe and h flavorful. I could see making this multiple layers or even using soft tortillas instead of crescent rolls.