Easy Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars: A Flaky, Creamy, & Sweet Dessert Recipe
Prepare to be enchanted by these incredible Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars! This recipe transforms simple ingredients into a dessert that’s both elegant and effortlessly easy to make. Featuring a golden, flaky crescent roll crust, a luscious and creamy cheesecake filling, and a perfect sweet cinnamon sugar topping, these bars offer a delightful twist on classic sopapillas. Best of all, they come together with just 6 readily available ingredients, making them an ideal treat for busy weeknights or an impressive dessert for gatherings. Get ready to bake a dessert that tastes like a dream!
Why This Easy Sopapilla Cheesecake Recipe Will Become Your New Favorite
What makes this Sopapilla Cheesecake recipe truly exceptional is its clever and convenient use of crescent dough. Traditional sopapillas are known for their deep-fried, airy dough, which, while delicious, can be a time-consuming and somewhat intimidating process involving hot oil and homemade dough. Our ingenious approach bypasses this step entirely, allowing you to whip up this dessert in a fraction of the time without sacrificing any of the iconic flavor or desirable flaky texture.
The beauty of this recipe lies in its simplicity and the harmonious blend of textures and tastes. You’ll start with a layer of buttery crescent rolls, creating a tender and flaky base. This is followed by a rich, tangy, and incredibly creamy cheesecake filling that provides a delightful contrast. Another layer of crescent rolls forms the top crust, which bakes up light and golden. The grand finale is a generous scattering of buttery cinnamon sugar, transforming these bars into a dessert that truly captures the comforting essence of a sopapilla. The result is a heavenly dessert bar that brings together the best of both worlds: the crispy, airy texture reminiscent of a sopapilla and the smooth, decadent creaminess of a classic cheesecake. It’s quick to assemble, uses minimal ingredients, and delivers maximum flavor, making it a perfect choice for any occasion, from casual family dinners to more festive gatherings. Imagine a luxurious cheesecake experience, infused with the comforting spice of a churro, all in a convenient and irresistible dessert bar format – yes, please!
Essential Ingredients for These Delightful Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars
One of the most appealing aspects of this Sopapilla Cheesecake Bar recipe is its elegant simplicity, requiring only a handful of common and accessible ingredients to create an extraordinary dessert. You’ll find that most of these staples are likely already in your pantry and refrigerator, making it incredibly convenient to whip up whenever a sweet craving strikes or unexpected guests arrive. For precise measurements of each component and detailed, step-by-step instructions, please refer to the complete printable recipe card located at the very end of this comprehensive guide. Gathering your ingredients before you start will ensure a smooth and enjoyable baking experience.
Ingredient Spotlight: Tips & Clever Substitutions for Perfect Sopapilla Cheesecake
Crescent Rolls: The Easy Path to a Flaky Crust
The foundation of these Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars relies on two cans of ready-to-use crescent rolls. Crescent roll dough typically comes with convenient perforations, designed to be easily separated into individual crescent shapes for baking. For this recipe, you’ll simply unroll the dough and then firmly press these seams together with your fingers to form a single, continuous sheet. Don’t worry if it’s not absolutely flawless; the dough is quite forgiving and will bake beautifully. As an even more convenient option, if available at your local grocery store, look for crescent roll “sheets.” These are sold as a single, unperforated sheet, which will save you the step of pressing the seams together entirely. Whichever variety you choose, ensure you have two cans to create both the essential bottom and top layers of your cheesecake bars.
Creamy Cheesecake Filling: Rich, Velvety, and Decadent
The heart of these Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars is their irresistibly rich and creamy filling. You’ll need three key ingredients to achieve this luscious layer: full-fat cream cheese, granulated sugar, and pure vanilla extract. For the smoothest possible filling, it is absolutely crucial that your cream cheese is at room temperature. This allows it to beat easily and seamlessly combine with the sugar and vanilla, preventing any lumps and creating a beautifully consistent, velvety texture. While the recipe calls for 24 ounces of cream cheese (equivalent to three standard 8-ounce blocks) for a thicker, more substantial cheesecake layer, you have the flexibility to adjust this to your preference. If you desire a slightly thinner filling, you can reduce the cream cheese to 16 ounces (two 8-ounce blocks) and subsequently decrease the granulated sugar mixed into the filling to just 1 cup. Be aware that a thinner filling may result in a slightly shorter baking time, so remember to keep a watchful eye on your oven.
Buttery Cinnamon Sugar Topping: The Signature Sopapilla Finish
No sopapilla-inspired dessert would truly be complete without that quintessential cinnamon sugar coating. This recipe utilizes a simple yet incredibly effective blend of granulated sugar and ground cinnamon, generously sprinkled over a layer of melted butter. The melted butter serves a dual purpose: it helps the cinnamon sugar adhere beautifully to the crescent roll dough and also contributes to the rich, golden, and slightly crispy texture of the top layer once baked. Feel free to adjust the cinnamon-sugar ratio to perfectly suit your personal taste. If you’re a devoted cinnamon enthusiast, adding a bit more will intensify the warm spice flavor. However, it’s worth noting that a higher cinnamon-to-sugar ratio can naturally result in a darker brown appearance on the topping. For an extra hint of comforting warmth, you could even consider incorporating a tiny pinch of freshly grated nutmeg into your cinnamon sugar mixture, adding another layer of aromatic complexity.
Other Key Ingredients
Rounding out our simple list are a couple of essential supporting actors. A good non-stick cooking spray is vital for preparing your baking dish, ensuring that your beautiful cheesecake bars release cleanly and easily without sticking. And of course, the unsalted butter isn’t just for melting and pouring over the top crust; it also contributes to the rich flavor and golden hue of the crescent dough layers themselves. These few, carefully chosen ingredients work in harmony to create a dessert that tastes far more complex and indulgent than its short ingredient list suggests.
How to Make Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars: A Simple & Sweet Journey to Dessert Perfection
These step-by-step photos and detailed instructions are designed to help you visualize each stage of making this delightful dessert, ensuring your Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars turn out perfectly every time. For a convenient printable version of the complete recipe, including all precise measurements and instructions, simply Jump to Recipe at the bottom of this page.
- **Prepare Your Baking Dish:** Begin by preheating your oven to a steady 350°F (175°C). This ensures your oven is at the correct temperature for even and consistent baking from the moment your dessert goes in. Next, generously spray a standard 9×13 inch glass baking dish with a good quality nonstick cooking spray. This crucial preparatory step prevents the delicate crescent roll crust from sticking to the pan and makes for effortless removal and clean, beautiful slices of your bars later on.
- **Lay the First Crescent Roll Layer:** Carefully open one can of crescent rolls. Unroll the dough entirely and gently lay it into the bottom of your prepared baking dish. If you’re using traditional crescent rolls with perforations, it’s important to press these seams together very firmly with your fingers or the back of a spoon to form a single, cohesive sheet of dough. Ensure the dough covers the entire bottom surface of the dish, extending slightly up the sides if possible, to create a neat, defined edge for your crust. This forms the delicious, flaky base of your sopapilla cheesecake.
- **Whip Up the Creamy Filling:** In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine your softened, room-temperature cream cheese, 1 ¼ cups of granulated sugar, and the pure vanilla extract. Using a hand mixer (or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment), beat these ingredients together on medium speed. Continue mixing until the mixture transforms into a beautifully creamy, exceptionally smooth, and light-textured consistency. Remember to scrape down the sides of the bowl periodically to ensure all ingredients are thoroughly combined and no lumps remain. This meticulous step creates the luscious, rich, and decadent cheesecake layer.
- **Spread the Cheesecake Layer:** Carefully and evenly spread the freshly prepared cream cheese mixture over the bottom crescent roll crust in the baking dish. Utilize an offset spatula or the clean back of a spoon to ensure a smooth, uniform layer that extends from one edge of the pan to the other. This even distribution is absolutely key for consistent baking, ensuring that every single bite of your Sopapilla Cheesecake Bar offers a perfectly balanced flavor and texture.
- **Prepare the Top Crescent Roll Layer:** Unroll the second can of crescent rolls onto a sheet of parchment paper. Similar to the bottom layer, press the seams together very well to create a single, unbroken sheet of dough. Gently pat or use a rolling pin to carefully roll the dough out until it forms a rectangle that is roughly 9×13 inches, perfectly matching the dimensions of your baking dish. This precision ensures a perfect fit for the top crust, sealing in the creamy filling.
- **Place the Top Crust with Ease:** Carefully lift the parchment paper, with the prepared crescent dough still attached, and invert it directly over the cream cheese mixture in the baking dish. Gently and slowly peel away the parchment paper, allowing the dough to settle smoothly onto the filling. Once the parchment is fully removed, delicately tuck and press the edges of the crescent dough to meet the edges of the baking dish, effectively sealing in that delightful creamy filling and creating a neat appearance.
- **Drizzle with Melted Butter:** Now, pour the ½ cup of unsalted melted butter evenly over the entire surface of the top crescent roll dough. If you find the butter isn’t spreading completely on its own, use a clean pastry brush to gently spread it, ensuring the whole surface is coated. This crucial butter layer acts as the perfect adhesive for the cinnamon sugar, helping it adhere beautifully, and also contributes significantly to the rich flavor and golden-brown, crispy perfection of the top crust during baking.
- **Create the Cinnamon Sugar Topping:** In a small, separate bowl, combine the remaining ½ cup of granulated sugar with the 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon. Whisk them together thoroughly using a fork or small whisk until the cinnamon is fully and evenly incorporated into the sugar, creating your fragrant and enticing cinnamon sugar mixture. This topping is the signature flavor of sopapillas!
- **Sprinkle the Topping:** Generously and as evenly as possible, sprinkle the freshly prepared cinnamon sugar mixture over the melted butter layer on the crescent roll dough. Aim for full coverage to ensure every bite delivers that iconic sweet and spicy flavor. This delightful topping is what gives the sopapilla cheesecake its distinct aroma, characteristic flavor, and beautiful golden-brown appearance once baked.
- **Bake to Golden Perfection:** Carefully place the baking dish into your preheated oven. Bake for approximately 35-40 minutes. You’ll know your Sopapilla Cheesecake is ready when the crescent dough on top is visibly puffed up and takes on a beautiful golden-brown hue, and the edges of the cheesecake appear set and slightly firm. Don’t be alarmed if some areas of the cinnamon sugar topping appear darker; this is perfectly normal and adds to the rustic charm. For optimal results and to ensure the bottom crust cooks evenly without overbrowning the top too quickly, consider placing the baking dish on the bottom rack or in the bottom third of your oven.
- **Cool & Serve:** Once baked, carefully remove the sopapilla cheesecake from the oven and allow it to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. While it’s incredibly tempting to dig in immediately when warm, cooling the cheesecake thoroughly is essential for achieving clean, neat, and perfectly defined slices. The filling needs ample time to set properly. Once completely cooled, cut the cheesecake into individual bars. For an extra touch of traditional sweetness and an authentic flavor boost, serve with a delicate drizzle of warm honey over each bar, if desired. Enjoy this simple yet sensational dessert!
Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips for Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars
To maintain their optimal freshness and wonderfully creamy texture, it is important to store your Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars in the refrigerator. Place them in an airtight container to prevent them from drying out or absorbing other odors, or simply cover the entire baking dish tightly with plastic wrap. When stored properly, these delicious bars will remain fresh and delightful for up to 5 days. For the best flavor and consistency, we recommend allowing them to come to room temperature for about 15-20 minutes before serving, or you can certainly enjoy them chilled directly from the fridge for a refreshing treat.
Yes, absolutely! Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars freeze beautifully, making them an excellent candidate for meal prep or a convenient make-ahead dessert. To freeze, first ensure that the baked bars are completely cooled to room temperature. Then, you can either wrap individual bars tightly in several layers of plastic wrap, followed by an additional layer of aluminum foil, or transfer the cooled, uncut cheesecake to a freezer-safe, airtight container. This double-layer protection is crucial to prevent freezer burn and preserve their quality. They can be safely frozen for up to 1 month. When you’re ready to indulge, simply allow them to thaw slowly in the refrigerator overnight, or for a quicker thaw, leave them on the countertop for approximately 5 hours until softened and ready to serve.
Absolutely! This recipe is perfectly suited for preparing in advance, which is a huge convenience, especially when you’re planning for entertaining or simply want to have a delicious dessert ready to go. You can fully prepare and bake the Sopapilla Cheesecake according to the instructions. Once baked, allow the dish to cool completely to room temperature. Then, wrap the entire baking dish tightly with plastic wrap or seal it securely with an airtight lid. Store it in the refrigerator for up to a day before you plan to serve. This advance preparation allows the flavors to meld and deepen beautifully, making for stress-free dessert presentation on the day of your event.
Expert Tips for Achieving the Best Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars:
- Room Temperature Ingredients are Key: For a lump-free and perfectly smooth cheesecake filling, always ensure your cream cheese (and any other dairy, if adding) is at room temperature before beating. This makes it much easier to incorporate sugar and vanilla smoothly, resulting in a superior texture.
- Don’t Rush the Cooling Process: While the aroma is incredibly tempting, allowing the cheesecake bars to cool completely before slicing is crucial for clean, well-defined squares. The filling needs time to firm up and set properly, preventing it from oozing when cut.
- Adjust Sweetness to Your Liking: The recipe provides a beautifully balanced sweetness. However, if you prefer a less sweet dessert, you can slightly reduce the sugar amount in the cream cheese filling. Conversely, for an extra sweet treat, a touch more sugar can be added to the cinnamon topping.
- Baking Position Matters: To achieve that desirable golden-brown top without over-browning or burning the cinnamon sugar, try baking the cheesecake on the bottom rack or in the bottom third of your oven. This helps the crescent dough cook through and puff up from below while the top crisps gently.
- Even Layers are Happy Layers: Take a few extra moments to evenly spread both the bottom crescent dough and the cream cheese filling. This attention to detail ensures that each bar you cut will have a consistent and delightful ratio of flaky crust to creamy filling, making for a perfect bite every single time.
- Honey Drizzle for Authenticity: While entirely optional, a delicate drizzle of warm honey just before serving truly elevates these bars. It mimics the traditional sopapilla experience and adds an extra layer of sweetness, depth, and a beautiful sheen that makes the dessert feel even more special.
Serving Suggestions & Delightful Variations
These Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars are absolutely delightful when enjoyed on their own, offering a perfect balance of sweet, creamy, and wonderfully flaky textures that are satisfying in every bite. However, to truly elevate the experience and add an authentic touch that nods to their inspiration, we highly recommend drizzling a generous amount of warm honey over the top just before serving. The golden, viscous honey beautifully complements the warm cinnamon sugar and adds an extra layer of nuanced sweetness. For the neatest and most picture-perfect cuts, it’s best to allow the dessert to cool completely before slicing into individual bars. But if you simply cannot resist the enticing aroma, they are equally delicious served warm, offering a comforting, gooey, and utterly irresistible treat that melts in your mouth.
Beyond honey, don’t be afraid to explore other irresistible additions and creative variations. Consider topping your bars with a dollop of freshly whipped cream, a scoop of creamy vanilla bean ice cream, a rich caramel sauce drizzle, or even a sprinkle of finely chopped toasted pecans for added crunch and nutty flavor. For those who appreciate a touch of fruit, a side of fresh berries or a light berry compote would provide a wonderful contrast to the richness of the cheesecake. For seasonal twists, a hint of orange zest or a splash of orange blossom water in the cream cheese filling could brighten the flavor, or a touch of pumpkin spice during the autumn months could transform these bars into a seasonal favorite. These Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars are incredibly versatile, ready to be customized and enjoyed in countless delicious ways, ensuring they’ll always be a hit.
More Irresistible Dessert Recipes to Explore
- Fried Ice Cream
- Air Fryer Churros
- Cinnamon Roll Cookies
- Oreo Cheesecake Brownies
- Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars
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Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars
IMPORTANT – There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
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Ingredients
- non stick cooking spray
- 16 ounces crescent rolls two 8 ounce tubes (or crescent dough sheets)
- 24 ounces cream cheese three 8 ounce blocks, at room temperature
- 1 ¾ cup granulated sugar divided (1 ¼ cups for filling, ½ cup for topping)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Things You’ll Need
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Mixing bowls
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Hand mixer
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13×9 baking dish
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Parchment paper
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
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Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Spray a 9”x13” glass baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
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Open one can of crescent rolls, unroll them, and press them into the bottom of the baking dish. Press any seams together firmly to form a solid crust. (See “Before You Begin” notes for tips on crescent roll sheets).
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In a medium mixing bowl, beat together the room temperature cream cheese, 1 ¼ cups of granulated sugar, and the vanilla extract. Beat with a hand mixer until the mixture is creamy and fluffy.
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Spread this cream cheese mixture evenly over the bottom crescent roll crust.
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Roll the second can of crescent rolls out onto a sheet of parchment paper. Press the seams together well and pat or gently roll out the dough to form a 9×13 inch rectangle, matching your baking dish.
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Lift the parchment paper and carefully flip the dough upside down over the cream cheese mixture. Peel away the parchment paper and gently tuck the dough to each edge of the baking dish to cover the filling.
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Pour the melted unsalted butter over the top of the dough. Use a pastry brush, if needed, to spread the butter evenly across the entire surface.
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In a small bowl, combine the remaining ½ cup of granulated sugar and the 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon to create your cinnamon sugar mixture.
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Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture over the melted butter as evenly as possible.
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Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the crescent dough on top is puffed across the entire surface and the sopapilla cheesecake is beautifully golden brown. Refer to “Before You Begin” notes for baking position tips.
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Allow the cheesecake to cool completely in the pan before cutting into bars. Serve as is, or with a drizzle of honey, if desired.
Nutrition
The recipes on this blog are tested with a conventional gas oven and gas stovetop. It’s important to note that some ovens, especially as they age, can cook and bake inconsistently. Using an inexpensive oven thermometer can assure you that your oven is truly heating to the proper temperature. If you use a toaster oven or countertop oven, please keep in mind that they may not distribute heat the same as a conventional full sized oven and you may need to adjust your cooking/baking times. In the case of recipes made with a pressure cooker, air fryer, slow cooker, or other appliance, a link to the appliances we use is listed within each respective recipe. For baking recipes where measurements are given by weight, please note that results may not be the same if cups are used instead, and we can’t guarantee success with that method.