Best Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars (Easy Recipe)

These sopapilla cheesecake bars are to die for! Try them once- and you’ll never want to live without them again. 

Think creamy cheesecake sitting between 2 layers of flaky pastry. And then you top it with a sinful cinnamon-sugar-butter mix. You’re in for a treat!

This dish is like cheesecake turned pie turned sopapillas. In short, it’s the complete embodiment of decadence. 

I know what you’re thinking — it’s probably too complicated. But surprise! This recipe is newbie-friendly.

Are you ready for a life-changing dessert experience? Drop whatever you’re doing and make these sopapilla cheesecake bars today.  

Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars

Let’s talk sopapillas before getting into the bits and bobs of making sopapilla cheesecake bars.

Sopapillas are a Hispanic dessert of deep-fried pastry finished with powdered or cinnamon sugar.

The fried pastry is perfectly soft, pillowy, and delicious.

People enjoy them alone or with a drizzle of honey. Honey is very common (and tasty!).

Sopapillas can also have other toppings ranging from sweet to savory. 

Sopapilla cheesecake bars are a fun mash-up of the two delectable desserts (sopapillas and cheesecake). 

How can you go wrong with cheesecake wrapped in pastry and a cinnamon-sugar-butter topping? You can’t. 

You’ll love how these sinful squares have just the right flavor balance. Each bite is a fabulous mix of sweet, creamy, tangy, and spiced.

The texture contrast between the silky cheesecake and the flaky pastry is also pretty epic.

This dessert is so good you’ll get addicted. Even three squares won’t do! Consider yourself warned.

Ingredients

• Crescent Roll Dough- This makes this cheesecake so unique. It has a flaky crescent roll crust at the bottom and on top!
• Cream Cheese- Cheesecake isn’t cheesecake without cream cheese. Be sure it’s at room temperature for a smooth cheesecake filling.
  • Set it at the counter at least an hour before use.
  • If you forget, microwave the cream cheese on low power for 15-20 seconds. 
• Granulated Sugar- Use it to sweeten the cheesecake filling and create a sopapilla-like topping. 
• Vanilla- Just a splash will do wonders.
• Melted Butter- Brush it over the top crust and top with cinnamon sugar. Use salted butter for a pleasant contrast of flavors. If all you have is unsalted, mix in a pinch of salt.
• Cinnamon- Mix it with sugar to create that lovely sopapilla topping.

Tips For the Best Sopapilla

• Use full-fat, brick-style cream cheese. This gives the best flavor and texture.
• Don’t have crescent roll dough? Puff pastry works well.
• Classic sopapillas have a drizzle of honey. These bars are quite sweet. But you can try them with just a drizzle of honey. 
• Sealing the perforations on the top dough is tricky. Place the dough on a lightly floured parchment paper. Smooth the slits with your fingers.
  • Then, carefully flip the paper over the cream cheese filling and peel it away. This leaves the dough set perfectly on top. 
• Use a mix of brown and white sugars for the topping for a deeper flavor.
• Store leftovers in an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 3 days.
• These cheesecake bars should remain refrigerated at all times. But they are delicious when they are warm! You can microwave them for 5-10 seconds on 50% power before you serve.
• Triple the batch and pop them in the freezer. Trust me, you’ll want to have a supply of these cheesecake bars at your disposal.
  • Be sure to store them in a freezer-safe container. 
  • Thaw them in the fridge overnight before serving.

Best Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars (Easy Recipe)

Servings

12

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

35

minutes

Calories

440

kcal

These easy sopapilla cheesecake bars will be your new dessert fixation! Flaky pastry, cinnamon-sugar, and creamy cheesecake filling- what’s not to love?!

Ingredients

• 2 2 (8-ounce) cans of refrigerated crescent roll dough

• 2 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

• 1 1/2 cups 1 1/2 granulated sugar, divided

• 1 teaspoon 1 vanilla

• 1/2 cup 1/2 salted butter, melted

• 1 tablespoon 1 ground cinnamon

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Unroll 1 can of crescent roll dough and fit it onto the bottom of an ungreased 9×13-inch glass baking dish. Cover any perforations by pinching the dough with your fingertips.
• In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese with 1 cup of sugar on medium speed until smooth and fluffy. Add the vanilla and beat until combined. Spread the mixture evenly over the crescent roll dough.
• Unroll the 2nd can of crescent roll dough and gently place it on top of the cream cheese layer. Pinch the perforations together to seal. Pour melted butter on top of the dough and spread evenly.
• Whisk the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar and cinnamon in a separate bowl. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the butter.
• Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until the dish appears set when jiggled.
• Let it cool for 30 minutes, then refrigerate it for at least 3 hours to set.
• Slice the cheesecake into 12 equal squares. Serve and enjoy.

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