This baked sopapilla cheesecake with velvety filling and a crispy, buttery top will be your new go-to dessert. Served warm or chilled with a drizzle of honey, every bite is golden, creamy perfection.
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These dreamy sopapilla cheesecake bars with hints of vanilla and crackly cinnamon-sugar on top are an easy dessert for the week and even special gatherings. You can even freeze them if you want to get a head-start. They’re so good you might even try making Sopapillas, the Tex-Mex treat they’re inspired by!
Why I Love These Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars
If cheesecake is your thing but you don’t love using water-baths, this simple and silky sopapilla cheesecake is just what you need for dessert.
- Convenient: Using store-bought dough makes this recipe super easy and convenient.
- Decadent: Cheesecake with crescent roll dough and melted butter on top make every bite ultra rich and creamy.
- Great for beginners: No fancy water-bath is needed to make this yummy dessert. Just pop it into the oven!
- Tex-Mex twist: The crispy sopapilla layers give these classic cheesecake bars a Tex-Mex twist.
Ingredient Notes
A bit of sugar, melted butter, and earthy cinnamon caramelize on top for a crispy, toasty top. Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact ingredient amounts.
- Cream cheese: You can use full-fat or low-fat cream cheese.
- Granulated sugar: Feel free to use light brown sugar.
- Egg: Make sure it’s at room temperature so it’s easier to beat into the mixture.
- Vanilla extract: Go for pure extract (brown) or imitation (clear).
- Crescent roll dough: Puff pastry is a good swap.
- Butter: Salted and unsalted are both okay.
- Ground cinnamon: Ground nutmeg can be used instead.
- Honey: Raw honey and agave nectar are best.
Tips & Variation Ideas
- More add-ins: Stir 1/2-1 cup dried cranberries, chopped pistachios, or candied pecans into the cheesecake mixture for more depth.
- Make cheesecake cups: Cut the crescent roll dough into 4-5″ squares. Grease a muffin tray with non-stick spray. Press one square into each cavity, add filling, and top with another dough square. Assemble as usual. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden.
- Go snickerdoodles: If you skip the honey in the recipe, it’s an easy snickerdoodle cheesecake bar variation.
- Make it chocolatey: Stir 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder into the cheesecake mixture for a chocolatey version.
- Add toppings: Whipped cream, chopped pecans, and shredded coconut add great flavor and texture.
- Line it: Prevent any sticking by lining the baking dish with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. It also makes clean-up easier.
How to Store Sopapilla Cheesecake
Always keep it away from strong-smelling foods so it doesn’t absorb any exterior odors.
- Fridge: Place it in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Freezer: Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap and transfer it to a freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge or on the counter for 20-30 minutes.
- To reheat it: Microwave it in 20-second increments until warm. For large portions, use the oven at 300F for 25-30 minutes.
More Cheesecake Recipes
Sopapilla Cheesecake
Ingredients
- 2 8 ounce packages cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 8 ounce cans refrigerated crescent roll sheets
- ½ cup butter, melted
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ cup honey, for drizzling (optional)
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Instructions
- Preheat an oven to 350 degrees°F. Grease a 9×13 inch baking dish with non-stick spray.
- Press one crescent roll sheet into the bottom of prepared baking dish. Set aside.
- Using a mixer, beat cream cheese with 1 cup of sugar in a bowl until smooth. Add egg and vanilla extract, beating until combined.
- Evenly spread the cream cheese mixture into the baking dish, then cover with the remaining piece of crescent dough.
- In a medium sized bowl, combine melted butter, 1/2 cup granulated sugar and cinnamon. Pour on top of the crescent dough and spread it over the top of the crescent rolls as needed.
- Bake in the preheated oven until the crescent dough has puffed and turned golden brown, about 30 to 35 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let cool completely in the pan for at least 30 minutes.
- SERVE WARM: Slice into squares and serve! Optional: drizzle with honey.
- CHILLED: Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight, slice into squares and serve. Optional: drizzle with honey.
Notes
Storage & Reheating
- Fridge: Place it in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Freezer: Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge or on the counter for 20-30 minutes.
- To reheat it: Microwave it in 20-second increments until warm.
Nutrition
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I made this last night! It was awesome, I halved the recipe and put it in an 8×8 pan and it turned out great. I had a piece at lunch today and it was even good cold! By the way, I only had the canister biscuits so I used them and cut each one in half. Still great! Thanks for posting, will be adding to my “make often” list of desserts!
Made this for a potluck at work. Everyone said it was best ever. Some liked it with honey and some liked their Sopapilla Cheesecake without. Both ways are good so I say leave the honey on side to add or not.
I love Sopapilla Cheesecake, it’s great to be able to do it at home, thank you for your video and detailed instructional formula, just follow it and everything is easy.
Hi, What would be the substitute for crescent roll sheets? Thanks.
You can also use regular crescent rolls and press the edges together!
Sopapilla Cheesecake is great! They look very attractive. Thanks for your guide recipe. You make processing them easier. will try it soon. Cherish for your sharing
Used crescent rolls instead of sheets. Pressed them together. Turned out so delicious! Thanks for recipe.
very disappointed in recipe. Did not give amounts of sugar. cinnamon. etc. to use. I do not use my email but I am on facebook.
Hi Debra! The FULL recipe and ingredients are given in the post! Just scroll to the bottom of the post and you will find the full recipe (it’s even printable). Hope this helps!