These sopapilla cheesecake bars are the easiest shortcut dessert I make when I want big flavor without extra steps. Flaky crescent rolls bake around a sweet cheesecake filling, then everything gets finished with cinnamon sugar and a drizzle of honey.
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Easy Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars with Pillsbury Crescent Dough
Sopapilla cheesecake bars take what we love about classic cheesecake bars and add that warm, bakery-style twist you get from a sopapillas recipe. Pillsbury crescent dough makes the layers easy, with a creamy cheesecake center and a buttery top that bakes up golden, especially with a simple cinnamon sugar finish and a drizzle of honey.
I love this recipe because it feels special, but it is simple enough to make anytime, just like my easy horchata drink. The flavor is the best mashup of sweet cheesecake, my dessert cinnamon crescent rolls, a donut, and my crescent roll cream cheese danish, all in one easy bar you can slice and share.
Ingredient Notes
Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.
- Sugar and cinnamon: You’ll need to reserve some of the sugar for the cinnamon sugar mixture, and the rest goes into the cheesecake batter.
- Cream cheese and sour cream: Soften cream cheese to room temperature early enough so that it whips together more easily.
- Crescent rolls: Pillsbury sopapilla cheesecake requires 2 layers of crust. So you’ll need two cans. I prefer the traditional Pillsbury can although if you can find crescent roll sheets they work great, too!
How to Make Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars
In a medium bowl, use a handheld mixer to beat the sugar, cream cheese, sour cream, and vanilla until smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time, while continuing to beat the mixture on medium speed.
Unroll one of the pastry sheets and press it into the bottom of the prepared 9×13 baking dish. Seal the perforations with your fingers.
Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over the crust. Unroll the second can of dough onto a clean, lightly floured surface. Roll it out into a 9×13-inch rectangle, pinch the seams once again, and place it on top of the cheesecake layer.
Brush melted butter onto top of the dough, sprinkle evenly with cinnamon sugar and bake at 350°F for 30-35 minutes. Cool completely before slicing and serving.
Recipe Tips
- Spray the bottom of the baking dish with nonstick cooking spray; otherwise, it’ll be hard to remove the slices from the pan.
- If you prefer a larger filling-to-crust ratio, you can double the amount of filling.
- The tubes of crescent rolls come with perforations. These need to be sealed; otherwise, the filling will seep through.
- The top layer of crescent dough needs to be rolled out separately into a 9×13 rectangle because once it is put on top, there is no easy way to stretch it out to fit.
- Sopapilla cheesecake bars are done when the top is golden brown and the center no longer jiggles.
- For clean slices, it needs to be completely cooled first. Then, wipe the blade clean between each cut.
More cinnamon sugar desserts to try for Cinco de Mayo and beyond include homemade churros, arroz con leche and tres leches cake.
More Cheesecake Recipes
Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars
Video
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar , divided
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 packages cream cheese (8 ounces each) , softened
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 eggs , at room temperature
- 2 cans refrigerated crescent rolls (8 ounces each)
- ¼ cup unsalted butter , melted
optional: honey for serving
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare: Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13 casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray.
- Mix cinnamon and sugar: In a small bowl combine ½ cup granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Set aside.
- Make cheesecake batter: In a medium sized mixing bowl, add the remaining 1 cup of granulated sugar, 2 packages softened cream cheese, 1/2 cup sour cream, and 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla . Using a handheld mixer, beat the ingredients together until smooth. Add the 2 eggs one at a time, while continuing to beat the cream cheese mixture on medium speed until fully combined.
- Press crescent rolls into pan: Unroll one can of crescent rolls and press it into the bottom of your baking dish. Seal the seams of the dough.
- Spread batter over rolls: Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over the crescent roll layer.
- Add second can of rolls on top: Unroll the second can of crescent rolls on to a lightly floured countertop and gently seal all seams by pinching them together. Roll the dough into a 9×13 inch rectangle. Transfer to the baking dish, placing it on top of the cream cheese mixture.
- Top with melted butter and cinnamon/sugar: Brush the melted butter onto the top of the crescent roll dough, making sure you don’t have areas of pooling butter. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture evenly over the melted butter.
- Bake: Bake for 30-35 minutes. You will know it’s done when the center no longer jiggles when you lightly move the pan back and forth, and the top is golden brown.
- Cool and serve: Remove from the oven and cool completely on a cooling rack before serving (about an hour and a half). Drizzle each piece with honey as you serve it, if you choose.
Last step: Please leave a comment and rating after you make the recipe.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Alisha
My family loved them! The cheesecake was smooth and creamy with the added flavors of a traditional sopapilla. So good! – recipe tester
Sarah @IHeartNaptime
Thanks for making them Alisha!
Sharon
Delicious! Family favorite with Mexican food year around! I use the Crescent Sheets so don’t have to punch the seams.
Sarah @IHeartNaptime
So glad you enjoyed the sopapilla cheesecake bars Sharon!