Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars

Rachel Perlmutter
Rachel PerlmutterCulinary Producer at The Kitchn
I went to college to study art history and journalism, and I spent a lot of my free time cooking and planning dinner parties. So after graduating I went to culinary school with the plan to combine my loves of communication and food. I dove into any experience I could find in my hometown of Houston, Texas –– teaching cooking classes, working in food nonprofits, developing recipes, and even farming. Eventually, I moved to New York to work as a recipe developer and food stylist, including at meal kit companies Marley Spoon and Dinnerly. In my free time, I continue my quest to perfect kolaches and breakfast tacos that taste like home. You’ll find me shopping at the farmers market, having elaborate picnics, or hosting dinner parties that start with crudité and end with a candy plate. Nothing makes me happier than helping create more enthusiastic home cooks — except perhaps a good salad. My favorite way to cook and eat is seasonally, locally, and sustainably. I want to give people the tools and access to do that, too!
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published Sep 24, 2023
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Close up, angled view of cheesecake squares on a marble surface, drizzled with honey.
Credit: Photo: Alex Lepe; Food Stylist: Rachel Perlmutter

Sandwiched between layers of buttery crescent rolls and topped with cinnamon sugar, these cheesecake bars are the make-ahead dessert of our dreams.

Serves12

Prep15 minutes

Cook31 minutes

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Front view of three pieces of cheesecake, stacked on each other on a white plate, drizzled with honey.
Credit: Photo: Alex Lepe; Food Stylist: Rachel Perlmutter

Sopapilla cheesecake takes its name from the popular Central and South American dish sopapilla, a fried quick-bread pastry that’s dusted with cinnamon sugar or drizzled with honey (or both!). But this easy-to-make dessert doesn’t contain real sopapillas and it isn’t really cheesecake. 

Here, two layers of buttery crescent dough sandwich a layer of creamy cheesecake filling. The whole thing gets brushed with butter and showered with cinnamon sugar before baking. You end up with a delicious, crackly topped dessert that tastes like the perfect combination of cheesecake and the crispy cinnamon-sugar sopapillas I ate at

Tex-Mex

What Is Sopapilla Cheesecake?

Sopapilla cheesecake is a cheesecake bar sandwiched between two layers of crescent dough and topped with butter, cinnamon, and sugar. The dish is based on sopapillas, a Central and South American fried dough dessert sweetened with a dusting of cinnamon sugar. For sopapilla cheesecake, the homemade dough is replaced with easy-to-use cans of premade crescent dough and a layer of creamy cheesecake filling in between.

Credit: Photo: Alex Lepe; Food Stylist: Rachel Perlmutter

Ingredients in Sopapilla Cheesecake

  • Crescent dough. Instead of making dough from scratch and frying it, you simply roll out two layers of store-bought crescent dough. 
  • Cheesecake filling. Make a quick cheesecake filling with softened cream cheese, eggs, vanilla, and sugar.
  • Butter. Melted butter is brushed generously over the top layer of crescent dough for a rich, golden crust.
  • Cinnamon sugar. Sprinkling cinnamon sugar all over the top before baking gives the cheesecake a crunchy, crackly top and the signature sopapilla flavor.
  • Honey. Drizzle honey on top at the end for an extra touch of sweetness.

How to Serve Sopapilla Cheesecake

You can serve sopapilla cheesecake warm, room temperature, or chilled depending on your preference. Even if you’re serving it warm, you should still let the bars rest for at least 15 minutes before serving so the cheesecake can set.

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Sopapilla Cheesecake Recipe

Sandwiched between layers of buttery crescent rolls and topped with cinnamon sugar, these cheesecake bars are the make-ahead dessert of our dreams.

Prep time 15 minutes

Cook time 31 minutes

Serves 12

Nutritional Info

Ingredients

  • 24 ounces

    cream cheese

  • 3

    large eggs

  • Cooking spray

  • 1 cup

    plus 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons

    vanilla extract

  • 1/2 teaspoon

    kosher salt

  • 2 (8-inch) tubes

    refrigerated crescent roll dough

  • 2 tablespoons

    all-purpose flour

  • 4 tablespoons

    (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

  • 1 teaspoon

    ground cinnamon

  • 3 tablespoons

    honey

Instructions

  1. Place 24 ounces cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer (or large bowl if using an electric hand mixer). Place 3 large eggs on the counter. Let both sit until room temperature.

  2. Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 350ºF. Coat a 9x13-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.

  3. Beat the cream cheese with the whisk attachment on high speed until smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the bowl as needed. Add the eggs, 1 cup of the granulated sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Beat until smooth and combined, about 1 minute.

  4. Carefully unroll 1 tube of the crescent roll dough and gently stretch into the bottom of the baking dish. Pinch the perforated seams together to seal completely. Dollop the cheesecake filling over the dough and spread into an even layer.

  5. Lightly dust a work surface with 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour. Unroll the remaining tube of crescent roll dough on the work surface. Using a rolling pin, roll out to smooth the seams into a rectangle slightly larger than the baking dish. Place over the filling. (It’s okay if the dough doesn’t quite reach the edge of the filling.) Refrigerate for 5 minutes.

  6. Meanwhile, cut 4 tablespoons unsalted butter into small cubes and place in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring in between each, until the butter is melted, 30 to 60 seconds total. (Alternatively, heat the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.) Place the remaining 3 tablespoons granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon in a small bowl and stir to combine.

  7. Brush the top layer of crescent dough all over with the melted butter, then sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar.

  8. Bake until the crescent dough is puffed and golden brown and the center is nearly set when you jiggle the pan, about 30 minutes.

  9. Place the baking dish on a wire rack and let cool for at least 1 hour. Drizzle with 3 tablespoons honey. Serve at room temperature or refrigerate until chilled to serve cold.

Recipe Notes

Make ahead: The cheesecake can be made 1 day ahead, cooled, and refrigerated in the baking dish. Drizzle with the honey right before serving.

Storage: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Filed in:
Dessert
Latin American
vegetarian
dairy
quick
baked goods