This Sopapilla Cheesecake recipe is the perfect combination of New-Mexican sopapillas, churros, and cheesecake in one! Sweetened cream cheese between layers of cinnamon-sugar crust is to die for in this easy dessert, great for potlucks!
I love sweet treats with cream cheese, and one of the dearest to me is this easy sopapilla cheesecake dessert with crescent rolls, rich with cream cheese. So here’s a recipe for all those who don’t like chocolate Enjoy!
What is Sopapilla?
Sopapillas (pronounced soh-pahy-pee-uhz) comes from the Spanish word “sopaipa,” translated to English, means “bread soaked in oil.” They are a type of fried puffed pastry; sort of a cross between a French beignet (but no yeast) and Indian fry bread, so they are light and flaky. They can be served either sweet, usually with honey, or savory stuffed with beef, like a tamale.
Recipe Variations
Crescent rolls: if your grocery store carries the crescent roll dough sheets, definitely use those. If you can only find the perforated ones, that’s totally fine. Just pinch the seams together to seal completely.
Halve the recipe: you can easily cut all the ingredients in half and bake in an 8×8 pan, if needed.
Add some fruit topping: a delicious variation is adding a thin layer of cherry or apple pie filling or raspberry sauce on top of the cream cheese layer, before you put the top crust on. So good!
Don’t skip the honey: the honey (and cinnamon-sugar) are what give this dessert elevated flavor, which makes it so amazing – if possible, don’t skip it!
This sopapilla cheesecake is easy to make, smells great while cooking, and tastes wonderful! I take this to potluck dinners, and it always gets rave reviews!
How to Store Sopapilla Cheesecake?
Store in the fridge: You can enjoy this dessert warm or cold, but once cooled, it does need to be stored in the refrigerator. Any leftovers should be covered tightly and eaten within 3 days. Note: the longer it chills, the top will lose its crispness.
Can you freeze Sopapilla Cheesecake? Yep! Let the bars cool completely, then place them in a freezer-safe plastic bag and freeze for up to 2 months. When ready to serve, take them out of the freezer bag, place them on a plate, and defrost in the fridge.
To rewarm: place bars on a plate in the microwave at 50% power for 5-10 seconds, if desired.
Ingredients
2 (8oz.) packs of Pillsbury crescent rolls
2 (8oz.) packs of cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup butter (melted)
1 tablespoon cinnamon
4 tablespoons sugar
* Honey
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Spray 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray.
Press a can of the crescent rolls to the bottom of the dish, making sure to reach edges and keep together.
* bake the first layer of crescent roll dough till just done maybe 5-8 minutes. (Optional, that way I make sure it is done. I don’t like raw dough)
Combine softened cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla.
Spread mixture over crescent rolls.
Roll the remaining crescent roll over the top and stretch to the edges and seal.
Brush across the entire top of the crescent roll with the melted butter.
Sprinkle the top with 1 tablespoon cinnamon and 4 tablespoons of sugar
Bake for about 30 minutes, or until golden brown.
Eat warm (it will be a hot mess!) or let cool and chill for several hours before serving.
Slice into triangles or squares, drizzle with a little honey if you like and serve.
Adapted from sugarapron.com
