Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars are a quick and easy cheesecake dessert recipe with just six ingredients you can make in less than an hour that taste like a churro cheesecake!
We love easy cheesecake recipes (check out my amazing NY Cheesecake Recipe) and this easy cheesecake recipe won’t disappoint you. Top it with Easy Whipped Cream or Vanilla Ice Cream for the perfect weeknight dessert!
SOPAPILLA CHEESECAKE BARS
Sopapilla Cheesecake has a cult following for those who know about it but if you tell someone who has never tried it they won’t believe you about how simple this dish is. It does utilize a few shortcuts in the preparation process, but if you want an all natural version (that takes longer to make) check out my New York Style Sopapilla Cheesecake I made when I first started the blog. That is how far back the sopapilla love goes on Dinner, then Dessert.
If you’re looking for a chocolate option, you have to take a look at my Chocolate Hazelnut Cheesecake recipe, it is basically the ultimate, most indulgent chocolate cheesecake ever. Also, it’s probably the most beautiful cheesecake I’ve ever photographed (a picture of it hangs in my office).
What is Sopapilla Cheesecake?
Sopapilla (sometimes called sopaipilla or sopaipa or chachanga is a fried pastry/quick bread served in Spanish parts of the world. Some may find the flavors and texture similar to that of Bunuelos which are covered in cinnamon and sugar (like this cheesecake recipe). This recipe is also stuffed with a sweetened cream cheese mixture that makes the most delicious quick take on a few different desserts mixed together.
What does Sopapilla Cheesecake taste like? Part Bunuelos, part churro, part fried ice cream, part cheesecake, wholly delicious.
I highly recommend making this recipe (or the more impressive, homemade version linked above).
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How to Make Sopapilla Cheesecake:
- Spray a 9×13 baking pan with baking spray.
- Roll out a container of crescent sheet dough in the bottom of it and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar
- Evenly spread cheesecake mixture over dough.
- Roll out second sheet of crescent dough.
- Brush with butter and sprinkle with remaining cinnamon sugar and bake for 45 minutes.
What other flavors can be added to this Sopapilla Cheesecake Recipe:
- Fruit: We’ve used bananas that are sauteed in brown sugar and butter first or sliced strawberries.
- Extracts: Vanilla (2 teaspoons), Almond (½ teaspoon) or Coffee Extracts (½ teaspoon).
- Chocolate: Chocolate chips of any flavors, I prefer a semi-sweet or dark chocolate to stand up to the cinnamon flavors or a white chocolate to complement them (1 cup).
More Cheesecake Recipes:
- Oreo Cheesecake
- Ultimate Pumpkin Cheesecake
- Cheesecake Filled Pumpkin Bread Bars
- Gingerbread Cheesecake
Ingredients
- 32 ounces cream cheese , room temperature
- 2 1/2 cups white sugar , divided
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cans crescent sheets
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter , melted
Instructions
- Preheat an oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9x13 baking pan with baking spray.
- Whisk together the cream cheese, 1 ½ cups of sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth and in a second small bowl with together the remaining 1 cup of sugar and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon.
- Press the first sheet of crescent dough into the bottom of the baking pan and sprinkle ½ the cinnamon sugar over it.
- Spread the cream cheese mixture over the dough, then roll the second sheet of dough over the cream cheese mixture, brush with melted butter and sprinkle over the remaining cinnamon sugar.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes until golden brown.
Nutrition
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I’m thinking these would be amazing using puff pastry. Would it work?
Yum! Cut recipe in half. Shortened cooking time by 10 min. Used pilsbury crescent sheets. Round 10 inch pie dish.
Thanks for the feedback, Denise.
I needed a quick dessert for a dinner party the other night. It was a Mexican dinner. I made this and it was absolutely delicious and so easy to make. I’ve already given the recipe to three people.
This is a great and easy dessert! Yummy
Thanks for sharing the recipe, Polly! I’m glad to know it’s such a hit.
How long ahead can I prepare these? I’m hoping to make them and serve 2 days later. Will that work if I keep them refrigerated?
They will keep for up to a week if wrapped tightly in a baking dish kept in the refrigerator. Enjoy!
Question: can these be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated or will these get soggy?
I’m so sorry, I know your dessert need is long gone now. They would get both soggy and a little stale, I wouldn’t make this recipe too far ahead of time.
I made these for Cinco de Mayo and they were a HUGE hit! Word of caution though from someone who learned the hard way: DO NOT use generic crescent dough. It doesn’t hold together or stretch the same as Pillsbury, so you’ll need three cans to work the recipe into a 9×13. That being said, the recipe is FANTASTIC! Thank you 🙂
Good tip, thanks!
Do you serve it warm? Or chill it first?
Whatever you prefer. Enjoy!
This seems to be double the cream cheese and much less cinnamon as other similar recipes I have seen. This really takes 4 blocks of cream cheese?
Yes, you want a thick layer. Enjoy!
Can this be made in a circular cake pan? Want to make this for my daughters 1st birthday smash cake but just wanted to make sure it doesn’t affect it in any way to put it in a different kind of pan?
Yes, you can use 2 9 inch round bake pans instead of a 9×13. It may only take around 30-35 minutes of bake time too since it’s smaller. Keep an eye on it around the 30 minute mark.Enjoy!
Our family has been making this for YEARS. It’s seriously the BEST!!
So glad you love them too!
These bars are seriously amazing!! The perfect combination of cheesecake and churro for the best treat!
Thanks so much for the 5 stars.
These were delicious! I was so amazed at how it creates the different layers.
So glad you enjoyed them, Tara.
Does this need to be refrigerated?
Yes 🙂
Oh my word, these bars are incredible! They didn’t last very long when I made them 🙂
Haha, the same seems to happen in our house. So glad you enjoyed them.
I was looking for something that was just like this-light and delicious! These will be perfect for my sister’s baby shower tomorrow!
Perfect!