Cheesecake Crescent Rolls

This post may contain affiliate links, read our disclosure policy.

Pinterest Hidden Image

Our popular cinnamon crescent cheesecake bars are a simplified version of the Mexican Sopapilla dessert. We’ve perfected the sweet cream cheese filling that’s sandwiched between layers of buttery, flaky crescent roll dough, which is baked to a crispy golden brown, brushed with butter, and topped with cinnamon and sugar. The result is a rich and delicious dessert that tastes like it took hours to make.

square cheesecake bars stacked on top of one another on a plate


 

Sopapilla Cheesecake Recipe

This easy recipe for cinnamon crescent roll cheesecake bars is one that will make pretty much everyone happy. It has the flavor of a rich cheesecake and the texture of a flaky cinnamon sugar pastry, with the ease and convenience of a dessert bar. Refrigerated crescent roll dough is the secret to this treat, giving it a delicious pastry crust with almost no effort required. It’s great for a party or potluck, or just for an easy dessert the entire family will love – and the leftovers are even better for breakfast the next day!

Why We Love Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars

  • It’s versatile – you can serve it for breakfast, dessert, parties and more.
  • The individual serving squares make it a perfect choice to feed a crowd, yet it’s more fun than a typical brownie or dessert bar.
  • Refrigerated crescent roll dough makes the crust preparation super quick and easy.
  • The creamy cheesecake center makes this a perfect sweet treat for fans of cheesecake or cheese danishes.
  • It uses just a few simple ingredients that are easy to keep on hand, so you can whip up a batch the next time you need a last-minute dessert.

Ingredients For Sopapilla Cheesecake Cheesecake Bars

Ingredients for crescent roll cheesecake bars
  • refrigerated crescent rolls
  • cream cheese (2 blocks, room temperature)
  • sugar
  • vanilla extract
  • melted butter
  • cinnamon
  • sugar

Crescent Roll Cheesecake Tools

  • baking pan
  • electric mixer
  • measuring cups
  • measuring spoons
  • pastry brush 
  • flat metal spatula or pie server

How to Make Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars

1. Make the Crescent Roll Bottom Layer

Crescent Roll Cheesecake Bars covered by another layer
  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9×13 pan with non-stick cooking spray. 
  • Roll out one package of crescent rolls and place it in the bottom of the pan.
  • Stretch out the crescent dough so it reaches the sides of the pan. Pinch the seams together to create a single pastry crust. 
  • Bake for 5-7 minutes then remove from the oven and allow to cool. (It will bake again later when the whole dessert is in the oven.)

2. Make Cream Cheese Filling

While the bottom crust is baking, prepare the cream cheese mixture. 

  • In a medium bowl, combine the cream cheese, vanilla, and sugar. Mix with an electric hand mixer on medium speed until creamy and smooth. 
  • Spread the cream cheese mixture over the bottom crescent roll layer and smooth out over the entire crust. 
  • Place remaining crescent dough on top of the cream cheese layer. Gently stretch crescent rolls to the edge of the pan and pinch seams together.
Another step of preparing Crescent Roll Cheesecake Bars is to place the mixture in tray

3. Add the Cheesecake Bar Topping and Bake!

Added cinnamon over Crescent Roll Cheesecake Bars
  • Using a pastry brush or the back of a spoon, spread the melted butter over the top of the crescent dough. 
  • In a small bowl, mix cinnamon and sugar together and sprinkle the mixture over the melted butter. Use a pastry brush or your hands to spread cinnamon sugar over top of the dough.
  • Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool completely before slicing. 
Freshly baked Crescent Roll Cheesecake Bars on a tray

Sopapilla Cheesecake Recipe Tips

  • These are best served at room temperature or cold. Be careful not to cut into them too early or the cream cheese layer may be too soft, and the squares may not hold their shape.
  • Make sure you use plenty of non-stick cooking spray, so your bottom crust layer doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.
  • Use a pie server to make these easier to remove from the pan – it’s narrow so it makes it easier to remove even the tricky first piece.

Crescent Roll Cream Cheese Dessert Variations

  • Try using a flavored cream cheese like strawberry or blueberry instead of plain.
  • Put a little bit of caramel, chocolate sauce, or a drizzle of honey over the cinnamon sugar on the top pastry layer.
  • Add some jam or pie filling on top of the cream cheese layer before putting on the top pastry layer.

Can I Use Low-Fat Cream Cheese?

Low-fat and nonfat cream cheese are not recommended for this recipe, as they won’t give you the same smooth and creamy texture that regular cream cheese will.

crescent dessert with cinnamon topping in white casserole dish

How to Serve Cheesecake Crescent Rolls

  • Serve them with coffee and fruit for a decadent breakfast – they taste like a cheese danish!
  • Drizzle with chocolate or caramel sauce and serve as a delicious dessert that’s similar to a cheesecake.
  • Bring them to a party or potluck as a fun alternative to a brownie.

How to Store Crescent Roll Cheesecake Bars

Allow them to cool to room temperature, then store them in the refrigerator. They should keep for about 3-4 days if covered or stored in an airtight container.

More like this Sopapilla Cheesecake Recipe

stacked crescent roll cheesecake bars
Balancing Motherhood Logo

Crescent Roll Cream Cheese Dessert (Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars)


Author Alicia
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 12 servings
Such a simple way to make a cinnamon cheesecake dessert using premade crescent roll dough.

Ingredients
  

  • 16 ounces refrigerator crescent rolls 2 – 8 ounce cans
  • 16 ounces cream cheese (2 blocks) room temperature
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 4 Tablespoons butter melted
  • 1 Tablespoon cinnamon
  • 3 Tablespoons sugar

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees
  • Spray a 9×13 pan with cooking spray.
  • Roll out one package crescent rolls and place in the bottom of the pan making sure to stretch it out and it reaches the sides of the pan. Pinch seams together to create one pastry.
    16 ounces refrigerator crescent rolls
  • Bake for 5-7 minutes until just baked. (it will bake more when the whole dessert is in the oven.)
  • While the bottom crust is baking, make the cream cheese mixture.
  • In a medium-sized mixing bowl of an electric mixer combine the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla and mix until creamy and smooth.
    16 ounces cream cheese, 1 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Once the bottom crust is baked, remove from oven and let cool.
  • Spread cream cheese mixture over top of the bottom crust. Smooth out over the entire crust.
  • Place remaining crescent rolls on top of the cream cheese layer. Pinch seams together and make crescent rolls go to the edge of the pan.
  • Using a pastry brush or the back of a spoon, spread the melted butter over the crust.
    4 Tablespoons butter
  • Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mixture. Use a pastry brush or your hands to spread cinnamon sugar over the entire top crust.
    1 Tablespoon cinnamon, 3 Tablespoons sugar
  • Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool completely before slicing.
  • This is best served room temperature or cold. If you cut into it too early, the cream cheese layer may be runny.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 376kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 48mg | Sodium: 446mg | Potassium: 55mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 626IU | Vitamin C: 0.02mg | Calcium: 45mg | Iron: 1mg

Did You Make This Recipe?

Don’t forget to share it with me on @thebalancingmom and follow on Tiktok @balancingmotherhood and Pinterest @thebalancingmom for more!

Categories:

, , ,
5 from 14 votes (11 ratings without comment)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

9 Comments

  1. Hi, do these need to be kept refrigerated after making or can they be held for a few days at room temp?

  2. 5 stars
    I make this recipe all the time. It’s delicious. I like that your recipe requires partial baking of the bottom layer crescent roll first.
    Have you every tried the “buttery flaky” crescent rolls with this recipe? I accidentally grabbed this flavor and wondering if the it would still turn out.

  3. We haven’t tried that kind of crescent (sounds delicious!).

  4. 5 stars
    Perfect!!! Take this to class at church and they love it!!!
    (I add two teaspoons of lemon extract to take it up a notch, but the recipe is perfect either way!!!)

  5. 5 stars
    Could you leave the cinnamon/sugar off the top for just ‘cheesecake’ bars??

  6. This sounds great. I’m curious if I can simply put berries on top of the mixture when I cook it. (no cinnamon) Would I lightly press the berries into the top of the cream chesse mixture or would I actually try folding them into the cream cheese mixture??
    I look forward to hearing from you

  7. Leaving the cinnamon off will be fine, but leaving the sugar off will leave these not as sweet.

  8. Hi Annette. I can’t say if adding berries would work — my guess would be that it would add too much moisture to the dessert and it wouldn’t bake properly. I think it would be fine to leave the cinnamon off and put fresh berries on top after it’s cooked.

More You'll Love