Easy Churro Cheesecake Bars
The amazing cinnamon sugar topping on these Churro Cheesecake bars reminds me of an elephant ear on a cheesecake.
Also known as Cinnamon Cream Cheese Bars, this dessert recipe is so easy to make at home with crescent roll dough and has a layer of cream cheese for extra goodness!
Churro Cheesecake Recipe
Imagine a flaky crescent roll crust with a perfect combination of cinnamon and sugar then filled with a rich cream cheese mixture. Whether you’re imagining or eating these Churro Cheesecake bars this is a dessert recipe that leaves you and your guests wanting more!
One bite and you’ll know why these are trending on TikTok as the Churro Cheesecake recipe to make. My neighbor says the recipe is so simple that her kindergartner has it memorized!
We love how sprinkling cinnamon sugar evenly over melted butter and crescent dough really makes the magic happen in this recipe. Pop this combination in the oven to make a unique dessert that is a hit at every get-together. Or skip the top layer of butter for another more crunchy variation.
Also called Sopapilla Cheesecake, Cinnamon Cream Cheese Bars, Cream Cheese Squares and Mexican Cheesecake this is one of those recipes that is perfect for a potluck or holiday meal. These bars are easy to make, will be different from the other desserts and people always devour them!
Some other unique yet crave-worthy recipes we have for potlucks are Pineapple Pretzel Salad, Banana Split Cake, Cheery Cheesecake, and Marshmallow Brownies.
What is Churro Cheesecake Made Of?
- Crescent roll dough – Pillsbury is most popular, but we find the store brand works fine too.
- Cream cheese – we do prefer the name brand Philadelphia cream cheese if it fits in the budget and the quality is excellent.
- Granulated sugar – helps transform the cream cheese into a cheesecake.
- Vanilla – enhances the flavors of all the other ingredients.
- Cinnamon – the flavor that makes these cream cheese bars unique and better than a plain cheesecake
- Butter – adds another rich and enjoyable flavor, but is optional depending on the type of top finish that you desire
Cinnamon Cream Cheese Bars
Semi-homemade recipes are some of our favorites! We don’t want to spend hours in the kitchen, and this easy recipe is perfect since it only take a few minutes to make.
This cream cheese dessert with a taste of cinnamon and sugar is very convenient to make with refrigerated crescent dough. Crescent rolls work well or the sheets of Pillsbury crescent dough work great too! The sheets fit very well in a 9 x 13 inch baking pan.
We’ve had some debate about whether these cream cheese bars are more of a dessert sandwich or bar cookie. Whatever you call it I bet you love the taste. They’re so good we recently made a chocolate version called Chocolate Cream Cheese Crescent Bars and have this Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bars.
Step By Step Instructions
- Spread one package of crescent roll dough in an ungreased 9 x 13 pan.
- Beat filling ingredients – cream cheese, sugar and vanilla. Spread mixture over rolls.
- Spread second package of crescent rolls across top of the cream cheese mixture.
- Melt butter and spread evenly over the top.
- Mix cinnamon and 1/4 cup of sugar and sprinkle over top.
- Bake at 350° for 25 – 30 minutes until lightly browned.
- Cool completely before cutting. Serve at room temperature or chilled.
Tips for Making Cream Cheese Dessert Bars
- Let cream cheese soften so it’s easier to mix and spread
- Sheets of crescent dough can be easier to work with than sheets that are perforated for rolls
- When pouring butter over the top be sure it’s spread evenly, we use a basting brush to spread the melted butter around
- Ensure there are no pools of butter, keep spreading it out if butter puddles exist – this will make a more uniform looking top crust
- Butter may be omitted for more of a churro type texture and another delicious option
- Sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture with your fingers evenly across the melted butter
- Store extra bars in an air tight dish or bag in the refrigerator
How to Make Churro Cheesecake Bars
Begin by unrolling one package of crescent roll dough in the bottom of a 9×13 inch pan.
If seams in the dough pull apart gently press them back together to avoid leaving any gaps.
In a mixing bowl beat softened cream cheese, then mix in sugar and vanilla.
Next spread cream cheese layer over crescent roll dough.
Unroll second package of crescent roll dough over top of the cream cheese filling.
Pour melted butter as evenly over top as possible. Use a pastry brush to help spread around if necessary.
Mix together cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle evenly over top. Use pastry brush to help mix butter and sugar mixture if necessary.
Bake in a 350°F for 25 – 30 minutes. I usually check to see how the dessert is baking about 20 minutes. When the top is evenly and lightly browned the cream cheese bars are done.
Allow to cool just a bit so the cream cheese can set up. A cleaner cut is easier to make after the dish cools.
Warm bars will be soft and will not cut as cleanly, but they all taste delicious!
We have done taste tests with friends and the recipe is equally popular warm, room temperature or chilled. So any way you eat these crescent roll cream cheese bars you’re sure to have a winner!
Other Easy Dessert Recipes:
- Mini Cheesecake Dessert Bars
- Magic Cookie Bars
- Chocolate Delight
- Candy Land Dessert
- Peanut Butter Texas Sheet Cake
- The Best Rich & Moist Chocolate Cake
Click HERE to sign-up for our weekly newsletter to get more easy and delicious recipes!
Churro Cheesecake Bars
Ingredients
- 2 packages crescent rolls
Filling
- 2 – 8 ounce packages of cream cheese
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Topping
- 1 stick butter
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/4 cup sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread one package of crescent roll dough across an ungreased 9 x 13 pan.2 packages crescent rolls
- Beat two packages of cream cheese with one cup of sugar and 1 teaspoon of vanilla. Spread mixture over rolls.2 – 8 ounce packages of cream cheese, 1 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Spread out second package of crescent rolls and lay on top of the cream cheese mixture.
- Melt butter and spread evenly over the top.1 stick butter
- Mix cinnamon and 1/4 cup of sugar and sprinkle over top.1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1/4 cup sugar
- Bake at 350° for 25 – 30 minutes until lightly browned.
- Cool completely before cutting. Serve at room temperature or chilled. Store extras in the refrigerator.
Video
Notes
- Let cream cheese soften so it’s easier to mix and spread
- Sheets of crescent dough
- When pouring butter over the top be sure it’s spread evenly, we use a basting brush to spread the melted butter around
- Ensure there are no pools of butter, keep spreading it out if butter puddles exist – this will make a more uniform looking top crust
- Sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture with your fingers evenly across the melted butter
- Store extras in the refrigerator
Did you make this recipe?
Follow PlowingThroughLife on Instagram and Pinterest for more! And don’t forget to leave your thoughts below.
Rate This Recipe Pin This RecipeShared Weekend Potluck and Meal Plan Monday
Originally posted on November 14, 2019 with updates made on February 7, 2023.
I put some drain pineapple in the mix tooI
That sounds great! I want to try making a lemon flavored version too!
Sopapilla cheesecake! This is a church social favorite and so easy to make.
Where do you find the printed recipe?
Thanks for asking! At the bottom of the page is a printable recipe. I hope you love this recipe!
I’m going to try this with Splenda and coconut!
That variation sounds delicious! I hope it turns out great for you!
I used monk Fruit sweetener and light cream cheese. The taste was as good as the original.
Horrible baker here. Why didn’t one package of crescent rolls fit in my 9×13? Are there two different sizes? ♀️
can I freeze them?
Great question! We haven’t tested freezing them yet, but I love the idea. I’m also curious how the baked crescent dough would hold up in the freezing and thawing process. Please let me know if you test this and I’ll let you know when we test freezing! Thanks!
Mmmm! Such a yummy and easy treat. They’re perfect for Cinco de Mayo.
Thanks so much! We enjoy them all year around!
These look amazing! Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Thanks so much! We hope you enjoy the recipe as much as we do!
This is a great recipe try making a chocolate version soon
Thanks so much! I’ve added trying out a chocolate version to my list. Great idea!
So bummed. Baked for additional 20 min but my top layer of dough still is not cooked in the middle. 🙁
So sorry to hear this! We love making these and haven’t had this trouble. Thanks for giving the recipe a try.
I didn’t have Crescent rolls so used Biscuits and flattened then and covered it just like it said. Oh my gosh! I may make this once a week. It was so easy and so good!
So glad to hear this! Great idea to make due when grocery supplies are limited. Thanks so much for trying the recipe and sharing this great report!
Love love love this recipe. It was easy and delish.
Does refrigerating affect the crispness of the crescents? I’ve made these before and loved them, but due to time constraints, had to cut them before completely cool (which as you know is really messy).
I was thinking about making them the night before and refrigerating overnight, and then cutting before serving,but I worry a bit about the change in texture.
Hey There! I haven’t tested this, but I have friends who have and they told me it worked really well. Hope you love this recipe as much as we do!
So Yummy! I halved the recipe and used an 8×8 glass pan. It turned out wonderfully. This will be my contribution to the next teacher potluck lunch. Thanks so much for the recipe.
So glad to hear this! Thanks so much for sharing!!
Would light cream cheese work as well?
Hey There! I haven’t tested light cream cheese yet, but I think it should work okay. Will you please let me know if you give it a try? Thanks!
I used light cream cheese and it turned out wonderfully.
This looks delicious, thank you for sharing!
Made these for my husband and teen sons. Super easy and delicious! Will definitely make again. I started watching them after 20 min to make sure not to burn or over bake. I ended up pulling them around 28 min.
Easy to make. Recipe was good but both me and my husband thought it needed one more note of flavor.
I don’t know if this is a dumb question or not, Im no good in the kitchen lol but the butter is that salted butter or unsalted?
Good question! Unsalted is best, but I’ve used both kinds and I don’t think it makes a big difference. Hope you love the recipe as much as we do!
How long will these last in the refrigerator?
They taste best eaten in the first 2 to 3 days.
Had a great time making these with my 4 year old grandson today! They were so fun, easy, and delicious!
I’ve made this several times but today was my first using the crescent sheet as opposed to the rolls. There seems to be a lot of butter left puddled at the top and the top crust is inconsistent in doneness as a result. I will go back to using the rolls with the slits or else slit the sheet if that’s all I have.
On another note, I love to replace the vanilla with whiskey. Revel Stoke Pecan Whiskey is AMAZING 🙂