Surpass all dessert expectations with Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars -- the ever-popular, crowd-pleasing party dessert with a flaky crust, a buttery, cinnamon-sugar topping, and a thick, luscious center of smooth and creamy cheesecake filling.
These layered cheesecake bars can easily be whipped up, assembled, and baked with just a few simple steps!
In addition to a fail-proof dessert recipe perfect for entertaining, we'll also cover:
- Why you might prefer puff pastry to crescent rolls your Sopapilla Cheesecake.
- How to make an extra fluffy cream cheese filling!
- Helpful recipe tips.
- Plus, serving and storage tips!
Love cheesecake?! Add our easy Sour Cream Cheesecake to your baking lineup. Bookmark it for next time!
FROM SOPAPILLAS TO SOPAPILLA CHEESECAKE
Sopapillas are a New Mexican staple consisting of a pillowy soft dough that is fried, and then either smothered, stuffed, or best of all, dusted with cinnamon-sugar and a drizzle of honey.
You'll find them as a dessert option on just about any Mexican menu, but they are the perfect ending to any meal. Speaking of perfect endings, back to the Sopapilla Cheesecake.
These cheesecake bars are a souped-up take on the sopapilla, and they are everything your potluck dessert table could want and then some. You'll find it in a casserole dish, stacked with layers of crispy pastry, filled with a sweet and fluffy cream cheese center, and topped with that signature sopapilla happy-ending of cinnamon-sugar and a drizzle of honey.
For another delicious cheesecake recipe, be sure to try our Cherry Cheesecake next!
WHAT'S IN SOPAPILLA CHEESECAKE?
- Puff Pastry (or Crescent Rolls, if desired -- see substitution notes below)
- Cream Cheese
- Butter
- Sugar
- Vanilla
- Cinnamon
WHY PUFF PASTRY IS BETTER FOR SOPAPILLA CHEESECAKE
When it comes to Sopapilla Cheesecake, you can go one of two ways for the dough -- refrigerated puff pastry sheets or crescent rolls. Because one aspect of Sopapilla Cheesecake is a rich, decadently buttery topping dusted with cinnamon and sugar, puff pastry is absolutely the better choice of the two.
While most definitely buttery, the puff pastry sheets you'll find in the freezer section of your grocery store are not greasylike their crescent roll counterpart. Using puff pastry over crescent rolls will give your Sopapilla Cheesecake a light, crispy and flaky crust, without an overly saturated, oily feel to each bite.
If, however, you are a crescent roll romantic, you will find a crescent roll substitution in the "Notes" section of this recipe.
THAWING PUFF PASTRY
To thaw puff pastry, it is best to leave it in the refrigerator overnight, however, if you are in a time pinch, you could also set it out on the counter at room temperature for 30-45 minutes. If you are in a hurry, use crescent rolls -- they don't require any thawing.
ABOUT THE CHEESECAKE CENTER
The center of Sopapilla Cheesecake is a cheesecake lover's dream come true. Simple and easy to make, it consists of cream cheese, butter, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt.
The butter in the filling helps to create a smooth consistency and adds a note of richness.
Big fan of cheesecake? Try our Banana Pudding Cheesecake!
HOW TO MAKE SOPAPILLA CHEESECAKE
The absolute first thing you'll want to do before getting started with your Sopapilla Cheesecake is thaw the puff pastry. As mentioned above, if you anticipate not having time to thaw puff pastry, use crescent rolls instead. You will find instructions for this in the "Notes" section of the recipe card.
- Make the filling.
- Roll out the dough.
- Assemble the cheesecake.
- Add the topping.
- Bake and cool.
1. MAKE THE CHEESECAKE FILLING
For a light and fluffy cheesecake filling, you'll want to take the time to whip your ingredients into shape. A stand mixer or a handheld mixer will be necessary for this task.
Before you begin, make sure your butter and cream cheese are at room temperature and gives easily when poked with your finger.
You'll first mix the cream cheese, butter, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt and mix for about 3 minutes. This second go-round of mixing will help the filling to stay light and fluffy.
HOW TO SOFTEN CREAM CHEESE & BUTTER [QUICKLY]
Life happens, and sometimes, we forget the little things. If this is the case with your butter or cream cheese come the day of, you can always soften it a bit in the microwave.
I suggest doing this at 10-second intervals, turning the block over after each stint in the microwave. It will likely take a few turns before it is ready.
2. ROLL OUT THE DOUGH
Not much rolling will be required as the puff pastry sheets are already in the shape of your pan. You simply need to make the puff pastry the same size as your 9x13" pan. To do so, dust a work surface and rolling pin, and roll out the puff pastry sheets to fit.
3. PUT IT ALL TOGETHER
Once your first sheet of puff pastry is the right size, add it to the greased dish and top it with your cheesecake filling. Smooth over the top, and add your second sheet of puff pastry.
4. THE SOPAPILLA TOPPING
Now for the best part: The sopapilla portion of the recipe. To make the topping, you'll first combine sugar, cinnamon, and salt in small bowl. Then, melt down some butter and drizzle it over the top of your dish. Sprinkle the butter with the cinnamon-sugar mixture and it's time to bake.
5. BAKE AND COOL
Bake your Sopapilla Cheesecake in a preheated 350° oven for 35-40 minutes. You can tell your Sopapilla Cheesecake is close to being done when the edges of the pastry have risen a great deal and it takes on a golden-brown hue.
Once it has finished baking, you must allow the dish to cool before cutting into. Otherwise, your filling will not have time to set up and will likely ooze when cut. While still delicious, this is likely not the look you're going for.
STORAGE & SERVING TIPS FOR SOPAPILLA CHEESECAKE
Once your Sopapilla Cheesecake has cooled and set, it can safely sit out for an additional 2 hours at room temperature, which is great because Sopapilla Cheesecake should be served at room temp!
When completely cooled, feel free to drizzle the top with honey for an extra authentic touch. Cut into squares or narrow rectangles, serve, and enjoy!
If you're not ready to serve right away and you're making the Sopapilla Cheesecake in advance, you'll need to refrigerate it. Cream cheese based desserts should not be left out on the counter overnight. Your cheesecake will stay good for up to 3-4 days in the refrigerator.
6 MORE PARTY DESSERTS YOU’LL LOVE
- Texas Sheet Cake is based on everything the classic cake was meant to be: Super chocolatey, decadently moist and tender, and topped with gooey, fudgy icing.
- Snickerdoodle Bars are buttery and soft, with a top dressing of cinnamon-sugar. A guaranteed crowd-pleaser everyone will swoon for!
- Brownies with Strawberry Cream Cheese Icing feature perfect homemade brownies topped with a whipped strawberry cream cheese frosting and berries. Plus, the secret to a perfectly whipped cream cheese frosting!
- Reece’s No-Bake Peanut Butter Pie is a gorgeous, mile-high pie equipped with a creamy peanut butter filling, speckled with decadent bites of chopped Reece’s Peanut Butter Cups. The fluffy filling sits on top of an Oreo pie crust, and the whole shebang is finished with a cascade of dreamy whipped cream.
- Chocolate Coconut Bars feature melty chocolate and coconut mixed into an sweet and gooey filling, all sitting atop a buttery graham cracker crust.
- Snickerdoodle Cookies are super soft with big cinnamon flavor and a melt-in-your-mouth texture. This is the best Snickerdoodle recipe ever, and lucky for us, it’s easy to make, well-equipped with a simple list of ingredients and easy-to-follow directions.
- Perfect Chocolate Pound Cake is a perfectly moist pound cake with a tender crumb featuring two kinds of chocolate.
Perfect Sopapilla Cheesecake is easy to make and decadently delicious! Layers of flaky crust, a soft and fluffy cheesecake center, with a dusting of cinnamon-sugar on top!
- 1 package puff pastry, thawed
- 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature
- ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ¾ teaspoon cinnamon
- Pinch fine sea salt
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ teaspoon cinnamon
- Pinch fine sea salt
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted.
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Preheat the oven 350° and have ready a well-greased 9x13" pan.
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Add the cream cheese, a ½ cup (1 stick) butter, ¾ cup sugar, vanilla, ¾ teaspoon cinnamon, and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. If you do not have a stand mixer, use a handheld mixer and a large mixing bowl. Mix on medium-high speed for 3-4 minutes. Wipe down the sides of the bowl and mix until evenly incorporated. Set aside.
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Dust a work surface and rolling pin with flour. Roll out the first sheet of puff pastry to fit the pan and lay in the pan. Roll out the second sheet of puff pastry and set aside.
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Add the cream cheese filling to the pan and smooth over the top. Lay the second sheet of puff pastry over the top.
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In a small bowl, stir together ½ cup of sugar, ¾ teaspoon cinnamon, and a generous pinch of sea salt. Drizzle the melted 6 tablespoons of butter evenly over the top of the puff pastry, and top with the sugar mixture.
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Bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool 1-2 hours before cutting into.
Recipe Video
If you'd like to use crescent rolls instead of puff pastry, there are only 2 small adjustments you'll need to make:
- Use 2 (8 ounce) cans refrigerated crescent rolls instead of puff pastry sheets - there is no need to roll them out. Just stretch each roll to fit the pan. On the bottom layer, press to remove perforation marks and on the top, pinch the marks to seal.
- Bake 30-35 minutes instead of 35-40 minutes.
Kathleen Blumenthal says
Oh my. This is a beautiful dessert.
Thank you you’ve done it again.
Kelly Anthony says
Hi Kathleen! Thank you so much! 🙂 That is so kind!!!
Noelle says
How wonderful, I have never made a cheesecake like this but I am so excited to try this!
Jacqueline Meldrum says
This slices look amazing and remind me of the custard slices we have here. I bet they are heavenly. Saving this to my cheesecake board to try sometime.
Sharing!
ali randall says
You make this look so easy make. These bars look delicious and are the ideal dessert for spring and also for Cinco de Mayo. They look creamy and delicious!
Lisa says
Wow, I've never heard of Sopapillos before but they sound delicious! Anything topped with cinnamon and sugar is a winner, and topped on a cheesecake... even better!
Dannii says
Oh wow, this looks epic. Cheesecake is my main pregnancy craving at the moment, so I need to try this.
Leslie Jones says
I made this last weekend for my family. It is so much better with the puff pastry! Thanks for sharing this recipe.
Kushigalu says
These cheescake look amazingly delicious. i wish I could grab one. Yummm!
Sara Welch says
Wow! Love how easy and flavorful these are! So creamy and delicious!
Sylvie says
I don't think I had ever seen a cheesecake baked over puff pastry but I LOVE the idea!! It is the perfect combo of flakey, crunchy and creamy. Yum!!
Aimee Mars says
Ohmygoodness! I have ALL the ingredients to make this right now. Wow, this looks amazing!!
Kelly Anthony says
Thank you, Aimee!
Sara says
Oh my goodness, these are some of my favorite desserts! So much better than plain ol' cheesecake and surprisingly not too sweet like a chocolate cheesecake. yum yum yum!
Traci says
Girl, never even heard of this beautiful number but WOW! is it awesome! Crazy easy too! Thanks for another winner 🙂
Krissy Allori says
This is a whole new level of yummy. I have special memories of sopapilla's from childhood and this recipe takes them to new heights. Well done!
Patty at Spoonabilities says
This is a delicious recipe! I have never heard of a Sopapilla cheesecake before and cannot wait to try your recipe! Yum!
Patricia says
Should I blind bake the base?
Kelly Anthony says
No, that is not necessary 🙂
Ashton says
Served this for dessert for a group of friends, everyone loved it! I'm preparing to make it a second time and wondered if I could make this ahead by putting it all together the day before and then refrigerating until ready to bake the next day? Or would that mess with the texture of the puff pastry?
Vicky Applebaum says
Mine didn't look quite as beautiful as yours, but wow, is it ever delicious! My husband and daughter raved about it - thank you for sharing your recipe.
Kelly Anthony says
You are so welcome, Vicky! Thank YOU for your sweet comment!
Christina says
My top puff pastry puffed way up. How do I keep it down? What did I do wrong?
Kelly Anthony says
Hi Christina! The puff pastry will go down as it rests, but it might have also been the puff pastry wasn't thin enough. Did you roll it to fit the edges of a 9x13" pan?
Sooha Ahmad says
Can I line the pan with parchment paper for easy removal and cutting? I am planning to use puff pastry sheets.
Kelly Anthony says
Absolutely!
Janet V Ross says
I have made this for years. I brush butter on the bottom layer of crescent dough and sprinkle cinnamon sugar. Bake about 5 minutes. Follow your direction till you get to the top. Spread a can of cherry pie filling before you add the top crust. Finish as directed. We find this is good for a change up. I would think any canned pie filling would be good but cherry happens to be a favorite
Kelly Anthony says
That sounds delicious!!!!
Barbara A Kelly says
This was amazing, but my filling disappeared into the crust. I didn't get that nice cream cheese layer. I used frozen puff pastry, rolled it and trimmed it to fit my 9X13 pan. It did sink down when it cooled, but why did I not get a firm filling? The taste was there, but it was like the filling was absorbed by the pastry crust.
Kelly Anthony says
Hi Barbara! I really can't. I've not had that happen but will do a little experimenting. The egg should give the cream cheese enough structure to hold up under the pastry. Did you by chance forget the egg?
Teri says
Where in your recipe does it call for egg? How many if we need it?
Kelly Anthony says
No egg is necessary for this recipe 😉
Alisa says
Hi, native New Mexican here. Just to let you know, sopapillas aren’t dessert. They’re served with your meal and it’s up to you whether you want to add honey or not. I have never had them with cinnamon or sugar. They’re a very traditional bread.
Brittany says
Will be making this for the second time as a birthday cake. Was thinking about doubling the filling for a creamier dessert. Thoughts? The first time it was good, but we found it was more pastry than cheesecake.
Kelly Anthony says
I think you could get away with doubling the filling!
Lydia says
Can it be made ahead and refrigerated overnight? Trying to save a little prep time.
Kelly Anthony says
Solely because puff pastry can be so finicky, I probably wouldn't recommend it!
Wendy says
Wow the best recipe I have ever made through Pinterest. My kids and guests loved it. My son called and said mom this is the far best desert you’ve ever made please don’t loose the recipe . Everyone absolutely enjoyed it. It’s a keeper. Reminded us Porto’s danish that’s very popular.
Thank you for this delicious recipe.
Kelly Anthony says
You're welcome! Thank you, Wendy!
Rasheedah Austin says
Where is the egg for the cheese cake filling??? Never made cheese cake with out egg.
Kelly Anthony says
Hi Rasheedah! The cream cheese in this recipe is enough of a binder in and of itself. I've made it both ways, and found the egg is not necessary. Because there is not as much cream cheese in this recipe as there is in your standard cheesecake, the egg actually ends up giving it a very "eggy" taste. I promise, you will be fine without it 😉
Jen says
I have always made the crescent version and I will never ever go back....the puff pastry elevates this dessert to something really special. I took this to a food fest at work today and every single slice was gone in no time. Delish!!!!!! Such a keeper of a recipe!
Kamie Moore says
Yay! This is so great to hear, thank you!!!