Sopapilla Cheesecake Recipe

A creamy cheesecake filling that pairs with a slightly crunchy top from a mix of butter and cinnamon & sugar. Learn how to make a Sopapilla Cheesecake that everyone will rave over!

I am so in love with this Mexican Cheesecake recipe I don’t even know where to start.

I’ve been making a version of this easy Sopapilla Cheesecake recipe for years but with a layer of seedless raspberry jam, less cinnamon and no drizzled honey. It’s so perfectly simple yet such a treat that I can’t help but make it all the time.

I decided to tweak the recipe just a bit to transform it into that delicious Mexican dessert. I love making this recipe on Cinco de Mayo (also my Mom’s birthday, that lucky lady!)

What is sopapilla?

“Sopapilla” is a dessert that from New Mexico. It’s a fried dough that’s sprinkled with honey, cinnamon & sugar or powdered sugar. It’s light, airy and puffs slightly in the center. I make homemade sopapilla all the time! It’s so simple. Learn how to make it with this sopapilla recipe.

Adding a creamy cheesecake layer turns it into something even more special. I’ve had savory sopapilla, too! Both are delightful dishes. This article has some great information if you’d like to learn more.

This sopapilla cheesecake recipe combines the dough and toppings from sopapilla with a plain cheesecake layer for an entirely new and addictive dessert. It’s more like Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars than a traditional cheesecake. You could use a graham cracker crust and bake it in a springform pan if you want something more traditional. I use crescent roll dough for this recipe. It’s easy and fast, plus it’s the closest texture to traditional fried New Mexican sopapilla that I’ve found. 

Sopapilla Cheesecake Ingredient Notes

• Crescent rolls: Use Pillsbury or any brand that your prefer. If you can find the crescent roll dough sheets use through otherwise just crimp the perforated sheets together.
• Cream Cheese: Make sure the cheese is softened so it spreads easily.
• Toppings: Drizzle with honey, if desired. You can also add a fruit topping such as a fruit pie filling or fruit jam or sauce.

(Scroll down to the bottom for the printable recipe card with exact measurements and recipe instructions.)

How to Make Sopapilla Cheesecake

It’s super quick to make! The hardest part (no joke) is waiting for it to cool.

• Beat together softened cream cheese, sugar, eggs and vanilla until it’s smooth and creamy.
• Unroll a tube of crescent rolls and place it on the bottom of a 13×9 inch baking dish, crimping the seams together. This will be your easy crust! Then you’ll spread the sweet, creamy cream cheese mixture over the dough. Place the second tube of crescent rolls over the top.
• Now you’ll drizzle a mixture of melted butter, cinnamon and sugar over the top and bake it for about half an hour. The top will get slightly crunchy which is a nice texture contrast to the smooth cheesecake layer.
• Now for the hard part: let it come to room temperature, then pop it in the refrigerator until it firms up a bit. Drizzle it with honey, cut it into bars and watch it disappear in less time than it took you to make it.

Isn’t that always the way with amazing desserts? You might want to set aside a slice or two in the back of the fridge for after everyone goes to bed. (I have done this! 😂)

Storing Sopapilla Cheesecake

Once it’s cooled completely, place it in the refrigerator for a few hours, then cut it into bars. The bars can sit out for several hours if you’re serving them at a party. Any longer than that and they should be placed back in the refrigerator and will keep for up to 5 days.

This Sopapilla Cheesecake may not be as upscale as your typical cheesecake made with a springform pan and looking so perfectly round and smooth, but I promise you that the flavor will knock your socks off.

If you’re throwing a Cinco de Mayo party, Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars are a wonderful choice since it’s also perfect for feeding a crowd. Sometimes I’ll even make two full pans just to be sure I have enough. This Sopapilla Cheesecake recipe is perfect for parties because it’s best served at room temperature.

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Sopapilla Cheesecake

Yield: 20 squares

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

This mexican cheesecake recipe is a delcious combination of cream cheese between doughy layers of cinnamon and sugar. It's the perfect dessert for Cinco de Mayo, Taco Night or really any occasion, especially when you need an easy dessert recipe in a pinch.

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Ingredients

• 2 (8 ounce) tubes crescent rolls

For the filling:

• 3 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the topping:

• 1/2 cup butter, heated until just melted
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Toppings

• Drizzle with honey, if desired.

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Using a stand mixer, beat together all filling ingredients until smooth.
3. Unroll one tube of crescent rolls and place on the bottom of a 13x9 inch baking dish, crimping seams together. Spread cream cheese mixture over crescent roll dough. Unroll second tube of crescent rolls and place over cream cheese, pinching seams together.
4. Mix together melted butter, sugar and cinnamon. Pour over crescent rolls in baking dish and gently spread to cover completely.
5. Bake for 30 minutes or until browned and cooked through (butter topping should be almost "dry" when done). Remove from oven and allow cheesecake to come to room temperature (if you can wait that long)! Drizzle with honey and serve.

Notes

This cheescake is wonderful served at room temperature.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 20 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 245Total Fat: 17gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 58mgSodium: 159mgCarbohydrates: 22gFiber: 0gSugar: 20gProtein: 3g

This data was provided and calculated by Nutritionix.

More delicious cheesecake recipes:

• Mini Cheesecakes with Chocolate-Stuffed Raspberries
• Peppermint Cheesecake Bites
• Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes with Bourbon Pecan Caramel Sauce
• Grilled Pineapple No-Bake Cheesecakes
• Lemon Instant Pot Cheesecake
• Pumpkin Instant Pot Cheesecake with a Granola Crust

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Kristy Bernardo

Kristy Bernardo is the recipe creator behind The Wicked Noodle. She's a five-time cookbook author, has taught cooking classes to both kids and adults, and has been creating recipes for nationwide brands since 2009. She learned most of her cooking skills from her mom and grandmother, then honed those skills at boot camp at the Culinary Institute of America.

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