Learn to make a Delicious Sopapilla Cheesecake with just a few simple steps!
I first tasted sopapilla cheesecake at a Tex-Mex restaurant in Wisconsin. Yep, you read that right—Wisconsin, my home state. You’d think cheese curds and brats would be on the menu (and they probably were), but this sweet little gem caught me by surprise.
At the time, I wasn’t much of a cheesecake fan. Something about the dense creaminess didn’t jive with my taste buds. But this? Well, this was different. The flaky layers of dough and buttery cinnamon-sugar topping baked into the caramelized crust were too tempting. I just had to try it. Plus, my buddy was buying, so it wasn’t like I’d lose my shirt on this meal. One bite, and I was hooked.
So, what is sopapilla cheesecake? Like most American recipes, it’s a fusion. However, if I had to narrow it down, it seems to blend Mexican and Southwestern cuisine. Part churro and part cheesecake, this dessert is like a Mexican-inspired Danish. Whatever the origins, all I know is that I love it.
If you judge this dessert solely by the pics, you’d think sopapilla cheesecake is difficult to make. Actually, the opposite is true. As someone who considers himself more of a cook than a baker, I have to say—I didn’t pull hair or yell any, shall we say, colorful metaphors while baking this dish.
Even better, I had everything I needed on hand except for the crescent roll dough. Luckily, sopapilla cheesecake requires only a handful of ingredients: cream cheese, butter, sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon. And boy, even if you mess up the recipe or spill some sugar all over your already sticky floor (true story), who cares? The smell wafting through your kitchen while this dessert bakes is totally worth the price of admission.
Is This Sopapilla Cheesecake Healthy?
Sopapilla cheesecake won’t win any “health food” awards, but it’s also not pretending to. It’s an indulgence, and a glorious one at that. That said, we’re not going too crazy here. After all, traditional sopapilla cheesecake uses regular cream cheese, and I opt for the low-fat stuff. Feel free to do the same for the crescent rolls—I’m pretty sure Pillsbury has a low-fat option. You could also substitute the sugar with monk fruit, which is probably the best alternative sweetener for this dessert. Personally, I’d just leave the recipe as is, but you do you!
How To Make A Good Dessert Great
If you make this dessert as is, I doubt your guests will complain. Though, I’m of the mind that there’s always something you can add or tweak to a recipe. Don’t worry—my suggestions are super simple. For example, I like to drizzle honey over the cheesecake right before serving. It adds a touch of sweetness that is so delicious with the flaky crust.
I’m also a huge fan of heat, even in my desserts. A pinch of chili powder or cayenne mixed into the cinnamon-sugar definitely adds a wow factor. I love the sweet and spicy punch, and so do my guests! Well, most of them. Have the milk ready!
How To Make Ahead And Store?
For this dessert, I generally assemble it 1 day ahead and store it in my fridge (covered). It’s one less thing to worry about when I’m making dinner for friends and fam! When I’m ready to bake, I just pop it in the oven.
Sopapilla cheesecake also stores beautifully, so leftovers won’t go to waste. However, after 4 days, the texture and taste aren’t the greatest—enjoy before then!
Serving Suggestions
This sopapilla cheesecake pairs perfectly with other Tex-Mex and Southwest-inspired favorites. Start with Healthy Tacos for the main course—they’re light yet flavorful and won’t weigh you down before dessert! Add a refreshing Mango-Avocado Salsa for a sweet and zesty side, or whip up one of my personal fusion faves—a batch of crispy Southwest Egg Rolls!
I also like making definitive crowd-pleasers like a 7-layer Taco Dip. Whether it’s taco night or a weekend get-together, this spread, finished with a slice of sopapilla cheesecake, sounds like a perfect evening to me!
Ingredients
- 2 cans crescent rolls
- 2 sticks low-fat cream cheese (8 ounces each), room temperature
- 1 cup white sugar divided
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup butter melted
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish, and heat your oven to 350°F.
- Lay one of the crescent roll sheets out in the baking dish. (If you are using a smaller dish, then just cut the sheet to the right size.)
- Blend the cream cheese, ¾ cup of sugar, and vanilla with an electric hand mixer until smooth. Spoon the mixture onto the sheet and spread it out to cover the whole dish evenly.
- Roll out the other roll of crescent dough and gently place it on top of the cream cheese mixture. Pour the melted butter over the dough. Mix the remaining sugar and cinnamon together and sprinkle this on top.
- Pop it into the heated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, until it is bubbly and the top is beautifully browned. Then, allow it to cool.
Nutrition Info:
Nutrition information are estimates only and may vary based on the specific brands, ingredients, and portion sizes you use. This data is provided for informational purposes only.
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