Cinco de Mayo Sopapilla Cheesecake (Printable)

Flaky crescent dough layered with creamy cheesecake and cinnamon-sugar—festive bars for Cinco de Mayo gatherings.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dough

01 - 2 cans (8 oz each) refrigerated crescent roll dough

→ Cream cheese filling

02 - 16 oz cream cheese, softened
03 - 1 cup granulated sugar
04 - 1.5 tsp vanilla extract

→ Topping

05 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
06 - 1/3 cup granulated sugar
07 - 1.5 tsp ground cinnamon

# How To Make:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking pan.
02 - Unroll one can of crescent dough and press it evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan to form a single, continuous layer.
03 - In a medium bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with 1 cup granulated sugar and vanilla extract until smooth and fluffy, scraping the bowl as needed.
04 - Evenly spread the cream cheese mixture over the dough layer, smoothing to the edges.
05 - Unroll the second can of crescent dough and gently place it atop the cream cheese layer, pressing seams to cover the filling as completely as possible.
06 - Pour the melted butter over the top dough layer and spread it evenly with a spatula or back of a spoon.
07 - Combine 1/3 cup granulated sugar with 1.5 tsp ground cinnamon and sprinkle the mixture evenly over the buttered surface.
08 - Bake for 28–32 minutes, or until the top is golden and the center is set. Rotate the pan halfway through if your oven bakes unevenly.
09 - Remove from the oven and allow to cool at least 30 minutes before slicing into 12 bars. Serve warm or chilled; refrigerate leftovers.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • No fancy equipment needed, just a few simple steps and you’re already halfway to a melt-in-your-mouth treat.
  • They’re ridiculously good both warm and chilled, and they seem to disappear fast at any party.
02 -
  • If the cream cheese isn’t totally soft, the filling will turn out lumpy and never fully blend—wait that extra few minutes.
  • Lining the pan with parchment makes cleanup a dream and helps lift the bars out neatly, which I stumbled on by accident one busy Saturday.
03 -
  • Don’t skimp on the cinnamon sugar topping—that crisp crust is everyone’s favorite part.
  • For extra bakery-style magic, chill the baked bars before slicing and use a long, sharp knife wiped clean between cuts.
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