Delicious Sopapilla Cheesecake

When I choose recipes for blog posts, I like to choose those that are tried and true. However, this last weekend, I took a little risk that paid off with delicious rewards.

We had a family reunion, and my aunt asked me if I would bring the dessert. Well, I could never bring a dessert, so instead, I brought four. We had food catered by a local Mexican Restaurant, the Supermercado La Bendicion in Palmetto, Georgia. Their cuisine was outstanding. However, while their food was perfect, the pressure was on to make the perfect desserts.

Our friends Dave and Julie had recently made a sopapilla cheesecake while we were visiting one evening. I had written down Dave’s recipe, and the reunion was the perfect event to try my hand at it. The cheesecake did not disappoint. I picked the sopapilla cheesecake because it fit the theme of the reunion. However, I also brought my Cool and Simple Key Lime Pie, Gourmet Brownies from a Box, and a crowd favorite, Rice Krispie treats. What I didn’t realize is that the real favorite of the desserts was the sopapilla cheesecake.

What’s a Sopapilla?

A sopapilla is a dessert with Spanish origins. You can usually find it on any dessert menu at Mexican restaurants across North America. Traditionally, sopapillas consist of fried pastry dough that is cut and shaped like triangles. When fried, the pastries puff up and are then covered with a cinnamon-sugar and honey mixture.

Why Cheesecake?

Why not? Since Greeks are responsible for cheesecake, why not have a completely cultural dish by combining both the sopapilla and cheesecake. The addition of cheesecake to traditional sopapillas is very common in South American countries.  

I want to share this quick and easy dessert with you. Although the recipe is traditionally cut into bars, it can be served as a pie as well. When baking, I always use Vietnamese cinnamon, which is very strong. With a milder blend of the spice, you may need to add more than what the recipe requires.

Easy Sopapilla Cheesecake

2 packages of crescent rolls

24 ounces of cream cheese

2 cups of sugar (divided into 1-1/2 and 1/2 cups)

1/2 cup of butter, melted

1/4 cup of cinnamon

2 teaspoons of vanilla

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Open one tube of crescent rolls and spread them over an ungreased 9×13 pan.

Using a mixer, combine the cream cheese and 1-1/2 cups of sugar.

Add the vanilla and blend well.

Spread the cream cheese mixture over the crescent rolls.

Open the second tube of crescent rolls and cover the top of the cream cheese mixture. You may need to trim excess pastry dough if it does not fit perfectly.

In a mixing bowl, combine ½ cup of sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter.

Pour the mixture over the crescent rolls and spread evenly.

Bake for one hour, checking at the 45-minute mark.

Serve the cheesecake warm or let it sit for a few hours so that the cheesecake becomes firm.

The Verdict

Well, I can say that I didn’t bring any cheesecake back home from the reunion. It was my biggest hit that day. I will definitely make the recipe again. It can be served for breakfast (as a Danish), as dessert, or just because. Regardless, the sopapilla cheesecake is delicious, and it will be a crowd favorite. I hope you love it as much as we do!

Are you interested in making the sopapilla cheesecake? We would love to hear from you! Please drop us a line in the comment section below.  

Want more simple and delicious dessert recipes? Check out Key Lime Pie and Gourmet Brownies From a Box!