Last updated: August 18, 2026
Churro cheesecake takes the crackly cinnamon-sugar coating of a fried churro and wraps it around a creamy, tangy cheesecake filling, all baked into easy hand-held bars. You will find the full recipe card below with exact measurements and steps, but first, here is everything you need to know to make this dessert turn out right every time.
What Makes This Churro Cheesecake Different
This recipe uses two cans of refrigerated crescent roll dough as the top and bottom crust, which means you get the same golden, flaky, cinnamon-crusted exterior as a churro without having to pipe or fry anything.
Between those two layers sits a filling made from full-fat cream cheese, granulated sugar, egg, and vanilla extract, beaten until smooth and completely lump-free.
The whole thing gets a heavy dusting of cinnamon sugar on top before baking, which caramelizes into that signature churro crust as the bars cook.
Choosing and Prepping Your Ingredients
Use block-style full-fat cream cheese, such as Philadelphia, rather than the whipped tub kind, since whipped cream cheese holds too much air and will make the filling loose instead of dense and sliceable.
Let the cream cheese sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before mixing, because cold cream cheese will not fully smooth out even with an electric mixer and will leave small lumps in the finished bars.
For the crescent dough, Pillsbury’s original crescent roll sheets work best here because they come without perforations, so you are not stuck pressing seams together in the pan.
If you can only find the perforated crescent rolls, simply pinch the seams closed firmly with your fingers once the dough is in the pan.
Building the Layers in the Pan
Grease a 9×13 inch baking dish and unroll the first can of crescent dough directly into the bottom, pressing it into an even layer that covers the entire base of the pan.
Pour the cream cheese filling over the dough and use an offset spatula to spread it into a smooth, even layer all the way to the edges.
Unroll the second can of dough on a piece of parchment paper first, then flip it on top of the filling, since laying it directly from the can tends to tear the thin sheet and expose the filling underneath.
Press the top layer gently into place, and do not worry if it is not perfectly smooth, since the cinnamon sugar topping will hide small imperfections.
Getting the Cinnamon Sugar Topping Right
Brush the top layer of dough lightly with melted butter before adding the topping, since the butter is what helps the cinnamon sugar cling and caramelize rather than sitting loose on the surface.
Mix your cinnamon and sugar at a ratio of about one tablespoon of ground cinnamon to a half cup of granulated sugar, which mirrors the coating used on classic Mexican churros.
Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the buttered dough, covering every corner, since bare spots will bake up pale instead of golden and spiced.
Baking and Cooling
Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 to 35 minutes, until the top is deep golden brown and the center no longer jiggles when you gently shake the pan.
The bars will look slightly puffed straight out of the oven, and that is normal, since they settle back down as they cool.
Cool the pan on a wire rack for at least one hour at room temperature before moving it to the refrigerator for a minimum of two hours, since cutting the bars while the filling is warm will cause the cream cheese layer to ooze out instead of holding its shape.
Cutting and Serving
Use a sharp knife wiped clean between cuts to get neat squares, and cut the bars smaller than you think you need, since this dessert is rich enough that a two-inch square is a full serving.
Warm bars taste more like a fresh churro, while chilled bars taste closer to a true cheesecake, so serve however matches what you are craving.
A drizzle of dulce de leche or a light dusting of extra cinnamon sugar right before serving makes these feel more finished for a party table.
Variations and Substitutions
Swap half of the vanilla extract for almond extract if you want a bakery-style flavor note underneath the cinnamon.
For a chocolate version, add two tablespoons of cocoa powder to the cinnamon sugar topping, which gives you a Mexican hot chocolate style finish.
If you are out of crescent roll sheets, crescent roll dough with the triangles pressed together into one flat piece works just as well, as long as you seal every seam.
Storage Tips
Store leftover churro cheesecake bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days, since the cream cheese filling needs to stay cold.
These bars also freeze well for up to two months if you wrap individual squares tightly in plastic wrap before placing them in a freezer bag, and they thaw at room temperature in about an hour.
The Origin of Churro Cheesecake
Churro cheesecake is a modern mashup dessert that grew out of the same American home-baking trend that gave us crescent roll based bars like sopapilla cheesecake, which this recipe is closely related to.
Churros themselves trace back to Spanish and Latin American frying traditions, where strips of dough are piped into hot oil and rolled in cinnamon sugar immediately after frying.
Home bakers began adapting that cinnamon-sugar flavor profile into baked, no-fry bar desserts sometime in the 2010s, using convenience products like canned crescent dough to skip the piping and frying steps entirely while keeping the flavor everyone loves.
Below is the full recipe card with exact ingredient amounts, step-by-step instructions, and nutrition information so you can make this churro cheesecake from start to finish.
Churro Cheesecake
Crescent roll dough wraps a creamy vanilla cheesecake filling and a crackly cinnamon-sugar topping in this easy churro cheesecake, no frying or piping required.
Ingredients
- 2 (8 oz) cans refrigerated crescent roll sheets
- 16 oz full-fat cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar (for topping)
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
- Unroll one can of crescent roll dough into the bottom of the prepared pan, pressing it into an even layer and sealing any seams.
- In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and 1 cup of sugar with an electric mixer until smooth.
- Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat until fully combined and lump-free.
- Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over the bottom layer of dough.
- Unroll the second can of crescent dough on parchment paper, then flip it on top of the filling and press gently into place, sealing the edges.
- Brush the top layer with melted butter.
- In a small bowl, mix the remaining 1/2 cup sugar with the ground cinnamon, then sprinkle evenly over the buttered dough.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the center is set.
- Cool at room temperature for 1 hour, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours before slicing into squares.
Notes
For neat slices, wipe the knife clean between cuts and chill the bars fully before cutting.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
24Serving Size:
1 barAmount Per Serving: Calories: 195Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 30mgSodium: 220mgCarbohydrates: 19gFiber: 0gSugar: 12gProtein: 3g
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use puff pastry instead of crescent roll dough?
Puff pastry will puff up too much and create an uneven, flaky texture that does not hold the filling the way crescent dough does, so it is not recommended as a substitute here.
Why did my filling leak out during baking?
This usually happens when the top layer of dough was not sealed at the edges, so press the top sheet firmly against the sides of the pan and pinch any visible seams closed before baking.
Can I make churro cheesecake ahead of time?
Yes, you can bake these bars up to two days in advance and store them covered in the refrigerator, then let them sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.
Is it normal for the center to sink slightly after cooling?
A slight sink in the center is normal as the filling settles, and it will not affect the taste or texture once the bars are fully chilled and sliced.
Can I double this recipe?
You can double the recipe in a 9×18 or two separate 9×13 pans, but avoid stacking the layers thicker in a single 9×13 pan, since the center will not bake through evenly.
What can I serve with churro cheesecake?
A scoop of vanilla ice cream or a spoonful of whipped cream on the side balances the richness of the bars nicely, especially when served warm.
Final Thoughts
Churro cheesecake bars give you the crisp, cinnamon-sugar crust of a churro and the creamy tang of cheesecake in one pan, with none of the frying or piping that traditional churros require.
Once you have made this churro cheesecake recipe a time or two, you will likely keep the ingredients on hand for whenever a quick, crowd-pleasing dessert is needed.
