Sopapilla is a traditional fried pastry that originated in Latin American and Southwestern U.S. cuisine. It is typically made from a simple dough of flour, water, and a leavening agent like baking powder, which is then rolled out, cut into squares or triangles, and deep-fried until golden and puffy.When fried, sopapillas develop a hollow interior, making them perfect for filling with sweet or savory ingredients.

This recipe is a combination of Sopapilla and Cheesecake! Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars are a delicious dessert that combines the flavors of sopapillas and cheesecake. This simple recipe comes together in just 15 minutes of prep time, thanks to the convenient shortcut of using Pillsbury refrigerated crescent dinner rolls.I like to make this the night before and serve it while opening gifts on Christmas morning. It is a simple yet delicious breakfast . Here’s how to make them:

Ingredients

• 2 cans (8 oz each) refrigerated Pillsbury™ Original Crescent Rolls
• 2 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened
• 1 ½ cups granulated sugar, divided
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

1. Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Prepare the Baking Dish: Unroll one can of crescent rolls and place it in the bottom of an ungreased 13×9-inch baking dish. Stretch the dough to cover the bottom, pressing the perforations to seal.
3. Make the Cream Cheese Filling: In a medium bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with 1 cup of the sugar and the vanilla extract until smooth.
4. Spread the Filling: Pour the cream cheese mixture over the crescent roll layer in the baking dish, spreading it evenly.
5. Top with Second Layer of Dough: Unroll the second can of crescent rolls and place it on top of the cream cheese layer. Pinch seams together to seal.
6. Add Toppings: Drizzle the melted butter evenly over the top layer of dough. In a small bowl, mix the remaining ½ cup of sugar with the cinnamon and sprinkle this mixture over the butter.
7. Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes or until the bars are set and lightly golden brown.
8. Cool and Serve: Let cool for about 30 minutes before cutting into squares. For easier cutting, refrigerate for a bit before serving.

These bars can be served warm, chilled, or at room temperature. I prefer to eat them warm. You can add a little pizzazz by drizzling them with honey, melted chocolate, caramel or Nutella! Enjoy your delicious Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars!

Tips: This sopapilla cheesecake dessert needs to be stored in the refrigerator. To rewarm, microwave on 50% power 5 to 10 seconds.

Link to Pillsbury’s recipe: https://www.pillsbury.com/recipes/sopapilla-cheesecake-bars/65ec128f-2acc-417b-8745-06c182d3134a