I turned the Cinnamon Churro into a seven ingredient cheesecake with a cinnamon sugar crust and an easy cream cheese filling that comes together in minutes.

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I kept telling myself one churro is enough, then I made Churro Cheesecake and everything changed. I pair creamy cream cheese with a shower of cinnamon sugar so every bite tastes like a Cinnamon Churro but with a tangy, slightly sweet twist.

This feels like one of those Incredible Dessert Recipes you pin and never actually make, except it comes together in minutes and forgives mistakes. I messed up the first try and still had people asking for more, so trust me its easy to fall for.

If you want something surprising for guests this is it.

Ingredients

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Crescent roll dough: Flaky buttery base that bakes crisp, mostly refined carbs, adds soft sweet layers.
Cream cheese: Creamy tangy filling, high in fat and protein, gives smooth richness and mild tang.
Granulated sugar: Straight sweetener, nearly all simple carbs, makes it sweet and helps browning.
Egg: Eggs bind and add moisture, provide protein plus structure so cheesecake sets nicely.
Vanilla extract: Small splash of vanilla rounds flavors, adds warm aroma with almost no calories.
Unsalted butter: Butter adds richness, browning and mouthfeel, mostly saturated fat but deeply flavorful.
Cinnamon sugar: Cinnamon sugar coats crust with sweet warm spice, adds crunch and nostalgic flavor.

Ingredient Quantities

2 (8 oz) cans refrigerated crescent roll dough

16 oz (2 packages) cream cheese, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

1 tsp vanila extract

1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

1/2 cup cinnamon sugar

How to Make this

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1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9×9 inch square pan or line it with parchment. Unroll one can of crescent dough and press it into the bottom of the pan, sealing seams and pinching to make one even crust.

2. Bake that crust alone for 6 to 8 minutes, just until it starts to set and get a little color. This helps keep the bottom flaky instead of soggy while the filling bakes.

3. While the crust is warming, beat the cream cheese (use the full 16 oz, softened) with 1 cup granulated sugar until smooth and lump free. Scrape the bowl so everything mixes evenly.

4. Add 1 large egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract to the cream cheese, and beat just until combined. Dont overmix or you’ll whip in too much air and get cracks.

5. Pour the cheesecake filling over the warm crust and spread it level with a spatula.

6. Unroll the second can of crescent dough. Either lay it loosely over the filling or cut into strips and crisscross them so you still see some filling. Pinch edges to seal gently.

7. Brush the top of the dough with 1/4 cup melted unsalted butter, then sprinkle the entire top with the 1/2 cup cinnamon sugar. If you want extra crunch, press a little of the sugar into the crust edges.

8. Bake at 350°F for about 20 to 25 minutes, until the top is golden and the center is mostly set with a slight jiggle. Avoid overbaking.

9. Let cool on a wire rack until room temp, then chill in the fridge at least 2 hours or overnight for best texture. To slice clean bars warm a knife under hot water and wipe between cuts. Store covered in the fridge up to 3 days.

Equipment Needed

1. 9×9 inch square baking pan (or line with parchment)
2. Parchment paper or non stick cooking spray
3. Large mixing bowl
4. Hand mixer (or a sturdy whisk if you wanna do it by hand)
5. Rubber spatula for scraping and spreading the filling
6. Pastry brush to brush on the melted butter
7. Measuring cups and spoons
8. Wire cooling rack
9. Sharp knife plus a small bowl of hot water to warm the blade for cleaner slices

FAQ

Can I use puff pastry or homemade dough instead of the canned crescent rolls? Yes. Puff pastry will give a flakier, lighter crust while homemade crescent or roll dough works fine too, just use the same total amount as the two cans. Expect a slightly different texture and rise, but it will still taste amazing.

How do I stop the cheesecake filling from cracking? Dont overmix the cream cheese once the egg is in, beat until smooth but not crazy. Bake at 350°F until the center is just set, about 25 to 30 minutes. Let it cool slowly on the counter then chill in the fridge for a few hours. If the top browns too fast, tent with foil part way through baking.

Can I make this ahead or freeze it? Yes. Refrigerate covered for up to 3 to 4 days. For longer keep slices wrapped tight in plastic then foil and freeze up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the fridge. You can warm a slice briefly in a 300°F oven for 8 to 10 minutes but this cheesecake is nicest chilled or at room temp.

Will this scale up for a 9 x 13 pan or mini cheesecakes? You can double the recipe for a 9 x 13 pan, bake time will be a bit longer around 30 to 35 minutes, check for a slight jiggle in the center. For minis use a muffin tin and reduce bake time to about 15 to 18 minutes, they make great party bites.

Can I swap ingredients for dietary needs? Low fat cream cheese works but it wont be as rich and might weep a bit. Egg replacer or a flax egg can work but texture will be softer. Vegan cream cheese is okay but expect changes in bake time and texture. For the sugar coating you can use coconut sugar or a granulated sweetener suited for baking, results will vary.

My crust gets soggy how do I fix that? Press the bottom dough firmly and you can blind bake the bottom for 5 to 7 minutes before adding the filling to set it. Brushing the top with melted butter and adding the cinnamon sugar right after it comes out of the oven helps create a crisp, sugary crust.

Churro Cheesecake Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Crescent roll dough: puff pastry (flakier and more buttery, works great), refrigerated pie crust (easier, holds shape), graham cracker crust (for a classic cheesecake vibe — use about 1 1/2 cups crumbs + 6 tbsp melted butter)
Cream cheese: Neufchatel (lower fat, almost same texture), mascarpone (richer and silkier), vegan cream cheese or blended silken tofu (dairy free option but texture/taste will change)
Granulated sugar: light brown sugar or turbinado (adds caramel notes that go nice with cinnamon), coconut sugar (lower glycemic), erythritol/monk fruit blends (use 1:1 in most recipes though flavor differs)
Unsalted butter: salted butter (just skip adding extra salt), melted coconut oil (dairy free, slight coconut flavor), neutral oil like vegetable or canola (ok in a pinch but less rich)

Pro Tips

– Use full fat cream cheese and really let it soften first, like 30 to 60 minutes. Cut it into chunks before you beat it so it gets smooth faster and you wont have to overmix trying to smash lumps out.

– Mix slow and stop as soon as the egg and vanilla are combined, scraping the bowl once or twice. If you whip a lot of air in it youll get little cracks when it cools, and thats annoying but not a disaster.

– For a bakery-style crunch swap half the granulated cinnamon sugar for turbinado or demerara sugar, it wont melt and gives a nice snap. Sprinkle it right after brushing with butter so it sticks good.

– If the top browns too fast, loosely tent with foil and finish baking, and if cracks do happen just chill overnight to set them up. Bars actually slice cleaner and taste better cold, so be patient.

Churro Cheesecake Recipe

Recipe by Samantha Dalling

0.0 from 0 votes

I turned the Cinnamon Churro into a seven ingredient cheesecake with a cinnamon sugar crust and an easy cream cheese filling that comes together in minutes.

Servings

servings

Calories

402

kcal

Equipment: 1. 9×9 inch square baking pan (or line with parchment)
2. Parchment paper or non stick cooking spray
3. Large mixing bowl
4. Hand mixer (or a sturdy whisk if you wanna do it by hand)
5. Rubber spatula for scraping and spreading the filling
6. Pastry brush to brush on the melted butter
7. Measuring cups and spoons
8. Wire cooling rack
9. Sharp knife plus a small bowl of hot water to warm the blade for cleaner slices

Ingredients

2 (8 oz) cans refrigerated crescent roll dough
16 oz (2 packages) cream cheese, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanila extract
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup cinnamon sugar

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9×9 inch square pan or line it with parchment. Unroll one can of crescent dough and press it into the bottom of the pan, sealing seams and pinching to make one even crust.
Bake that crust alone for 6 to 8 minutes, just until it starts to set and get a little color. This helps keep the bottom flaky instead of soggy while the filling bakes.
While the crust is warming, beat the cream cheese (use the full 16 oz, softened) with 1 cup granulated sugar until smooth and lump free. Scrape the bowl so everything mixes evenly.
Add 1 large egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract to the cream cheese, and beat just until combined. Dont overmix or you’ll whip in too much air and get cracks.
Pour the cheesecake filling over the warm crust and spread it level with a spatula.
Unroll the second can of crescent dough. Either lay it loosely over the filling or cut into strips and crisscross them so you still see some filling. Pinch edges to seal gently.
Brush the top of the dough with 1/4 cup melted unsalted butter, then sprinkle the entire top with the 1/2 cup cinnamon sugar. If you want extra crunch, press a little of the sugar into the crust edges.
Bake at 350°F for about 20 to 25 minutes, until the top is golden and the center is mostly set with a slight jiggle. Avoid overbaking.
Let cool on a wire rack until room temp, then chill in the fridge at least 2 hours or overnight for best texture. To slice clean bars warm a knife under hot water and wipe between cuts. Store covered in the fridge up to 3 days.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.