Churro Cheesecake
Churro Cheesecake is the ultimate mashup of two beloved classics, featuring a flaky cinnamon sugar crescent roll crust wrapped around a smooth, creamy cheesecake filling. It bakes up golden and gorgeous with minimal effort and no special equipment required. Serve it chilled with a drizzle of chocolate sauce for a dessert that is guaranteed to impress.
Equipment
- 9x13 inch baking dish
- Hand mixer or stand mixer
- Small mixing bowl
- Pastry brush
- Spatula
Ingredients
- 2 cans crescent roll dough 8 oz each
- 16 oz cream cheese softened to room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar divided
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter melted
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1/4 cup chocolate sauce optional, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray or softened butter and set aside.
- Unroll one can of crescent roll dough and press it into the bottom of the prepared baking dish, stretching it gently to cover the entire surface edge to edge. Pinch any perforated seams firmly together to prevent the filling from seeping through.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese, 3/4 cup of the granulated sugar, vanilla extract, and eggs together using a hand mixer on medium speed until the mixture is completely smooth and creamy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Pour the cream cheese filling evenly over the bottom crust layer in the baking dish. Use a spatula to spread it all the way to the edges in an even layer.
- Unroll the second can of crescent roll dough and carefully lay it over the cream cheese filling, pressing the seams together and stretching gently to cover the entire surface.
- Brush the melted butter generously over the entire top surface of the dough. In a small bowl, mix the remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar with the ground cinnamon, then sprinkle the mixture evenly over the buttered top.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, until the top crust is a deep golden brown and the center has only a very slight jiggle when you gently shake the pan. Begin checking at 28 minutes as oven temperatures vary.
- Remove the cheesecake from the oven and allow it to cool in the pan at room temperature for at least 1 hour. Then cover and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours, or until fully chilled and set before slicing into squares and serving.
- Slice into squares and serve chilled. Drizzle with warm chocolate sauce if desired. Leftovers can be stored covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
For best results, always bring your cream cheese to room temperature before mixing to avoid a lumpy filling. Make sure to pinch the crescent dough seams tightly so the filling stays contained during baking. Do not skip the refrigeration step; the cheesecake needs at least 2 hours to fully set for clean slices. To freeze, wrap individual squares in plastic wrap and store in a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.