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Whole sopapilla cheesecake with cinnamon sugar and toasted sliced almonds in a rectangular baking dish.

Sopapilla Cheesecake

Creamy vanilla cheesecake between two layers of crescent dough, topped with butter, cinnamon sugar, and sliced almonds. Bake until the pastry is puffed and golden, cool completely, then cut into 12 squares.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Cooling (estimated) 1 hour
Total Time 2 hours
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 12 squares

Equipment

  • 9×13-inch baking dish
  • Large mixing bowl and mixer
  • Spatula
  • Small bowl for cinnamon sugar

Ingredients
  

Pastry and cheesecake filling

  • 2 8-ounce cans crescent roll dough
  • 3 8-ounce packages cream cheese softened
  • 1 ½ cups granulated sugar for the filling
  • 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

Cinnamon sugar and almond topping

  • ½ cup butter melted
  • ½ cup granulated sugar for the topping
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ cup sliced almonds

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Have a 9×13-inch baking dish ready for assembling the cheesecake.
  • Add the softened cream cheese, 1 ½ cups of sugar, and vanilla extract to a large mixing bowl. Beat until the mixture becomes creamy, smooth, and evenly combined.
    Smooth cream cheese filling mixed with sugar and vanilla in a bowl.
  • Open both cans of crescent roll dough. Gently roll or press each portion into approximately a 9×13-inch rectangle, sealing any perforated seams as needed.
  • Place one rectangle of crescent dough across the bottom of the baking dish. Gently press it into an even layer.
    Raw crescent dough pressed into the bottom of a rectangular baking dish with the seams sealed.
  • Spoon the cheesecake filling over the dough and spread it evenly from edge to edge with a spatula.
    Cream cheese filling spread evenly over the bottom crescent dough layer.
  • Carefully position the second sheet of crescent dough over the cream cheese filling. Gently adjust the dough so it covers as much of the filling as possible.
    Second raw crescent dough sheet covering the cheesecake filling.
  • Slowly pour or drizzle the melted butter across the surface of the crescent dough, spreading it around if necessary so the top is evenly coated.
    Melted butter spread over the upper crescent dough sheet.
  • Combine the remaining ½ cup of granulated sugar with the cinnamon in a small bowl. Sprinkle the mixture generously over the buttered dough, then scatter the sliced almonds evenly across the top.
    Unbaked sopapilla cheesecake topped with cinnamon sugar and sliced almonds.
  • Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for approximately 45 minutes, or until the top layer of crescent dough is puffed and deeply golden.
    Overhead view of baked sopapilla cheesecake with golden pastry and toasted almonds.
  • Remove the cheesecake from the oven and allow it to cool completely inside the pan. For the cleanest slices, refrigerate it after cooling before cutting it into 12 squares.
    Cooled sopapilla cheesecake cut into squares with one serving removed to show the layers.

Notes

  • Use softened cream cheese for a smooth filling.
  • The filling uses 1½ cups sugar; the topping uses the remaining ½ cup. Keep the two portions separate.
  • Pinch perforated crescent-dough seams closed before assembling.
  • The sliced almonds go on top before baking.
  • The 1-hour cooling allowance is an estimate. Cool completely in the pan before slicing; actual cooling time may vary.
  • Refrigerating after cooling gives firmer filling and cleaner squares. Extra chilling time is not included in the total.
  • Cut into 12 squares.