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These churro cheesecake bars are a marriage of two FAVORITES – our go-to Mexican dessert (Churros) and an American classic – cheesecake!

The result is these delicious, cinnamon churro cheesecake bars with a tangy cream cheese filling that are a showstopper. We cannot bring them to a function without getting recipe requests!

We use simple ingredients like a buttery crescent roll crust as a tasty shortcut (a big time saver) and top it off with plenty of cinnamon and sugar. The result is a fun dessert, perfect for pairing with your favorite Mexican dinners.

Why we think you’ll love it:

  • Twist on churros. Get all the flavors of a classic churro but in bar form.
  • Ready to enjoy in only 30 minutes. From start to finish, this bar recipe is out of the oven and in your tummy in 30 minutes!
  • Simple steps and ingredients. The beauty of this Mexican dessert is its simplicity. Just a handful of ingredients, layer, and bake!
Crescent rolls, cream cheese, and other ingredients on a kitchen counter.

Churro Cheesecake Bars Ingredients and Substitutions

Cinnamon Sugar Mixture

  • ½ cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons cinnamon – or add a little nutmeg to the cinnamon sugar or add a combination of cloves, allspice, and ground ginger

Filling

  • 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened – Softened cream cheese will become fluffier when beaten, which helps create that traditional cheesecake texture.
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 1 egg – Room temperature egg will be best incorporated with the other ingredients.
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract – For the best flavor, we always use 100% pure vanilla extract.

Crust

  • 2 (8-ounce) cans Pillsbury crescent dough sheets – or use crescent rolls, unrolled with the seams pressed together
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Cinnamon and sugar mixed in a bowl.
Crescent dough pressed in a lined baking pan.
Whipping cream cheese mixture in a white bowl.
Spreading cream cheese mixture over the crescent dough.
Adding another layer of crescent dough to the top.
Sprinkling the cinnamon and sugar mixture on top of the crescent dough.

How to Make Churro Cheesecake Bars

  1. PREP. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  2. CINNAMON SUGAR. Combine ½ cup sugar and 2 tablespoons cinnamon in a small bowl. Set aside.
  3. CHEESECAKE LAYER. In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese with an electric mixer till smooth. Add the sugar, egg, and vanilla and beat till smooth and creamy. Set the cheesecake filling aside.
  4. ASSEMBLE. Spray a 9×13 inch pan with non-stick spray, then sprinkle half of the cinnamon sugar mixture evenly in the bottom of the pan.
    • Unroll the 2 sheets of Pillsbury crescent dough and carefully lift into the pan on top of the cinnamon sugar. Trim an inch or so off each of the sides so the crescent roll sheets fits better.
    • Spread the cream cheese layer evenly over the dough. Unroll the second can of crescent dough trimming the long sides an inch or so and place it on top of the filling.
    • Sprinkle the remaining cinnamon sugar on top of the dough.
  5. BAKE. Bake for about 30 minutes or until golden brown. If desired, serve topped with Whipped Cream and a drizzle of Chocolate Syrup or Caramel Sauce.

Kristyn’s Recipe Tips

  • If you can’t find the crescent dough sheets, use crescent roll dough, just be sure to pinch the seams together so it resembles one complete sheet. 
  • To combine a smooth filling use room-temperature eggs and cream cheese.
  • Stick with cinnamon and sugar for the signature churro taste, but other warm spices can added.
Side view of three squares of churro cheesecake bars stacked on a white plate.
5 from 253 votes

Churro Cheesecake Bars

By: Lil’ Luna
Pairing two dessert favorites in one, our churro cheesecake bars use a simple shortcut for a 30-minute twist on a Mexican treat!
Servings: 12
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Total: 35 minutes

Equipment

Ingredients 

Cinnamon Sugar Mixture

  • ½ cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons cinnamon

Filling

  • 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Crust

  • 2 (8-ounce) cans refrigerated Pillsbury crescent dough sheets

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  • Combine ½ cup sugar and 2 tablespoons cinnamon in a small bowl. Set aside.
  • Beat the cream cheese till smooth. Add the sugar, egg, and vanilla and beat till smooth and creamy. Set aside.
  • Spray a 9×13 inch pan with non-stick spray, then sprinkle half of the cinnamon sugar mixture evenly in the bottom of the pan.
  • Unroll the dough and carefully lift it into the pan on top of the cinnamon sugar. Trim an inch or so off each of the sides so the crescent dough fits better.
  • Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over the dough. Unroll the second can of dough trimming the long sides an inch or so and place it on top of the filling.
  • Sprinkle the remaining cinnamon sugar on top of the dough. Bake for about 30 minutes or until light brown.

Video

Notes

Recipe Tips:
  • If you can’t find the crescent dough sheets, use crescent roll dough, just be sure to pinch the seams together so it resembles one complete sheet. 
  • To combine a smooth filling use room-temperature eggs and cream cheese.
  • Stick with cinnamon and sugar for the signature churro taste, but other warm spices can added.
Store. Once the churro bars have cooled, cover and store in the fridge for up to 3 days, or wrap tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge.

Nutrition

Serving: 9g, Calories: 338kcal, Carbohydrates: 35g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 22g, Saturated Fat: 11g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Trans Fat: 0.002g, Cholesterol: 52mg, Sodium: 421mg, Potassium: 62mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 22g, Vitamin A: 531IU, Vitamin C: 0.1mg, Calcium: 52mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Recipe FAQ

How to store?

Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. If you don’t want to eat them cold, reheat them in the microwave for 5-15 seconds.

How to freeze?

Place a layer of parchment paper or plastic wrap between each bar, and put them in an airtight container. They’ll last in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let them thaw in the fridge before eating or reheating.

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This recipe was originally published December 2017.

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About Kristyn

Kristyn Merkley is a published cookbook author, wife, mom of six, and major food enthusiast! For the past 15 years, she has been sharing foolproof, family-friendly recipes—each one tested in her kitchen—that anyone can master. As a seasoned recipe creator, she loves making cooking simple, stress-free, and totally doable for everyone!

More About Kristyn

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5 from 253 votes (220 ratings without comment)

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107 Comments

  1. Anahid says:

    5 stars
    I’ve had a friend make these – question… I need to make six batches for a pre-cinco de mayo party next weekend…
    Should I extend the time for cooking time?

    Reply
    1. Lil'Luna Team says:

      I would probably bake one batch at a time & stick to the same time on the recipe. I don’t like putting two in the oven, since one is either under baked or one gets over baked. But, that’s just me. If you add two in the oven, then I would use the same time, then you may need to add more time, keeping an eye on it. Good luck!

      Reply
  2. Will says:

    Can you leave off the top layer of dough?

    Reply
    1. Alyssa Nicole Hayes says:

      Your making it so you can do whatever you want

      Reply
  3. Lynn Petersen says:

    The picture has three layers, but it seems the recipe only builds two layers? Help!

    Reply
    1. Lil'Luna Team says:

      The recipe should build three layers. The first layer will be the cinnamon sugar and crescent roll dough on top of that. Then you’ll all the cream cheese mixture and then top with the other crescent roll dough and top with the rest of the cinnamon sugar. Steps 4-7 list it all out. Hope that helps!

      Reply
      1. Heather says:

        The picture at the top of the page looks like 3 squares stacked on top of one another. Thats what is making it look like it’s a 3 layered cake but it isn’t.

  4. Amanda says:

    Can I use biscuits instead and roll them out pinching them together??

    Reply
    1. Lil'Luna Team says:

      You could try. The texture will be different with biscuits. I haven’t actually made them using biscuits, so I would recommend the crescent rolls. But, if you use them, you’ll have to let us know how they turn out. 🙂

      Reply

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