Featuring a blend of sweetened cream cheese and spiced pumpkin puree, between layers of a cinnamon-sugar crust, this Pumpkin Sopapilla Cheesecake recipe includes the best combination of Mexican sopapillas, churros, and pumpkin cheesecake all in one easy dessert!
I took my beloved sopapilla cheesecake recipe and put a fall twist on it with pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice! The filling is sweet and creamy with warm spiced pumpkin flavor, sandwiched between crisp flaky dough, then finished with a cinnamon-sugar topping and drizzled with a bit of honey. It’s reminds me of a giant stuffed churro and I am here for it!
This is an easy dessert and transports well, so it’s great for Thanksgiving, Friendsgiving, work potlucks, and anytime you need a simple, delicious dessert to feed a group.
What is Sopapilla?
Sopapillas (pronounced soh-pahy-pee-uhz) comes from the Spanish word “sopaipa,” translated to English, means “bread soaked in oil.” They are a type of fried puffed pastry; sort of a cross between a French beignet (but no yeast) and Indian fry bread, so they are light and flaky. They can be served either sweet, usually with honey, or savory stuffed with beef, like a tamale.
What’s in this Pumpkin Sopapilla Cheesecake Recipe?
This Mexican-inspired cheesecake recipe is made with just a few simple pantry items. You can find the exact measurements in the detailed printable recipe card below.
- Refrigerated crescent roll sheets – If your grocery store carries the crescent roll dough sheets, definitely use those. If you can only find the perforated ones, that’s totally fine. Just pinch the seams together to seal completely.
- Cream cheese – The base of the cheesecake filling. Bring it to room temperature first for easier blending.
- Pumpkin puree – Be sure to grab canned pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling, which is already sweetened and spiced.
- Granulated sugar – Included in the cheesecake filling for sweetness and also mixed with the cinnamon, sprinkled on top of the dough.
- Egg – Provides structure to the filling.
- Vanilla – Just a touch adds great flavor.
- Unsalted butter – This is melted and brushed over the top dough which helps the cinnamon-sugar adhere to and also makes it golden and crisp as it bakes.
- Pumpkin pie spice – Mixed with sugar and sprinkled on top before baking, resulting in crisp crust that’s warm and sweet. I love my homemade pumpkin pie spice recipe (which also makes a great gift!)
- Honey – An optional topping, but drizzled over the warm crust, it gets absorbed and adds another level of deliciousness. I highly recommend it!
Tips, Variations, and Serving Suggestions
- Enjoy warm or cold. Once baked, allow to cool for at least 1 hour, then chill for at least 3 hours. This allows it to set and also makes it easier to cut. Enjoy cold, at room temp, or rewarm. I prefer bringing it to room temperature before serving so it has a fluffy texture.
- Halve the recipe. You can easily cut all the ingredients in half and bake in an 8×8 pan, if needed.
- Don’t skip the cinnamon sugar or honey. The cinnamon-sugar (and honey) are what give this dessert amazing extra flavor, which makes it so amazing. Don’t skip them!
Proper Storage
- Fridge. Any leftovers should be covered tightly stored in the fridge, and eaten within 3 days. Note: the longer it chills, the top will lose its crispness.
- Freezer. These cheesecake bars can also be frozen, but as noted above, the crust will lose it’s crispness once thawed. Let the bars cool completely, then place them in a freezer-safe plastic bag and freeze for up to 2 months. When ready to serve, take them out of the freezer bag, place them on a plate, and defrost in the fridge.
- Rewarm. Place bars on a plate in the microwave at 50% power for 5-10 seconds, if desired.
I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube!
Pumpkin Sopapilla Cheesecake
Ingredients
- 1 & 1/4 cups granulated sugar , divided
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- (2) 8 ounce packages cream cheese , softened
- 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- (2) 8 ounce tubes refrigerated crescent roll sheets (if you can't find the seamless dough sheets, use the perforated crescent rolls)
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted
- 1/4 cup honey
Instructions
- Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a small bowl, stir together 1/4 of sugar with 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice. Set aside.
- In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat 2, 8 ounces packages softened cream cheese until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl if necessary.
- Add in 1 cup canned pumpkin puree, 1 cup granulated sugar, 1 large egg, and 1 teaspoon vanilla; beat to combine. Set aside.
- Unroll 2, 8 ounce tubes of crescent roll dough sheets; gently press one of them into the bottom of the prepared baking dish. (If using perforated crescent roll dough, pinch the seams together to seal completely.)
- Using a spatula, evenly spread the pumpkin-cream cheese mixture on top of the dough, then cover with the other roll of crescent dough, sealing the seams.
- Brush the top all over with 3 tablespoons melted unsalted butter. Then sprinkle the pumpkin spice-sugar mixture all over the melted butter to cover.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 30-35 minutes or until the crescent dough has puffed and turned golden brown, and bars appear set when gently shaken.
- Remove from oven and drizzle evenly with a 1/4 cup honey.
- Cool for at least 1 hour in the pan, then chill for at least 3 hours (or overnight) before cutting into 12 bars.
