Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars

I have had a streak lately of a few recipes that simply didn’t turn out the way that I had hoped. I was chatting with friends about this and one of them mentioned that it was encouraging that even someone with lots of experience even has days when things don’t work. That is absolutely true! I try my best to read through the recipe in advance and sometimes I pick up on potential issues, but it’s not a perfect process.

When the cookies I was making didn’t turn out, I had already planned these as a backup. (Yes, I did have some concerns about the first recipe.) They use mainly prepared ingredients, which isn’t my first choice, but comes in handy occasionally. This uses refrigerated crescent rolls, which are widely available in the states but not really anywhere else in the world. Perhaps pastry crust would work, but I haven’t tried that. 

I was able to get the crescent rolls to cover the pan with little problem, and while I could have sealed the seams better, it wasn’t an issue. I added the filling and then spread the remaining crescent rolls on a piece of parchment, otherwise getting the top on would be challenging. Topping with cinnamon sugar covers all potential issues! These were quick to make. My only issue was I only let the bars cool about an hour before cutting, which wasn’t nearly long enough. Make these, but make sure that you have plenty of time to cool the bars before serving. 

Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars
Two packages refrigerated crescent rolls
16 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla 
½ cup butter, melted
3/4 cup cinnamon sugar

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9” x 13” pan and set aside.

Roll the dough from one can of crescent rolls in a single layer in the bottom of the pan. Pinch together any seams to seal them shut. 

In a large mixer bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla on medium until combined. Spread the mixture over the bottom layer of dough.

Unroll the second roll of crescent dough onto a sheet of parchment paper and shape into a rectangle, pinching the seams to seal. Carefully transfer the top sheet of dough to the pan, covering the filling completely.

Pour/brush the melted butter over the top of the bars and then sprinkle evenly with cinnamon sugar. 

Bake for about 30 minutes, until golden. The filling will be somewhat jiggly, but that is expected. Allow to cool for several hours in the refrigerator before cutting into bars.

Recipe from The Domestic Rebel