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Churro Cheesecake Bars

Churro cheesecake bars with a golden churro-style crust and a dense, creamy center, baked then finished with cinnamon sugar. Melted dulce de leche and extra cinnamon create churro-inspired swirls in each creamy bite.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Resting / chilling 3 hours
Total Time 4 hours
Servings: 16 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Spanish-American fusion
Calories: 390
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Crust
  • 1.5 cup crushed churros or cinnamon sugar cookie crumbs Use 1:1 crushed churros or crumbs for the golden base texture.
  • 0.25 cup butter, melted
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
Filling
  • 32 oz cream cheese, softened Softened so it beats smooth without lumps.
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 0.5 cup sour cream
  • 2 tbsp cinnamon
Topping
  • 2 tbsp cinnamon
  • 3 tbsp sugar
  • 2 tbsp butter, melted
Cinnamon Sugar Sauce
  • 0.5 cup dulce de leche Warm just enough to drizzle.
  • 2 tbsp cinnamon

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Prep the crust
  1. Preheat the oven to 325°F and grease a 9x13 baking dish.
  2. In a bowl, mix crushed churros, melted butter, sugar, and cinnamon until evenly combined.
  3. Press the mixture firmly into the bottom of the greased 9x13 baking dish to form an even, compact layer.
Make the cheesecake filling
  1. Beat the softened cream cheese and sugar until creamy and smooth.
  2. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each egg to keep the batter silky.
  3. Stir in the vanilla extract, sour cream, and cinnamon until fully incorporated.
  4. Pour the filling over the crust and spread into an even layer.
Bake and top
  1. Bake at 325°F for 30-35 minutes, until set but still slightly jiggly in the center.
  2. While the cheesecake is warm, mix cinnamon, sugar, and melted butter, then sprinkle the mixture over the surface for a cinnamon-sugar sparkle.
  3. Cool completely before chilling, leaving it undisturbed until room temperature.
Chill, drizzle, and serve
  1. Refrigerate the bars for at least 3 hours before cutting for clean slices and a dense set.
  2. Warm the dulce de leche with cinnamon until pourable, then drizzle over bars right before serving.

Notes

Pro tip: soften the cream cheese fully and beat until smooth so your bars slice cleanly without grainy batter. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 5 days; freeze up to 1 month (freeze without the fresh drizzle, and add sauce after thawing). For a lower-sugar option, you can swap the sugar for a 1:1 baking sweetener in both the crust and filling while keeping the same baking time.