Cream Cheese Squares
Cream Cheese Squares are the ultimate easy dessert mashup of creamy cheesecake and flaky pastry. Using store-bought crescent dough, this beginner-friendly recipe comes together in minutes without a water bath or springform pan. Every bite features a buttery crust, a rich vanilla cream cheese center, and a crisp cinnamon sugar topping that tastes just like a churro.
Ingredients
- 2 cans 8 oz each crescent roll dough (or 2 crescent dough sheets)
- 16 oz cream cheese softened (2 blocks)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
- ¼ cup granulated sugar for topping
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon for topping
Optional:
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- Powdered sugar glaze powdered sugar + milk + vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish (or line with parchment).
- Press 1 can/sheet of crescent dough into the bottom of the pan. Pinch seams closed.
- Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add 1 cup sugar and beat until creamy. Add egg, vanilla, salt (and lemon zest if using) and mix until smooth.
- Spread filling evenly over the bottom dough layer.
- Place the second dough layer on top, patching as needed and pinching seams lightly.
- Pour melted butter over the top. Mix ¼ cup sugar + cinnamon and sprinkle evenly over the butter.
- Bake 28–35 minutes, until golden brown and set.
- Cool 1 hour at room temp, then chill at least 1 hour before slicing for clean squares.
- Optional: drizzle with glaze after cooling and slicing.
Notes
Crescent sheet dough makes the top and bottom layers easier, but regular crescent dough works fine—just pinch seams.
For cleaner cuts, chill before slicing and wipe the knife between cuts.
Don’t over-soften the cream cheese; softened is good, melted makes the filling too loose.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!