Cinnamon roll cheesecake is not the kind of dessert your Aunt Linda brought to the church basement in 1987. This one starts with actual cinnamon rolls, gets layered with creamy filling, and bakes into a dessert that feels both over-the-top and weirdly comforting. Bring it to a potluck and watch it disappear faster than the deviled eggs.
Table of Contents
🗝️ Why you'll be asked to "just bring that cheesecake" forever
🍩 Built-in crust - Pillsbury cinnamon rolls are an easy crust. No graham cracker crumbs, no fuss.
🍩 Creamy meets gooey - Rich cheesecake filling on top of soft cinnamon rolls. That's breakfast and dessert in one bite.
🍩 Crowd-pleaser - Potlucks, holidays, random Tuesday nights-this is the dessert that disappears first.
🍩 Low effort, high praise - Looks like you worked all day. Reality: you opened a can of rolls and poured.
🧾 What you'll need (besides a fork and stretchy pants)
Nothing weird, nothing fussy-just cream cheese, sugar, and a can of Pillsbury cinnamon rolls doing the Lord's work.
- Pillsbury cinnamon rolls, unbaked - straight from the can, complete with that heart-stopping pop. Or, use homemade cinnamon rolls.
- Cream cheese - full-fat, because "light" cheesecake is just lying to yourself.
- Eggs - the glue that keeps it all from becoming cheesecake soup.
- Sugar - sweetens the deal and keeps the tanginess in check.
- Cinnamon - because apparently the rolls didn't bring enough already.
- Sour cream - makes the filling smooth, rich, and smugly perfect.
- Vanilla - background singer that makes the headliners shine.
- Flour - just enough to keep the cinnamon filling swirling through the cheesecake.
- Butter - flavor, richness, and the reason no one stops at one slice.
- Brown sugar - adds that caramel-y depth so it doesn't taste like straight candy.
- Powdered sugar - for the finishing drizzle that says, yes, I am extra.
Don't forget to download the free cinnamon roll cheesecake kitchen cheat sheet! It's full of extra tips, FAQs, and more.
📖 Recipe
Cinnamon Roll Cheesecake
Print Pin Recipe Rate RecipeIngredients
- 2 tubes cinnamon roll dough, from the refrigerated section
Cheesecake Filling
- 32 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 2 cups sugar
- 6 eggs, room temperature
- 16 ounces sour cream, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
Cinnamon Filling
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ⅓ cup flour
- ¼ cup cinnamon
- ⅓ cup butter, melted
Icing
- 1-½ cup powdered sugar
- ¼ cup butter, melted
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- cream , as needed for consistency
Instructions
Cinnamon Roll Crust
- Preheat the oven to 375F.
- Spray the bottom and inside of a springform pan with baking release spray.
- Fold two pieces of aluminum foil together and cover the outside of the springform pan completely. This keeps any water out.
- Line the bottom and up the sides of the pan with cinnamon roll dough pressed very very thin.
- Bake for 10 minutes, or until done.
- If the rolls have risen too much press them down while they're hot.
- Set aside.
Cinnamon Filling
- Mix the flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon.
- Add the butter and mix until crumbly.
- Set aside.
Cheesecake Filling
- With the paddle attachment mix the sugar and cream cheese on low speed until well blended and creamy.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, beating on low until well blended.
- Fold in the sour cream and vanilla.
Assembly
- Pour half the cheesecake mixture into the baked crust.
- Top with half the cinnamon crumble mixture.
- Add remaining cheesecake mixture.
- Top with remaining cinnamon crumble.
Bake
- Place the filled springform pan in a large roasting pan.
- Fill with hot water until the water comes halfway up the sides of the cheesecake pan.
- Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes.
- Turn oven off and let the cheesecake sit in the oven for 1 hour. Don't open the oven door!
- Remove from the oven and from the water bath. Remove aluminum foil carefully.
- Place folded paper towels over the top of the cake, cover with plastic wrap and then aluminum foil.
- Refrigerate overnight.
Icing
- Mix icing ingredients until smooth.
- Add cream if needed to thin it out more. Add more powdered sugar if it's too thin.
- Drizzle across the finished cheesecake before serving.
- Keep leftovers in the refrigerator.
Notes
- You want cheesecake to be dense so it's very important to never mix it on anything other than low speed to keep as much air out as possible. Never whip!
- High sided springform pans were used. Don't fill your springform even with the top - leave about ¼-inch headspace or it will make a mess.
- Use the brick style cream cheese not the whipped kind.
- Wait until the egg is completely mixed in before adding the next egg.
- It's important to use the water bath - this is what keep the cheesecake creamy and uncracked.
- Don't use low fat or fat free products. They won't work.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
This recipe has been tested several times. If you choose to use other ingredients, or change the technique in some way, the results may not be the same.
🔪 How to make cinnamon roll cheesecake without swearing
This is one of those recipes where you actually need the steps. The good news? They're easy enough to pull off without swearing.
- Smash those cinnamon rolls into a thin crust in a 9-10 inch springform pan. Yes, with high sides-this thing is tall.
- Bake, then cool. (Patience is a virtue, unfortunately.)
- Meanwhile, back at the ranch...Stir together cinnamon, flour, and sugar for the topping.
- Pour in the melted butter and mix until it looks like sweet, crumbly magic.
- Blend cream cheese and sugar on the lowest mixer speed-smooth, not whipped into oblivion.
- Add eggs one at a time, because dumping them all in at once is chaos and we're refined.
- Fold in sour cream and vanilla until it looks silky.
- Pour half the batter over the crust, sprinkle with half the cinnamon mix, then cover it up with the rest of the cheesecake batter.
- Sprinkle the rest of the cinnamon mix on top like you're the angel in charge of Christmas Eve snow.
- Place in a water bath (bain marie) and bake. Follow instructions in recipe card for chilling.
- Drizzle the icing over the cooled cheesecake generously.
- Slice, serve, and accept the applause.
Note:The main issue I had the first time I made this was that the cinnamon rolls puffed up too much in the crust and make more of a bread layer than I really wanted.
Make sure you roll them really thin and then press them down after baking if you need to - or just use cinnamon graham crackers for a crust.
👩🍳 Everything you were about to Google
From bake times to substitutions, I've got you covered. Spoiler: no, low-fat cream cheese will not end well.
Yes. Allow the cheesecake to chill overnight as in the instructions. Once chilled wrap it well in plastic wrap then aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months.
To thaw just transfer it to the refrigerator and let thaw overnight.
Yes. Unless you like cheesecake with canyon-sized cracks. Grab a roasting pan, add hot water, and give your cheesecake a spa day.
📚 Other recipes that deserve a spot on your plate
Because apparently one cheesecake isn't enough to keep the crowd happy. Here are a few more recipes so you don't have to start hiding slices in the fridge behind the pickles.
- Homemade Red Velvet Cheesecake Recipe is a little different from most. The crust is made from red velvet cake and the cheesecake has cake crumbled in it. Really pretty for Christmas!
Sour Cream Cinnamon Rolls - not a cheesecake recipe but if this has made you hungry for cinnamon rolls this is what you need to try next time!
Pineapple Upside Down Cheesecake is so pretty! Just like old fashioned pineapple upside down cake but with a creamy surprise.
Pecan Pie Cheesecake with Toffee is my favorite for the holidays. A pecan pie is topped with a toffee cheesecake filling. It's quite the showstopper!
The second this hits the potluck table, you'll never be asked to bring potato salad again. Congratulations-you're now the "cheesecake lady." Wear the title with pride.
Pat says
Made the cinnamon cheesecake twice now and all the nurses I bake for love it! Of course’s it’s nurses week and it was a special request so why not. We all work hard and deserve a treat