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This is an Easy Churro Cookie Recipe that is a cute and creative dessert that’s perfect for any party. It is a cheesecake inside a mini pie gorgeously coated in buttery cinnamon sugar. Inspired by sopapillas, these cookies are sure to be a hit!

churro cookies laid out on a drying rack.


Easy Churro Cheesecake Cookies

My easy churro cheesecake cookie recipe is basically a cheesecake hand pie but it’s inspired by churros and sopapilla. The churro cookie is drenched in cinnamon sugar butter which makes this hand pie so good.

I sandwiched the crust with a cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla mixture. That becomes a cheesecake wonderfulness when it’s baked. But I didn’t stop there – these are Sopapillas after all! When they come out of the oven, you drench them in melted butter and dip them in cinnamon sugar while they’re still warm.

Why you’ll love this recipe

  • These sopapilla cheesecake hand pies are made with pie crust. I used a refrigerated kind, because it’s easy and it’s good. I like it easy sometimes. But feel free to use my favorite pie crust if you prefer.
  • The cinnamon sugar sticks and melts to the pies a little and oh my god, they really do taste like Sopapillas with ice cream…but they’re cheesecake.
ingredients in churro cookies.

Ingredients needed

  • Cream cheese: to make the cheesecake, make sure it’s room temperature
  • Sugar: I’m using granulated sugar but you can also use light brown sugar
  • Pie crusts: from scratch or from a package of 2 refrigerated crusts
  • Cinnamon Sugar : a requirement for anything churro flavored
  • Butter: unsalted butter at room temperature 

Be sure to see the recipe card below for full ingredients & instructions!

How to make churro cookies

  1. In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese with a hand mixer until no lumps remain.
  2. Mix in ¼ cup granulated sugar and vanilla extract. 
  3. Unroll pie crusts, one at a time. Cut 2” circles of crust, re-rolling as needed.
  4. Place half the circles on the prepared baking sheet. Spoon a little bit of the cheesecake mixture into the center. (I found it easiest to transfer the cheesecake mixture to a ziploc bag with the tip cut off, and pipe it on.)
  5. Wet your finger with a bit of water and run it around the edge of the pie crust. Place the remaining pie crust rounds on top of the filled ones. Use the tines of a fork to press and seal each pie. 
  6. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until they begin to turn golden. Let cool until you can touch without burning your fingers.
  7. Meanwhile, melt butter in a microwave safe dish. In a separate bowl, stir together remaining dry ingredients, 1/2 cup sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon.
  8. Take each still warm pie and brush with butter, then place in the cinnamon sugar and turn over a few times to thoroughly coat. Place on another cookie sheet lined with wax paper to cool. 
process shot for churro cookies.

Expert tips

  • You can use reduced fat cream cheese if you wish.
  • Refigerated pie crust is a semi-homemade hack no one will guess – so save yourself some time!
  • Once pies are dipped in butter and sugar they’re best eaten within 2 days.
  • Freeze undipped cookies for up to 3 months, defrosting before dipping.
churro cookies laid out on a drying rack.

FAQs

Can I add chocolate chips?

Yes! These sopapilla cookies taste amazing with chocolate chips. 

How long do churro cookies last?

They are best eaten within 2 days from dipping in the churro butter. 

Can you freeze these cookies?

Yes. freeze the undipped cookies for up to 3 months. Defrost completely before dipping. 

churro cookies laid out on a drying rack.

Churro Cookie Recipe

5 from 2 votes
Cheesecake inside of a baked hand pie then dipped in cinnamon sugar. Like a sopapilla in pie form!
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Yield 24 pies
Serving Size 1 cookie

Ingredients
 

  • 4 ounces (113g) cream cheese softened
  • ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar , divided
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 pie crusts from scratch or from a package of 2 refrigerated crusts
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 2 tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter , melted

Instructions

  • Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  • Beat cream cheese with a hand mixer until no lumps remain. Mix in ¼ cup sugar and vanilla extract.
  • Unroll pie crusts, one at a time. Cut 2” circles of crust, re-rolling as needed.
  • Place half the circles on the prepared cookie sheets. Spoon a little bit of the cheesecake mixture into the center. (I found it easiest to transfer the cheesecake mixture to a ziploc bag with the tip cut off, and pipe it on.) Wet your finger with a bit of water and run it around the edge of the pie crust. Place the remaining pie crust rounds on top of the filled ones. Use the tines of a fork to press and seal each pie.
  • Bake for 15-20 minutes, until they begin to turn golden. Let cool until you can touch without burning your fingers.
  • Meanwhile, melt butter in a microwave safe dish. In a separate bowl, stir together remaining 1/2 cup sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon.
  • Take each still warm pie and brush with butter, then place in the cinnamon sugar and turn over a few times to thoroughly coat. Place on another cookie sheet lined with wax paper to cool.

Recipe Video

Recipe Notes

  • You can use reduced fat cream cheese if you wish.
  • Once pies are dipped in butter and sugar they’re best eaten within 2 days.
  • Freeze undipped cookies for up to 3 months, defrosting before dipping.

Recipe Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 124kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 118mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g
Nutritional information not guaranteed to be accurate
Course Dessert
Cuisine American

Other Churro Recipes

Last Updated on April 26, 2023



Dorothy Kern

Welcome to Crazy for Crust, where I share recipes that are sometimes crazy, often with a crust, and always served with a slice of life.

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109 Comments

  1. I made this recipe for the first time last night. It was fairly easy and the cookies came out so delicious! I cannot speak to if they taste like sopapillas since I have never eaten that but they do have a churro taste with the lovely cheesecake type filling. I brought some into work and received lots of compliments. Thanks for sharing!

  2. These would be great for dessert at our clubs Cinco de Mayo party. We’ll need approximately 304, at least 13 batches. Do you think making two days in advance and freezing them would work? And would that be freezing without the butter/brown sugar and added after defrosting? I can’t wait to make a sample for club members. Thank you.

    1. I left them out! But…they only lasted one night! 🙂 If you’re worried, feel free to refrigerate them. I don’t think it would affect the taste, just let come to room temp before serving! Thank you!

  3. My brothers will flip for this! (okay, I will too) Genius and so simple!

  4. Did you say “Drench in Butter”? I’m sold! Gimmie 5! Thanks for linking up at Pint Sized Baker’s Two Cup Tuesday Party! I’ve pinned this! I hope to see you again on Monday Night!