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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
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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 just made them and they are amazing! I ate a few and will take the rest to work tomorrow. Thank you for the recipe 🙂

  2. I had a horrible 21st too. My then bf was so broke I had to buy all my own drinks! Haha my 22nd was much better. These hand pies look so amazing. I love hand pies in general, and I just had my first sopapilla not too long ago when I was in TX, and I LOVED it. It would have been amazing stuffed with cheesecake. Great idea!

  3. I love these mini-pies and can only imagine how moist and flavorful they are! Thanks for sharing!

  4. Wow, these look absolutely delicious! I can’t wait to give them a try 🙂 Thanks so much for sharing!!!

  5. I still want those! : ) Thanks for sharing on Show Me Your Plaid Monday’s!

  6. Oh my goodness – i have something fairly similar that is scheduled for next week! Great minds think alike, right?? 🙂

  7. Guys who pout gotta GO! Happy you found yourself the perfect birthday sidekick for all your years to come 😉

    Also, please send some of these darling hand pies this way!!!