Pumpkin Sopapilla Bars

Pumpkin Sopapilla Bars, inspired by the Mexican dessert called sopapilla from Pancho’s in Corpus Christi Texas, have a sweet, creamy cheesecake filling, pumpkin puree all topped with pumpkin-pie dusted crescent crust.

Crispy fried dough coated in cinnamon sugar served warm with honey sopapillas are mi carino’s favorite dessert. As a kid, his parents would take him to a local restaurant called Pancho’s.

Pancho’s served an array of Tex-Mex dishes from crispy tacos, enchiladas, and fajitas, buffet-style. At every table, there was a tri-colored flag featuring the colors of Mexico, that customers would raise to request a refill. Pancho’s is most popular for the slogan “raise the flag,” and their piping hot sopapillas. Pancho’s closed its doors in the late 80’s here locally and most of its other Texas locations, only a few locations still operate in Northern Texas.

His mom attempted to recreate the recipe but soon gave up after she was unable to achieve the light, flaky dough that Pancho’s was known for.

In becoming his wife, I was soon lovingly tasked with recreating his beloved sopapillas. I, being the amazingly wonderful wife cranked on the oven and made him sopapilla cheesecake bars, warm from the oven I drizzled them with honey. I mean c’mon, two layers of cinnamon sweet, flaky layers stuffed with a creamy cheesecake – what’s not to love?

He loved them. Or I should say he loved me. And he has been eating sopapilla bars ever since.  Over the years, I have baked several different variations of these sopapilla bars – chocolate, pecan pie, lemon, peach, blackberry, but when November arrives all he requests is pumpkin, pumpkin and more pumpkin sopapilla bars. And I’m more than happy to oblige. 

TIPS FOR MAKING PUMPIN SOPAPILLA BARS 

• Allow the cream to cheese to soften at room temperature. Softened cream cheese mixes easier into sugar when creaming your base.
• You can use a hand mixer, stand mixer or wooden spoon to make the filling. 
• Carefully seal the perforations of crescent rolls with fingers by pinching the dough together.  This step is important on the bottom crescent (first) layer, as we do not want the filling to seep out. 
• Brush both the bottom and the top layer of the crescent roll with the butter with canola oil before adding the cinnamon sugar which results in a crispy crust.
• This recipe calls for pumpkin pie spice. What is pumpkin pie spice? Pumpkin pie spice is a mix of ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground cloves and ground nutmeg. 

How To Make Pumpkin Pie Spice Mix at Home: 

Combine: 

• 4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Store in a covered jar, in pantry. 

Makes about 2-1/2 tablespoons

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Pumpkin Sopapilla Bars

Pumpkin Sopapilla Bars, inspired by the Mexican dessert called sopapilla from Pancho’s in Corpus Christi Texas, have a sweet, creamy cheesecake filling, pumpkin puree all topped with pumpkin-pie dusted crescent crust.

Author: Vianney Rodriguez

Ingredients

• Ingredients
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
• 2 cans 8 ounces crescent rolls
• 2 8 oz packages cream cheese, softened to room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup 1 stick salted butter, melted
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine sugar and pumpkin pie spice in a small bowl, set aside.
3. Unroll one can of crescent rolls and place at the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish. Seal the perforations with fingers.
4. Lightly brush with melted butter, sprinkle with sugar-pumpkin spice mixture.
5. Using a hand mixer blend softened cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until well combined. Fold in pumpkin puree, then using a spatula spread filling onto the dough.
6. Unroll second can crescent rolls and carefully place over pumpkin filling, seal the perforation with fingers.
7. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar.
8. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until top is golden brown
9. Remove from oven, allow to cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing. Store in the fridge. Serve chilled.