Two tubes of crescent dough do the structural work. One is pressed into the dish with the seams pinched shut, the cheesecake layer is spread over it, and the second sheet goes on top.
Melted butter brushed over the top sheet carries the cinnamon sugar, which bakes into a crackly crust. Honey goes on straight from the oven, and the bars are cut once cool.
How to Make It
Oven at 350°F, dish greased
Heat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
Bottom dough pressed
Press one sheet of crescent dough evenly into the bottom of the dish, pinching the seams closed.
Filling spread
Beat the cream cheese, 3/4 cup sugar, egg and vanilla until smooth and spread over the dough.
Top sheet laid on
Lay the second sheet of crescent dough over the filling and gently press it flat.
Buttered and sugared
Brush with melted butter and sprinkle evenly with the topping sugar and cinnamon.
Baked, drizzled and cut
Bake 30 to 35 minutes, until the top is deep golden and the cream-cheese layer is set. Drizzle with honey, cool completely and cut into 16 bars.
Ingredient Notes
- Refrigerated crescent dough
- Two 8-ounce tubes, one for the base and one for the lid.
- Cream cheese
- Sixteen ounces beaten with sugar, one egg and vanilla for the middle layer.
- Honey
- Two tablespoons drizzled over the hot bars as they come out.
Four Layers in the Dish
Bottom to top, and nothing else.
Butter, cinnamon sugar and honey
Brushed and sprinkled before baking, drizzled after.
Crescent dough lid
The second sheet laid over and gently flattened.
Cheesecake filling
Cream cheese, sugar, egg and vanilla beaten smooth.
Crescent dough base
One sheet pressed flat with the seams pinched closed.
Why This Recipe Works
- Pinching the crescent seams closed stops the filling leaking through the bottom layer.
- A single egg keeps the cheesecake layer sliceable rather than runny.
- Butter under the cinnamon sugar is what makes the top crust rather than dust.
- Cooling fully before cutting gives clean-edged squares.
Success Tips
- Work the bottom sheet right into the corners of the dish before spreading the filling.
- Unroll the second dough sheet on a board first, then lift it over in one piece so it does not tear.
- Drizzle the honey while the bars are hot so it sinks into the cinnamon crust.
Serving Ideas
Cut into sixteen squares and serve slightly warm or cold, with any extra honey spooned over.
Storage and Reheating
Refrigerate
Refrigerate leftovers at 40°F or below; the filling is a baked cream-cheese custard.
Frequently Asked Questions
What dough is used?
Refrigerated crescent roll dough, one sheet below the filling and one above.
When should I cut them?
After they have cooled completely, which is what gives clean squares.
