Step 1: Preheat the Oven and Prepare the Pan

Begin by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking pan with butter or non-stick cooking spray. Set it aside.

Step 2: Create the Bottom Crust

Open one of the cans of crescent roll dough. Carefully unroll the dough and press it evenly into the bottom of your prepared 9×13-inch pan. If you are using regular crescent roll dough (not the seamless sheets), be sure to pinch and press the perforated seams together firmly to create a single, solid sheet of dough. This will form the bottom crust of your bars.

Step 3: Prepare the Cream Cheese Filling

In a large mixing bowl, place the softened cream cheese and 1 ½ cups of granulated sugar. Using an electric hand mixer (or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment), beat the cream cheese and sugar together on medium speed until the mixture is completely smooth and creamy, with no lumps. This should take about 2-3 minutes.

Add the room temperature egg and the vanilla extract to the bowl. Continue to beat on low speed just until the ingredients are combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula, then give it one final mix to ensure everything is incorporated. The mixture should be smooth and luscious.

Step 4: Assemble the Layers

Pour the prepared cheesecake filling over the bottom crust in the baking pan. Use an offset spatula or the back of a spoon to spread the filling evenly, making sure it reaches all the corners.

Next, open the second can of crescent roll dough. Carefully unroll this sheet of dough and place it directly on top of the cream cheese filling, creating the top crust. If you’re using regular crescent rolls, you may want to unroll the sheet onto a piece of parchment paper first, pinch the seams together, and then carefully invert it over the filling. Gently stretch the dough as needed to cover the filling from edge to edge.

Step 5: Add the Buttery Cinnamon-Sugar Topping

In a small bowl, combine the remaining 1 cup of granulated sugar and the 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon. Stir well until the mixture is uniform in color.

Pour the ½ cup of melted unsalted butter evenly over the top layer of crescent dough. Use a pastry brush to ensure the entire surface is coated. Finally, sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture evenly and generously over the melted butter, making sure to cover the entire surface all the way to the edges. This will create the signature crunchy, crackly sopapilla topping.

Step 6: Bake to Golden Perfection

Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 30-35 minutes. The bars are done when the top is a deep golden brown, puffed up, and the cinnamon-sugar has formed a beautiful crust. The center should be set and not overly jiggly.

Step 7: The Crucial Cooling and Chilling Process

This is the most important step for achieving perfectly set bars with clean slices. Once you remove the pan from the oven, place it on a wire rack and allow the bars to cool to room temperature completely. This will take at least 1 hour.

Once cooled to room temperature, cover the pan with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and transfer it to the refrigerator. Chill for a minimum of 4 hours, but preferably overnight. This chilling time is essential for the cheesecake filling to fully set. Do not skip this step, or you will have a delicious but gooey mess when you try to slice them.

Once fully chilled, slice into bars and serve.