Easy Cinco de Mayo Bars (Printable)

Flaky crescent dough, creamy cheesecake filling, and cinnamon-sugar butter topping for festive Cinco de Mayo bars.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Dough

01 - 2 cans (8 oz each) refrigerated crescent roll dough

→ Cream Cheese Filling

02 - 16 oz (450 g) cream cheese, softened
03 - 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
04 - 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract

→ Topping

05 - ½ cup (115 g) unsalted butter, melted
06 - 1/3 cup (65 g) granulated sugar
07 - 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 9x13-inch (23x33 cm) baking pan.
02 - Unroll one can of crescent dough and press it evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan.
03 - In a medium bowl, beat together the softened cream cheese, 1 cup sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth and fluffy.
04 - Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over the dough layer.
05 - Unroll the second can of crescent dough and gently place it over the cream cheese layer, pressing to cover as completely as possible.
06 - Pour the melted butter over the top layer of dough, spreading evenly.
07 - Mix 1/3 cup sugar with cinnamon, then sprinkle generously over the buttered surface.
08 - Bake for 28–32 minutes, or until the top is golden and the center is set.
09 - Remove from oven and let cool for at least 30 minutes before cutting into bars. Serve warm or chilled.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • This is the kind of treat thats secretly as easy as opening a can, but tastes like a bakery miracle.
  • Every bite has that perfect combination of crunch, creaminess, and a cinnamon sugar surprise—no wonder its always the first dessert gone at a party.
02 -
  • If the cream cheese isn’t fully softened, the filling can be lumpy—I learned the hard way to let it rest out longer than I thought I needed.
  • The bars set up best if you let them cool completely before slicing, even though the aroma is nearly impossible to resist right away.
03 -
  • Slicing with a hot, damp knife helps you get tidy bar edges every time.
  • Letting the bars chill overnight actually improves the flavor—they’re magic the next day.
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