Cinnamon-Sugar Churro-Crusted Cheesecake Recipe

Late night churros dipped in chocolate or caramel are a Spanish street food staple that can now be found all over the world, even at Costco! Leah Maroney has created a cheesecake that combines the golden, cinnamon sugar crusted churro with creamy, caramelly cheesecake — giving you the flavors and crunch of a churro with the decadence of cheesecake in one luscious slice.

Dulce de leche is used to sweeten this cheesecake, a shortcut that beautifully achieves a rich caramel flavor without the hassle of stirring sugar over the stove (not to mention the worry and risk of the caramel burning!). Dulce de leche can be found in most larger grocery stores, but you can also make it yourself with a can of condensed milk.

Perhaps best of all, Maroney does not use a water bath for this cheesecake. "The method of cooking the cheesecake low and slow, then allowing it to cool with the oven door open, eliminates the need for a water bath," she says. "Not having to deal with the mess of a water bath is a lifesaver for me!" However, if you'd like to use the water bath method, it will also work with this recipe.

Churro cheesecake starts with a crustless cheesecake. You will need to make sure all of the ingredients for this step are at room temperature and softened. This will ensure the cheesecake batter mixes smoothly, without any lumps. Gather the dulce de leche, sour cream, heavy cream, cream cheese, vanilla, cornstarch, salt, and eggs. 

For the churro crust, you'll begin by making a basic choux pastry, a French creation used in cream puffs that is puffy, crunchy, and fragrant. The dough is very simple and consists of flour, butter, sugar, vanilla extract, and eggs. Once you've cooked the dough, you'll fry it in vegetable oil and sprinkle it with a mixture of cinnamon and granulated sugar before digging in.

Preheat oven to 300 F.

To make the cheesecake, whisk together sour cream, heavy cream, and all but 2 tablespoons of the dulce de leche in a large mixing bowl until completely combined.

Beat in the cream cheese, vanilla, salt, and cornstarch with a whisk until smooth.

Beat in 1 egg at a time until fully incorporated and smooth. Do not over-beat.

Grease a 9-inch springform pan.

Pour cheesecake batter into the pan, then drop the pan on a flat surface a few times to eliminate any bubbles.

Place cheesecake into the oven and immediately reduce the heat to 250 F. Bake for 2 hours.

Turn off the oven and prop open the door for 20 minutes. Then remove the cheesecake from the oven.

Allow cheesecake to cool at room temperature.

Cover cheesecake with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.

Meanwhile, make the churro crust: Add butter to a large saucepan with flour and 2 tablespoons sugar.

Melt butter mixture over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until thickened and pulling away from the sides of the pan, about 5 minutes.

Remove the pan from heat and let cool slightly.

While batter is still warm, beat in 1 egg at a time until smooth.

Add batter to a piping bag equipped with a large ridged piping tip.

Pipe batter into a 9-inch round swirl on a piece of parchment paper.

Freeze until solid.

Heat oil in a shallow frying pan until it reaches 375 F.

Fry the frozen churro for 2 minutes per side, or until golden brown and puffy.

In a small bowl, combine the remaining sugar and cinnamon.

Transfer the churro to a plate and sprinkle with enough cinnamon sugar to coat. (You'll need the rest for the cheesecake.)

Remove the cheesecake from the springform pan and base.

Place the cheesecake on top of the fried churro.

Spread reserved dulce de leche over the top.

Sprinkle with remaining cinnamon sugar.

Cut into slices, and serve.

We love the fried churro crust in this recipe, but if you're not looking to deep-fry, Maroney says you can certainly bake instead. Preheat your oven to 400 F. Once you've piped the dough into the 9-inch circle on parchment paper, place it on a tray in the oven and bake until puffy and golden, about 30 minutes. After about 15 minutes of baking, turn the heat down to 350 F. 

Once the dough is done baking, give it a spritz with cooking spray on both sides and then coat it in the cinnamon sugar. The cooking spray will help the cinnamon sugar adhere properly to the pastry. Baking immediately also eliminates the need to freeze the piped churro dough, so this can save you a little time and hassle. Better yet, you can even bake the churro crust in advance; simply store it in an airtight container for up to 4 days until you are ready to top it with the cheesecake. You can re-crisp it in a 400 F oven for a few minutes to help it regain the crunch. 

As with any deep-fried recipe, this churro cheesecake is best served the day it's cooked — if not immediately after it cools! However, there are a few ways you can make parts of this cheesecake ahead of time and store them until you are ready to serve. "Absolutely save the deep-frying step for the last possible moment," says Maroney. The cheesecake itself needs to be chilled, so store it in the refrigerator wrapped in plastic wrap until you are ready to fry the crust and assemble. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The cheesecake can also be frozen for up to 6 months. This may slightly change the texture, so Maroney recommends sticking to the refrigerator. Once the cheesecake is assembled, serve it immediately. Any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, though the churro crust will no longer be crunchy.