Cream Cheese Filled Crescent Roll Pastries
Cream Cheese Filled Crescent Roll Pastries are made with convenient, refrigerated crescent rolls filled with sweetened cream cheese. So quick and easy!
Even though I enjoy cooking, I’m really not much of a baker. Baking is too precise with all the measuring. It’s just…”fiddly.” And I’m not a fiddly cook.
That’s why this recipe for Cream Cheese Filled Crescent Roll Pastries is perfect for me!
Not only are cream cheese crescent rolls quick and hassle-free, they’re versatile! You can make them for an indulgent breakfast for birthdays and holidays, or surprise the family after dinner with a cheesecake-like dessert that will have them singing your praises.
They’re so easy! All you have to do is roll out some crescent rolls, fill them with sweetened cream cheese, then bake and you’re done. Now you have a heavenly cheesecake crescent roll that is light, flaky, and oh so scrumptious. I personally believe refrigerated crescent roll dough to be one of the greatest inventions of mankind.
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Refrigerated Crescent Rolls Are a Baker’s Best Friend
In my opinion, pre-made crescent roll dough is one of the most versatile “convenience” products in the grocery store. They can go either savory or sweet and can be used as a substitute for many types of dough — pie crust, puff pastry, and even pizza dough!
You can use them in all sorts of recipes and they will save you hours of mixing, kneading, and rising. There have even been entire cookbooks written about using refrigerated crescent roll dough. For me, they’re more than convenient – they’re essential.
I once heard someone say “give a southern girl a can of crescent rolls and she’ll make a party!” Darn right.
I have quite a few go-to recipes that use them: Crescent Roll Breakfasts Stacks, Prosciutto Ricotta Pinwheels, Italian Style Hand Pies, Sausage Swirls, and Sausage-Pineapple Rollups, to name a few.
This one, with its sweetened cream cheese filling, is very much like a cheese danish pastry or a cheesecake filled croissant. Tender, melt in your mouth, flaky dough with a lovely sweet filling.
Next time you’re looking for a crowd-wowing dessert to bring to a pot luck or family get together, these cream cheese filled crescent rolls are the way to go. I hope you enjoy them. I know my friends and family love them!
- Quick and Easy (10 minutes to prep; 20 minutes to bake)
- Kid Friendly (Kids love these pastries!)
- You can serve it for breakfast or dessert
About the Ingredients
- Vanilla extract
- Refrigerated crescent rolls (I like the Pillsbury brand, but honestly any will work just fine)
- Cream cheese (Plain, unflavored, nothing fancy)
- Sugar
- Cinnamon
- Butter
There’s nothing fancy in these ingredients. They’re so simple you probably already have most of them in your refrigerator and pantry.
You’ll find detailed measurements for all ingredients in the printable version of the recipe at the bottom of this post.
How to Make Cream Cheese Filled Crescent Roll Pastries
Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees.
- Unroll half a package (4 rolls) of crescent rolls. Press the seams together and place on the bottom of an 8×8 baking pan.
- In a medium bowl, combine softened cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla. Stir with a wooden spoon until thoroughly combined.
- Spread over crescent rolls in baking dish.
- Unroll remaining crescent rolls, press seams together and place on top of cream cheese layer in baking dish.
- Top with melted butter.
- Sprinkle top evenly with sugar and cinnamon.
- Bake for 20-30 minutes, until bubbly and slightly browned. Allow to cool, then slice and serve. May be topped with a drizzle of honey, if desired.
TIP: How to Store and Reheat Your Cream Cheese Crescent Rolls
On the off chance that you have any leftovers, you’ll need to store them in an airtight container or resealable bag (make sure to gently squeeze out any excess air) in the refrigerator. They should keep for 3-5 days.
To reheat, I recommend using your regular or toaster oven at 300 degrees for 5 to 10 minutes. Make sure to keep an eye on them, checking them frequently to avoid burning the crescent dough.
I don’t recommend microwaving these pastries as you’ll lose that flaky, crisp texture of the dough that makes this recipe so amazing.
Questions about Cream Cheese Crescent Pastries
If you don’t have any crescent rolls on hand, you can use pie dough or even frozen puff pastry. Note that the cooking time will vary for each type of dough — make sure to check the baking instructions for the dough you’re using.
I typically use Pillsbury crescent rolls, but you can use any brand that your local store carries. It doesn’t have any impact on the taste or recipe outcome. Just use any brand that you like. They’re all fairly high quality.
No, it isn’t. While puff pastry and refrigerated crescent rolls have a similar flaky texture, they are not the same. They’re prepared in different ways with the main difference being that crescent rolls contain yeast and baking powder where puff pastry is strictly flour, water, and butter.
You probably did nothing wrong. It could be that your oven isn’t calibrated correctly and the temperature is off. Just give them a few more minutes in the oven while keeping a close watch on them so that they don’t burn.
Have you tried this recipe? I’d really appreciate you giving it a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card or in the comments section.
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Recipe
Cream Cheese Filled Crescent Roll Pastries
Ingredients
- 8 ounces refrigerated crescent rolls (recommend: Pillsbury)
- 6 ounces cream cheese room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ cup butter melted
Topping:
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- Honey, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Unroll half a package (4 rolls) of crescent rolls. Press the seams together and place on the bottom of an 8×8 baking pan.
- In a medium bowl, combine softened cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla. Stir with wooden spoon until thoroughly combined.
- Spread cream cheese mixture over crescent rolls in baking dish.
- Unroll remaining crescent rolls, press seams together and place on top of cream cheese layer in baking dish.
- Top with melted butter.
- Sprinkle top evenly with sugar and cinnamon.
- Bake for 20-30 minutes, until bubbly and slightly browned.
- Allow to cool, then slice and serve. May be topped with a drizzle of honey if desired.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is calculated by software based on the ingredients in each recipe. It is an estimate only and is provided for informational purposes. You should consult your health care provider or a registered dietitian if precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.
— This post was originally published on August 23, 2016. It has been updated with new photos and additional information.
Delicious, easy to make, and loved by all!
Thanks, Frances. I’m glad you like them!
Can these be made and frozen for future use?
Hi Mary. I haven’t tried freezing these pastries.
So easy and really yummy. Thank you!
You’re welcome! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe.
What a cool recipe for using crescent roll dough. That made it so easy! It’s nice to change breakfast up sometimes…. and we all loved this dish!!
It always makes me happy to know that a reader enjoyed making one of my recipes!
Do I grease the pan and can I with butter?
I don’t bother to grease the pan because crescent roll dough has a pretty high fat content and typically doesn’t stick. However, if you want to be absolutely certain nothing sticks, or if you’re using a store brand of dough, it won’t hurt to grease the pan. Use butter or cooking spray.