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Churro Cheesecake

Churro cheesecake with a cinnamon sugar graham crust, churro pieces baked into a creamy center, and a chocolate drizzle on top. Baked at 325°F until set with a gently jiggly center for a slice with a fork-friendly, creamy interior.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
chilling 4 hours
Total Time 5 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Mexican-Fusion
Calories: 560
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cinnamon sugar graham cracker crumbs
  • 1 cup cinnamon sugar graham cracker crumbs
Melted butter
  • 0.25 cup melted butter
Cream cheese
  • 32 oz cream cheese, softened Use full-fat for the creamiest texture.
Granulated sugar
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
Sour cream
  • 0.5 cup sour cream
Vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
Cinnamon
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
Nutmeg
  • 0.25 tsp nutmeg
Eggs
  • 4 eggs
Chopped churros
  • 1 cup chopped churros (fresh or store-bought) Fresh or packaged churros both work; chop into bite-size pieces.
Dulce de leche
  • 0.5 cup dulce de leche
Chocolate sauce
  • 0.5 cup chocolate sauce Drizzle right before serving for best sheen.

Equipment

  • 1 springform pan
  • 1 oven

Method
 

Make the crust
  1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Mix cinnamon sugar graham cracker crumbs with melted butter until evenly combined, then press firmly into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan.
  2. Bake crust for 8 minutes at 325°F, then let it cool slightly until warm, not hot.
Mix the cheesecake filling
  1. Beat cream cheese and granulated sugar until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed for an even texture.
  2. Add sour cream, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and nutmeg, then beat until combined and glossy.
  3. Add eggs one at a time, beating on low speed after each addition to keep the batter creamy and lump-free.
  4. Fold in chopped churro pieces until distributed throughout the batter.
Assemble and bake
  1. Pour half the cheesecake batter over the crust, spreading to an even layer.
  2. Drizzle dulce de leche over the batter in a swirl pattern, then add remaining batter on top.
  3. Bake 40-50 minutes at 325°F until the cheesecake is set but the center still jiggles slightly when gently shaken, then turn off the oven.
Cool, chill, and finish
  1. Cool the cheesecake completely at room temperature until no longer warm to the touch.
  2. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours (or longer) until fully chilled and sliceable.
  3. Drizzle chocolate sauce over the top just before serving, letting it streak across the surface for a visible drizzle pattern.

Notes

Pro tip: for the best texture, keep the oven at 325°F and avoid overbaking—the cheesecake should jiggle slightly in the center when shaken. Refrigerate covered up to 4 days; freeze up to 2 months (slice after thawing). For a lighter swap, use reduced-fat cream cheese and sour cream, but expect a slightly softer set.