Sopapilla cheesecake hand pies put the amazing dessert right into your hand! Make a whole batch for your next fiesta.
I’m slightly obsessed with sopapilla cheesecake and I’m definitely crazy about all types of hand pies and empanadas so I decided to combine the two in these amazing sopapilla cheesecake hand pies!
The result is a bite-size pocket of cheesecake with a crispy, crunchy cinnamon crust. It takes a little more effort to make than an individual pie (go for my Puff Pastry Sopapilla Cheesecake if you’re looking for minimal prep), but it’s so worth the little bit of extra time!
They are totally adorable, and who doesn’t love a dessert you can eat on the go? Additionally, they’re only made with a few ingredients you probably already have on hand!
Start by beating cream cheese and sugar together along with some vanilla. I like using Mexican vanilla because I think it has the best taste.
Set this aside while you cut out rounds of pie dough. You can use pre-made refrigerated pie crust or from scratch. The easy dough recipe from my Pineapple Empanadas would be perfect!
I like to use a small circle cutter for bite-sized pies. The size of your cutter will determine how many empanadas you get.
I used the ring of a wide mouth canning jar which is about 3.5 inches wide. I got approximately 16 pies.
Fill the circle with a spoonful of the cream cheese mixture and fold over. Don’t overfill or it will start to leak out as it bakes. Crimp the edges with a fork to seal.
To make the famous sopapilla topping, brush or dip the top of the pie in melted butter. Next, sprinkle or dip in cinnamon sugar. I prefer to dip them, but it’s a little messier this way.
Do you have a grandma or family member who was famous for pies in your family? My dad is the pie-maker in ours and he would sprinkle the scraps with cinnamon-sugar and bake it for us to eat.
These sopapilla cheesecake hand pies take me back to those days! Only better since they’re stuffed with cream cheese!
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Sopapilla Cheesecake Hand Pies Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 8 ounce package Cream Cheese softened
- 2 tablespoons Granulated Sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
- 2 Pre-made Pie Crust
- 3 tablespoons Butter melted
- 1/2 cup Granulated Sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper; set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and 2 tablespoons of sugar until well combined. Mix in the vanilla; set aside.
- Roll out the pie crust to 1/8-inch thin. Cut into 3.5-inch rounds. Fill each circle with about a teaspoon of cream cheese. Fold over and crimp with a fork to seal. Re-rolls scraps and continue filling until the pie crust is used.
- In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup sugar and cinnamon. Dip one side of each pie into melted butter, then into sugar. Place cinnamon-sugar side up on prepared baking sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes or until crust is no longer raw. Watch carefully after 10 minutes or filling may begin to leak.