Here it is — a show-stopping Cinnamon Roll Cheesecake that has a creamy vanilla cheesecake center, cinnamon-swirl ribbons throughout, and a cinnamon-roll style glaze on top. It tastes like a Cinnabon crossed with a New York–style cheesecake!
⭐ Cinnamon Roll Cheesecake
INGREDIENTS
Crust
- 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs (or crushed vanilla wafers)
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 6 tbsp melted butter
- 1 tsp cinnamon
Cinnamon Swirl Filling
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 tbsp flour
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 4 tbsp melted butter
- 1 tsp vanilla
Cheesecake Filling
- 3 (8-oz) packages cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 eggs
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Glaze (optional but amazing)
- 2 oz cream cheese, softened
- 2 tbsp butter, softened
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1–2 tbsp milk
- ½ tsp vanilla
⭐ INSTRUCTIONS
1. Prep the Crust
- Preheat oven to 325°F (165°C).
- Mix graham crumbs, brown sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter until it resembles wet sand.
- Press firmly into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan.
- Bake 8 minutes, then cool.
2. Make the Cinnamon Swirl
- Stir together brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, melted butter, and vanilla.
- Set aside — mixture should be pourable.
3. Make the Cheesecake
- Beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth.
- Add eggs one at a time, mixing just until combined.
- Add sour cream and vanilla; mix until smooth (don’t overmix).
4. Assemble
- Pour half the cheesecake batter over the crust.
- Drizzle half the cinnamon swirl mixture over the batter.
- Pour the remaining cheesecake batter on top.
- Drizzle the remaining cinnamon swirl in ribbons.
- Use a knife to gently swirl the mixture (don’t overmix!).
5. Bake
- Bake at 325°F (165°C) for 55–70 minutes
or until the center is slightly jiggly but not liquid. - Turn off oven, crack the door, and let cool 1 hour to reduce cracking.
- Chill at least 4 hours or overnight.
6. Add the Cream Cheese Glaze
Whisk together glaze ingredients until smooth and drizzle over the chilled cheesecake.
⭐ Tips
- For the best texture, always cool completely and chill overnight.
- If you don’t want cracks, bake using a water bath or place a pan of hot water on the rack below.
- Add chopped pecans to the cinnamon swirl for a “sticky bun” version.
Would you like a no-bake version, mini cheesecake version, or cinnamon-roll crust instead of graham crackers?