Cranberry Cheesecake Crescent Rolls are an easy holiday treat. They have a flaky crust from the crescents and a delicious cranberry cheesecake filling that you can’t get enough of. These cranberry cheesecake filled crescent are perfect for dessert, brunch, or holiday snacking.
If you love that tart bite of cranberry then you will love my Cranberry Orange Muffins and my Orange Cranberry Sauce Recipe.
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Why this Cranberry Cheesecake Crescent Rolls is a Keeper
I love this easy recipe because it’s the perfect dessert to serve at Christmas. They are so delicious, easy to make and work as both an easy dessert and appetizer!
- Incredibly Fast & Easy: This is a nearly no-fuss recipe. It uses refrigerated crescent roll dough and takes minutes to prep and bake.
- Minimal Ingredients: The core recipe requires only 4-6 simple, accessible ingredients (crescent dough, cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, salt, and cranberry sauce).
- Perfect Holiday Flavor: The combination of creamy, sweet cheesecake filling and tart, festive cranberry sauce makes it ideal for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and holiday brunches.
- Versatile Serving: It works equally well as a quick dessert, a brunch pastry, or a sweet appetizer.
Can I Use Canned (Jellied or Whole Berry) Cranberry Sauce, or Does it Have to be Homemade?
Both homemade and store-bought cranberry sauce work! I’d recommend using a jelly rather than whole berry because jelly spreads evenly.
Pro Tip for this Delicious Recipe
Use cold dough and chilled filling for cleaner shaping and less leakage.
Crescent dough warms quickly, especially with cream cheese and cranberry sauce involved. Keeping everything cold helps the rolls hold their shape, seals the seams better, and prevents the filling from oozing out during baking
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Ingredient Notes for Crescent Roll Cheesecake
All of the required ingredients are easy to find at the store, but some of the ingredients may be around the kitchen already.
Get the full printable recipe with specific measurements and directions in the recipe card below.
- Cranberry Sauce: Feel free to make your own fresh cranberry sauce or use store bought.
- Cream Cheese: Make sure to use softened cream cheese so that it’s easier to mix.
- Crescent Rolls: The triangle shape of store-bought crescent rolls are the perfect size for this recipe.
Variations for Crescent Cream Cheese Rolls
There are a couple different swaps you can make to make this recipe extra delicious.
- Cranberry Sauce: Use other jams/fillings like raspberry, cherry, or apricot preserves. Ensure the jam is thick; if it’s too runny, the filling will bubble out while baking.
- Dough: Use puff pastry sheets or canned biscuit dough. Puff pastry gives a flakier result (you’ll need to cut it into triangles). Biscuit dough will be denser and require slightly longer baking.
- Cheesecake Base: Substitute Ricotta cheese for cream cheese. Ricotta will be lighter and less rich. Use full-fat, well-drained ricotta for the best texture.
- Savory Twist: Replace the cheesecake filling with brie or goat cheese and add a pinch of fresh thyme. This turns it into a more formal, savory appetizer perfect for pairing with wine.
- Flavor Add-ins: Add orange zest to the cream cheese mix. Cranberry and orange is a classic pairing that enhances the festive flavor. You could also add in a splash of vanilla extract.
- Topping: Make a simple glaze (powdered sugar + milk/orange juice) in a small bowl after baking. Drizzle a thin glaze over the warm rolls for extra sweetness and a beautiful finish. If you want, you can dust with granulated sugar.
Special Equipment Needed for Breakfast Crescent Rolls
This recipe doesn’t use anything special to make it, but one thing can help with clean up.
- Parchment Paper or Silicone Mat: Highly recommended to prevent the rolls (and any leaked filling) from sticking.
How to Make Easy Crescent Dessert
This recipe comes together in just 5 easy to follow steps. These flaky crescent treats are so easy and delicious, I come back to them again and again.
Get the full printable recipe with specific measurements and directions in the recipe card below.
- Preheat Oven and Prep Pan: Preheat your oven and line a baking dish with parchment paper.
- Make the Filling: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with 1 half cup of sugar until smooth. Gently fold in the cranberry sauce.
- Add Filling: Unroll one can of crescent roll dough and separate the triangles. In a thin layer, spread the cream cheese evenly over the top of each triangle.
- Roll the Dough: Roll up the triangles, starting with the thicker end. Place each crescent on the bottom of the prepared baking sheet.
- Brush and Bake: Brush melted butter evenly over the tops of the rolls and sprinkle with sugar. Bake in the preheated oven until the buttery crescent rolls are golden brown.
Prep Ahead Suggestions
When I prepare ingredients ahead of time, it can help save me time and kitchen space when it comes to making dessert.
- Cream Cheese Mixture: Mix together the cream cheese, salt, powdered sugar and the vanilla extract until smooth. This can be made up to 2 days ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Soften it briefly before using.
- Full Assembly (with caution): You can assemble the rolls completely (fill and roll them up) and place them on the baking sheet. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 8 hours.
Alternate Cooking Methods for Appetizers with Crescent Rolls
Alternatively, you can make this recipe in the air fryer or bake it into bars.
- Air Fryer: Preheat the air fryer. Work in batches and check frequently, as air fryers can crisp the outside quickly.
- Cheesecake Crescent Rolls Casserole: Use a whole sheet of crescent dough and press it into the bottom of a pan. Top the the layer of crescent roll dough with a sweetened cream cheese layer. Add a cranberry or strawberry jam on top of the cream cheese and top with another sheet of dough. Bake and slice into bars.
How to Store, Reheat and Use Leftovers
- Store: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days (due to the cream cheese filling).
- Reheat: Reheat in a toaster oven or regular oven for several minutes. This restores the flakiness of the crescent dough. Microwave reheating is fast but results in a softer, less flaky texture.
- Use Leftovers: Serve leftover cold rolls with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of stabilized whipped cream.
- Crumble Topping: If you have many rolls, you can crumble them slightly over yogurt or a scoop of pudding for a quick parfait.
Common Questions About This Recipe
The best way prevent leakage is to make sure the filling and dough are both cold. You can also gently press the seams together to create a seal.
I like to make a simple powdered sugar glaze and top with orange zest. You could also top with a cinnamon sugar mixture, made with ground cinnamon and sugar.
Expert Tips for Making Cranberry Rolls
- Double the Recipe: Double this recipe by using a second can of crescent roll dough and increasing the other ingredients. Be sure to split it onto two baking sheets. After you place the baking sheets in the oven, you may need to adjust the baking time.
- Soften the Cream Cheese Completely: The biggest mistake is using cold cream cheese. Ensure the cream cheese is fully softened to guarantee a perfectly smooth, lump-free filling.
- Seal the Edges: When rolling up the crescent dough, ensure the tip is tucked under the roll. Pinch the sides gently where the filling is to prevent the cream cheese from leaking out while baking.
- Don’t Overfill: A “heaping tablespoon” is a guideline, not a maximum. Too much filling will cause a mess on the baking sheet and result in a less puffy roll.
- Cinnamon-Sugar Topping: If you want a shimmery, caramelized exterior, brush the rolls with melted butter before baking. Mix 1 cup of sugar and cinnamon dashes in a medium bowl, and sprinkle the mixture generously on top.
- Serve With: Serve alongside other holiday favorites like Pumpkin Dip, Apple Boilo or Cinnamon Roasted Pecans.
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Cheesecake Cranberry Roll
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Ingredients
- 4 ounces Cream cheese, softened
- ¼ cup Powdered sugar
- ½ cup Cranberry sauce
- 8 ounces Crescent rolls, 1 package
- 1 Tablespoon Butter, melted
- 2 Tablespoons Sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375℉ and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, stir together the cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth and well combined.
- Fold in the cranberry sauce.
- Unroll the crescent roll dough and separate the triangles.
- Spread a thin layer of the cranberry mixture over the top of each triangle.
- Roll up the dough and place each crescent roll on the prepared baking sheet.
- Brush the crescent rolls with butter and top with sugar.
- Bake for 9 to 12 minutes, until the crescent rolls are golden brown.
Christina’s Notes
- Great for Other Holidays: You can substitute the cranberry for other flavors, this crescent roll dessert can be made for many holidays such as Christmas!
- Substitute: If you don’t have crescent rolls you can use biscuit dough instead by rolling it flat with a rolling pin and cutting out the triangles.
- Herbs: Top this recipe with rosemary, a little sea salt or thyme for an extra added taste!
- Garnish: You can top with a little powdered sugar and fresh orange zest. Drizzle or swirl with a little white chocolate and graham cracker crumbs. This will give the feeling of a graham cracker crust of a cake or pie.
For more helpful information about this recipe, such as variations, substitutions and other pro-tips, scroll up on the page.