Cinnamon Bun Cheesecake

Total Time

Prep: 20 min. Cook: 180 min.

Makes

10 servings

Updated: Apr. 05, 2024
I seem to have shocked myself with this one! My two favorite things on the planet are cinnamon buns and cheesecake! I just decided to try to put them together and this recipe is what I came up with. I didn't know how this would go over until I made it for a party and everyone who had it just sat there moaning while they ate it. Now it is my most requested food item when ever I have to bring something to share at a party. The response was out of this world. This cheesecake tastes just like a cinnamon roll with the added decadence of cheese cake... a total no brainer in my book! It doesn't get much better than this! Cinnamon roll taste in a decadent cheesecake, topped with a cinnamon streusel topping, a little white chocolate and a cinnamon drizzle.... yeeks! The best part? It sounds sweet, but it really has a great flavor... not too sweet.

Ingredients

One 9 inch spring form pan sprayed with non-stick spray

One large piece of heavy duty foil to cover whole outside pan

Preheat oven to 325 degrees

Crust:

1-3/4 cups crushed graham crackers
1/3 cup brown sugar, packed lightly
6 tablespoons butter, melted

Cinnamon Sauce:

1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup of light corn syrup
1/4 cup water
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 cup heavy cream

Cinnamon Streusel:

2/3 cups of flour
1/2 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
6 tablespoons cold butter cut into pieces
2 teaspoons cinnamon

Cheesecake batter:

4- 8-oz. packages of cream cheese, room temperature
1-1/2 cups white sugar
1/4 cup flour
2 teaspoons good vanilla extract
4 eggs, room temperature

White Chocolate Drizzle:

6 oz. white chocolate chips or white almond bark
1 tablespoon cooking oil

Directions

Spray the spring form pan with non-stick spray and cover the entire outside of pan with the heavy duty aluminum foil. Set aside.

For crust:

Combine cracker crumbs, brown sugar, cinnamon and melted butter. Mix well. Pat into spring form pan. Set aside.

For cinnamon sauce:

In medium sauce pan, combine brown sugar, water and cinnamon. Heat until mixture starts to boil and sugar is dissolved. Add corn syrup and boil on medium heat another two minutes. Add heavy cream and continue to boil on medium heat for another three minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool for about 30 minutes until ready to use.

For the streusel:

Combine flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and cold butter chunks. Mix well until all the flour is incorporated into the butter and sugar. Mixture should be crumbly with no loose flour. Set aside.

Cheese cake batter:

In large bowl or Kitchen Aid Mixer bowl, combine the sugar and flour. With paddle attachment or hand mixer, combine the flour and sugar until incorporated. Add the cream cheese and vanilla. Beat on medium speed until mixture is well combined and fluffy. Scrape down sides of bowl to make sure all is incorporated. Add eggs one at a time, mixing on lowest speed of mixer just until incorporated. Stop mixing right after the fourth egg is incorporated. Remove paddle attachment or beaters and give the mixture a stir by hand to make sure all is incorporated.

Pour cheesecake mixture into prepared pan. Give the cinnamon sauce a quick stir to eliminate any lumps and place tablespoons full of the sauce on top of the cheesecake batter, using half of the sauce and reserving the rest for later to drizzle on sliced cheesecake. Swirl the sauce through the batter with a spoon or knife until well distributed.

Spread the streusel on top of the batter evenly.

Place cheesecake in oven and bake approximately one and a half hours... ovens will vary. Cheesecake should be spongy on the outer rim and slightly jiggly in the middle. Remove from oven and let rest ten minutes. Take a thin sharp knife and run it around the entire pan to loosen the cheesecake to prevent any cracks. Cool another hour.

For chocolate drizzle:

Place a glass bowl over a pan of simmering water, making sure the bowl doesn't touch the water directly. Add the white chocolate chips or white almond bark and the tablespoon oil. Stir until the chocolate is completely melted. Drizzle over the streusel topping on the cheesecake and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.

To serve:

Plate cheesecake on plate. Microwave the remaining cinnamon sauce and drizzle on plate and add the piece of cheesecake or drizzle the sauce directly over the cheesecake.