Cinnamon Cream Cheese Squares

Photo by Katie Kay

These are hands-down my favorite dessert to make in a pinch.  Cream cheese is my only essential food group, and I'm desperately in love with this crispy, sugary, cinnamon topping.  Not to mention, this is CRAZY easy to make.  I almost hate telling you.
Cream cheese is a pantry staple in my house (it doesn't expire quickly and I use it fairly often) so the only thing on the grocery list was 2 roll cans of crescent dough.  You know, the exploding kind.  I remembered at 9pm that I needed to bring snacks for Kaylen's basketball game the next day, and I happened to have the crescent dough in the fridge.  I whipped this up in less than 10 minutes, let it bake for 30, and put it in the fridge for the following day.  Everyone loved it!
Cinnamon Cream Cheese Squares

2 8-oz rolls crescent dough

2 8-oz packages cream cheese, softened

1 ½ cup sugar, divided

1 teaspoon vanilla

¼ cup butter, melted

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spread 1 roll crescent dough into bottom of 9x13 pan.  Use fingers to smoosh creases together.  Yes--smoosh is a word.  Mix cream cheese, 1 cup of sugar, and vanilla with mixer until smooth.  Spread evenly over crescent dough.  Top with second roll of dough.  Do the smooshy thing again with your fingers.  In a bowl, stir together melted butter, ½ cup sugar and cinnamon; it will be fairly thick.  Spread sugar mixture around top of pan.  The back of a spoon works well.  Bake 25 - 30 minutes or until center is semi-firm.  It will set more as it chills.  Chill and cut into squares.