trying to reduce calories in a recipe

buffinlovin

So I Pinterest. A lot. More than a sane person really should.

Anyways, this recipe is always popping up, and gosh darn it I really want to make it lol! http://sugarapron.com/2016/01/03/easy-sopapilla-cheesecake-dessert/

The ingredient list looks like this:
2 (8oz.) packs of Pillsbury crescent rolls
2 (8oz.) packs of cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup butter (melted)
1 tablespoon cinnamon
4 tablespoons sugar

In trying to reduce the calorie count, some obvious changes are to sub in reduced fat cream cheese, and maybe a no calorie sugar substitute for the 1 cup of sugar. I think the kicker is going to be those crescent rolls. I'm not sure if they make a reduced fat crescent roll, but I'm wondering how it would work if I simply took out the bottom layer of crescent roll? Anybody have any experience with these types of recipes and leaving out that bottom layer?

Thanks in advance!

TeaBea

Reduced fat Crescents are a thing.
https://www.pillsbury.com/products/crescents/reduced-fat-crescents


For sugar substitute - Splenda or Truvia (can be baked). I have had experience with Splenda....it might brown a little faster. There's a chart somewhere which tells you what sugar subs do well in what types of deserts.

buffinlovin

TeaBea wrote: »

Reduced fat Crescents are a thing.
https://www.pillsbury.com/products/crescents/reduced-fat-crescents


For sugar substitute - Splenda or Truvia (can be baked). I have had experience with Splenda....it might brown a little faster. There's a chart somewhere which tells you what sugar subs do well in what types of deserts.

oooo awesome! thank you! I'll try and find the chart

DannyYMi54321

You probably could get away with using butter-flavored cooking spray instead of the butter on the top crust. Might be a little dryer and harder, but you would cut out close to 400 calories.

buffinlovin

DannyYMi54321 wrote: »

You probably could get away with using butter-flavored cooking spray instead of the butter on the top crust. Might be a little dryer and harder, but you would cut out close to 400 calories.

That's a great idea, I didn't think of that! thank you =D

apullum

In addition to all of the things suggested, you could also use an egg wash instead of the butter. You should still get a nice crispy crust with far fewer calories and less fat.

I assume it would work with only one layer of crescent rolls. I'm also imagining it with a bottom layer only: bake the bottom layer of crescent rolls as directed, then cover it with cream cheese filling. You could add the cinnamon to that filling, or sprinkle cinnamon and sweetener over the dough before baking. I would probably try not baking the filling, and just having it as something similar to a no-bake cheesecake bar. That would also get rid of the need for butter (or egg wash). But that might be too far from what you originally intended!