Air Fryer Strawberry Cheesecake Chimichangas are a healthier version of deep-fried burritos or taquitos. This quick and easy dessert of stuffed soft flour tortillas with creamy cheesecake filling, fresh strawberries, and cinnamon sugar is simply irresistible!
Similar to classic cheese blintzes, the Mexican version uses tortilla shells instead of crepes.
A favorite in Tex-Mex and other Southwestern US cuisine, xangos, or fried cheesecake, has its roots in Mexico. It's a quick-fix treat for those last-minute sugar cravings.
You are probably familiar with chimichanga as a savory dish, usually stuffed with shredded chicken or beef, rice, and beans. But have you ever tried this sweet version of scrumptious crispy pastry with a fruity, creamy center and a sugary topping?
Let me tell you, my cheesecake addiction just got greater by a notch.
You don't have to be planning a Cinco de Mayo celebration or Fiesta Party to enjoy these delicious strawberry cheese-filled chimis.
Similar to cheese blintzes, these chimichangas are perfect when you need a sweet treat in a pinch and are sure to be your family's new favorite.
📃 Why it Works
- Quick and easy to make with simple and affordable ingredients.
- Made in an air fryer, they are a healthier alternative to deep-fried chimichangas. If you don't own one, you can also bake them in the oven (see the FAQ section below) or pan-fry them.
- It's a celebration of texture that adds a whole new dimension to your taste buds' experience: crispy, creamy, and crunchy.
- It's a family-approved dessert and the perfect snack to satisfy everyone's sweet tooth.
How is air-frying food healthier?
Cooking or frying your food in an air fryer is much healthier because of the minimal oil required in the cooking process. Baking is another alternative if an air fryer is not in your budget.
Instead of butter or vegetable oil, we used the avocado cooking spray in this recipe, but coconut oil is also a healthy option.
🛒 Ingredients and Notes
Tortillas: Use soft flour or gluten-free tortillas. Wonton wraps and fillo dough would also work as an alternative, but not the corn tortillas.
Cream cheese: I recommend full-fat for the creamier texture.
Strawberries: Fresh is the best way to go.
🔪 Instructions
Step 1
- Beat together the cream cheese, sour cream, two tablespoons sugar, vanilla extract, and lemon zest.
- Fold in the sliced strawberries.
- Divide the mixture evenly among the tortillas, then roll the tortilla up like a burrito. Secure it with a toothpick. Repeat the rolling process with the remaining tortillas.
Step 2
- Place chimichangas seam side down in the air fryer basket. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you might need to work in batches.
- Bake at 400 F for 6 minutes or until golden brown and crispy, flipping them once after 3 minutes.
- Roll the warm chimichangas into the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Repeat the frying and rolling process with the remaining chimichangas.
- Tortillas come in a thick and thin texture, while Thin works better for this recipe.
- Use gluten-free tortillas if you or someone in your family has celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity.
- Keep tortillas at room temperature or warm them up, so they don't crack when rolling.
- If your cinnamon sugar isn't sticking to the tortillas, spray with oil or lightly brush with melted butter or coconut oil while still warm.
- You could also divide the cheesecake filling among eight tortillas.
👉 Variations
Try these delicious fillings:
- Banana and chocolate or Nutella
- Caramel apple pie filling like in these fillo apple pie rolls
- Cherry, lemon, blueberry, or peach cheesecake
- Bavarian cream
- The pumpkin cheesecake filling is perfect for fall and Thanksgiving
🍽 How To Serve It
Serve with whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, drizzled with chocolate syrup or honey, and garnished with strawberries or chocolate shavings.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Fresh strawberries are the best option. If you must use frozen fruit, you should thaw it before using them. Also, if using canned fruit, drain it first.
Yes, you can bake cheesecake chimichangas in the oven. Put them seam-side down on a greased baking sheet. Brush with oil, sprinkle with sugar and bake at 450 F for 5-10 or at 350 F for 15-20 minutes (flipping over once) or until golden brown.
These fried cheesecakes come together fast, so I haven't made them ahead of time. My concern is that tortillas might get a bit soggy.
If I had to, I'd keep them refrigerated and then take them out a few hours before cooking. Also, they are best when served warm.
Once fried, tortillas will soften and become a bit chewy when stored in the fridge for several days, but that doesn't mean they aren't still delicious cold!
I never tried freezing chimichangas, but if you must, you could freeze them after they've cooled down without coating them with cinnamon sugar.
Then, warm them up in the oven straight from the freezer, spray with oil, and cover with sugar. However, the cheese filling won't have the same texture, and strawberries might leak extra moisture into the filling, so perhaps dried strawberries would work better.
- Homemade Chipotle Burrito Bowl
- Mexican Chicken Soup
- No-Churn Strawberry Frozen Yogurt
- Strawberry Oatmeal Cake
- Mexican Guava Charlotte
Liked this recipe? Leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section. Your feedback is always appreciated! Stay in touch through Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook! Don't forget to sign up for my email list below too!
Air Fryer Mexican Strawberry Cheesecake Chimichangas
EQUIPMENT
- Toothpicks
Ingredients
- 8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
- 2 tablespoon sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 ½ cup chopped strawberries, plus more for garnish
- 6 8-inch soft flour tortillas
- Cooking spray, avocado or olive oil
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- ½ cup sugar
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, beat together the cream cheese, sour cream, 2 tablespoons of sugar, vanilla extract, and lemon zest, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Fold in the sliced strawberries.
- Divide the mixture evenly among the tortillas, spreading portions in the lower third of each tortilla.
- Next, fold the two sides of each tortilla toward the center and then roll the tortilla up like a burrito. Secure it with a toothpick. Repeat the rolling process with the remaining tortillas.
- Depending on the size of your air fryer, you might need to work in batches. Cook for 6 minutes or until golden brown and crispy, flipping them once mid-way through.
- Combine the remaining sugar with the cinnamon in a shallow dish.
- Transfer the chimichangas to a plate and remove the toothpicks. Lightly spray them with cooking oil and roll them into a cinnamon-sugar mixture while still warm.
- Repeat the frying and coating process with the remaining chimichangas. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Tortillas come in a thick and thin texture. Thin work better for this recipe.
- Use gluten-free tortillas if you or someone in your family has celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity.
- Keep tortillas at room temperature or warm them up so they don't crack when rolling.
- If your cinnamon sugar isn't sticking to the tortillas, spray with oil or lightly brush with melted butter or coconut oil while still warm.
- You could also divide the cheesecake filling among 8 tortillas.
- Strawberry chimichangas are best when served warm.
- For variations and FAQs, please read the post.
- Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used.
Nutrition
Update Notes: This recipe was originally published in May 2017 and updated in March 2021 with new photos and recipe tips.
Sheri says
These look delicious! Going to make them for a Cinco de Mayo party next weekend. Thanks for sharing!
Jas says
Thanks, Sheri! They're perfect for parties, especially Cinco de Mayo party! 😀
Jenny says
These look fabulous! My daughter would love these--she loves Mexican food. I will definitely keep these in mind for spring! Thank you for sharing at Fiesta Friday!
Jas says
Thanks, Jenny! Hope your daughter likes them, I know we do 🙂
Miz Helen says
I can't wait to try your amazing Mexican Strawberry Cheesecake Chimichangas! Thanks so much for sharing with us at Full Plate Thursday for the party this week. Hope you have a great week and come back to see us real soon!
Miz Helen
Jas says
I hope you do, they're quite a treat 🙂
Linda on Poinsettia Drive says
Thanks for sharing Jas they look so yummy. Now I know how to fold one of those! Sharing on social media.
Jas says
Thank you for sharing, Linda! Happy Friday 🙂
Cherryl Ehlenburg says
These look delicious! We will be trying them soon!
Jas says
Thanks, Cherryl! X
Barrie Mooney says
Fantastic recipe! So original!
Jas says
Thank you so much!
susanne@thompsonhillblog.com says
Amazing! You hit it out of the park today!
Jas says
Wow, thanks so much, Susanne!
Love from Munchkintime.com says
These chimichangas look amazing! =) Yummy!!!
Jas says
Glad you like them 😀
Amy says
Oh my goodness, these Mexican Strawberry Cheesecake Chimichangas look fabulous. Your pictures are wonderful. You nailed in on the head when you talked about how as we get older everything changes, but I love your point that we need to go with moderation in all things. We need to have something to look forward to and I am definitely looking forward to making these chimichangas. Thank you for sharing at Inspire Me Monday link party.
Jas says
Amy, I'm thrilled that you like it and agree with my theory! As the youngsters would say: YOLO, and although we want to be healthy and prolong it, we also need to enjoy it while it lasts. 🙂 Thank you so much for stopping in! x
Fabiola Rodriguez says
As a Mexican, I must say this is an interesting idea. I've had tortillas with a sweet filling crepe-style, so I would definitely give this a try. Pinning and tweeting this! Greetings from the Inspire Me Monday linky 🙂
Jas says
Thank you, Fabiola! I must say, I was surprised by how good this was. I love anything cheesecake but doubted that strawberries and cinnamon would taste good together. Well, they do! 😀
Alexandra says
Ooooohhhhh my goodness! This recipe combines a bunch of my favorite things. I can't wait to try this! Not to mention that I appreciate the frying instructions being in minutes, not just until it reaches a certain temperature or what-have-you.
I recently started a new link up on my EyeLoveKnots blog, and would love if you came to link up!
Jas says
I'm super happy that you like it, Alexandra! As far as cooking instructions, it can be tricky as not all the stoves are made the same. So, it's more like a guide than the rule. But I totally get it. I don't insert a thermometer in everything I cook. I think I used it once and it didn't work out that great, lol.
Marissa | Squirrels of a Feather says
OMG, these look fantastic, Jas! I am still in the "golden age" where I can eat two meals...I eat more than my husband! Not looking forward to that changing 🙁 Anyway, these look gorgeous and great for Cinco de Mayo coming up!
Jas says
Lucky you! I miss that age. 🙁
Rhonda says
These look delicious, and just in time for strawberry season. They even look easy enough for me to make. Thanks for sharing on Sunday's Best. I always look forward to your posts.
Jas says
They really are easy, Rhonda! Thank you
Rachel says
These look scrumptious! Love the pics!
Jas says
Thank you, Rachel! 😀
Beverly says
Wow, Jas, these look delicious! I agree that moderation is good for us, but I don't think I'd stop at just one of these. We'll be featuring your Mexican Strawberry Cheesecake Chimichangas at tomorrow's Snickerdoodle Party. See you there!
Jas says
Aw, Beverly, you're spoiling me 😀 Thank you so much and I hope you have a wonderful Mother's Day!
Theresa @DearCreatives says
Looks so yummy Jas! Pinned & sharing Thanks for joining the Inspiration Spotlight party. Hey, we are having a great giveaway going on. Feel free to pop by to enter. See you again soon!
Jas says
Thank you, Theresa! Will check it out 🙂