Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Make the cheesecake filling
- Beat the softened cream cheese with the powdered sugar until smooth, with no visible lumps. Stop and scrape as needed so the mixture looks creamy and uniform.
- Fold in the sour cream, vanilla extract, and lime zest until fully incorporated. The mixture should be thick but spreadable along the tortilla.
Roll the taquitos
- Spread about 2 tablespoons of the cheesecake mixture down the center of each flour tortilla. Keep the filling in a neat line so it rolls evenly.
- Roll each tortilla tightly and secure with a toothpick if needed. Place seam-side down so the rolls stay together before frying.
Fry and coat
- Heat the vegetable oil in a deep skillet to 350°F. You should see steady shimmering bubbles when it’s ready.
- Fry the taquitos in batches at 350°F until golden and crispy, about 2 minutes per side. Turn once and look for crisp, deep-golden edges.
- Drain the fried taquitos on paper towels. Press gently with the towel so excess oil is removed and the coating sticks.
- Combine the granulated sugar and cinnamon to make the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Mix until evenly speckled.
- Brush the hot taquitos with melted butter and immediately dust with the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Finish with a crisp, cinnamon-coated exterior while warm.
Notes
For the smoothest filling, make sure the cream cheese is fully softened before beating—lumps can create grainy pockets inside the taquitos. Store leftovers covered in the fridge up to 2 days; reheat in a hot oven at 400°F for 6–8 minutes to re-crisp the exterior. Freezing is not recommended because the fried texture can soften as it thaws. For a lighter option, use low-fat cream cheese and reduced-fat sour cream to cut calories without changing the method.