Introduction

Celebrate Mardi Gras with these festive King Cake Cinnamon Roll Cookies. They’re soft, flavorful, and decorated with vibrant purple, yellow, and green sprinkles to bring the traditional flavors of King Cake into a perfect bite-sized treat.

Mardi Gras King Cake Cinnamon Roll Cookies Recipe - Recipe Image

Ingredients

1 cup butter (softened)
⅓ cup granulated sugar
⅓ cup light brown sugar (packed)
1 large egg yolk
1½ tsp vanilla extract
1½ tsp butter flavor extract
1 tsp almond extract
2¼ cups all-purpose flour
2 tbsp cornstarch
½ tsp salt
2 tbsp butter (melted)
⅓ cup light brown sugar (packed)
2½ tsp ground cinnamon
⅛ tsp salt
1 tsp light or dark corn syrup
3 oz cream cheese (softened)
3 oz butter (softened)
1¼ cup powdered sugar
¼ tsp salt
1 tbsp milk
¾ tsp cream cheese flavoring extract
½ tsp butter extract
⅛ tsp almond extract
Purple sprinkles
Yellow sprinkles
Green sprinkles

Instructions

Step 1: Cream the softened butter with the granulated sugar and ⅓ cup light brown sugar until smooth and creamy, about 5 minutes.
Step 2: Add the egg yolk, vanilla extract, butter flavor extract, and almond extract. Mix until well incorporated.
Step 3: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, and ½ tsp salt.
Step 4: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix on low speed just until combined.
Step 5: Shape the dough into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for 15 minutes or overnight. If chilled overnight, let it come close to room temperature before rolling.
Step 6: Lightly flour a flat surface or use parchment paper. Roll the dough into a 12 x 10-inch rectangle.
Step 7: In a small bowl, melt the 2 tbsp butter. Stir in ⅓ cup light brown sugar, ground cinnamon, ⅛ tsp salt, and corn syrup until combined.
Step 8: Immediately pour the cinnamon sugar mixture evenly over the dough. Use a spatula to spread the filling carefully, leaving about a ½-inch border on all sides.
Step 9: With the longer side facing you, carefully and tightly roll the dough into a log, using the parchment paper to help keep it tight and shape it evenly.
Step 10: Wrap the log in parchment paper and freeze on a sheet pan for 15 minutes.
Step 11: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 12: Cut the chilled dough into ¼-inch thick slices. For even slices, cut the log in half, then slice each half into about 15 pieces, yielding 30 cookies total.
Step 13: Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes until lightly golden. Allow to cool before frosting.
Step 14: To make the frosting, cream together the softened cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add the salt, powdered sugar, milk, and beat until fluffy.
Step 15: Mix in the cream cheese flavoring extract, butter extract, and almond extract until well combined.
Step 16: Frost each cooled cookie and sprinkle with purple, yellow, and green sprinkles to celebrate Mardi Gras colors.

Tips & Variations

For a softer dough, you can substitute half the all-purpose flour with cake flour.
If you don’t have cream cheese flavoring extract, simply increase the vanilla extract slightly for a milder variation.
Try adding chopped pecans or walnuts to the cinnamon filling for a pleasant crunch.
Use parchment paper under the dough when rolling and rolling the log to prevent sticking and ensure even shaping.

Storage

Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, keep them in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or freeze frosted cookies in a single layer with parchment paper between layers for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving. Reheat slightly in the microwave for 10-15 seconds if you prefer them warm.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I make the dough ahead of time?

Yes, the dough can be made and refrigerated overnight. Bring it close to room temperature before rolling to make it easier to handle.

What can I use if I don’t have corn syrup?

You can substitute light honey, golden syrup, or maple syrup in equal amounts for the corn syrup in the filling to maintain sweetness and moisture.

Mardi Gras King Cake Cinnamon Roll Cookies Recipe

Print Recipe

★★★★★

4.5 from 111 reviews

These Mardi Gras King Cake Cinnamon Roll Cookies combine the classic flavors of a traditional King Cake with the convenience of a cookie. Soft, buttery dough is filled with a cinnamon and brown sugar mixture, rolled tightly, sliced, and baked to perfection. Topped with a rich cream cheese frosting and festive purple, yellow, and green sprinkles, these cookies capture the spirit of Mardi Gras in every bite. Perfect for celebrations or as a sweet treat that brings vibrant flavor and fun to any occasion.

Author: Elias
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
Yield: 30 servings 1x
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale

Cookie Dough

1 cup butter (softened)
⅓ cup granulated sugar
⅓ cup light brown sugar (packed)
1 large egg yolk
1½ tsp vanilla extract
1½ tsp butter flavor extract
1 tsp almond extract
2¼ cups all-purpose flour
2 tbsp cornstarch
½ tsp salt

Filling

2 tbsp butter (melted)
⅓ cup light brown sugar (packed)
2½ tsp ground cinnamon
⅛ tsp salt
1 tsp light or dark corn syrup

Frosting

3 oz cream cheese (softened)
3 oz butter (softened)
1¼ cup powdered sugar
¼ tsp salt
1 tbsp milk
¾ tsp cream cheese flavoring extract
½ tsp butter extract
⅛ tsp almond extract

Decorations

Purple sprinkles
Yellow sprinkles
Green sprinkles

Instructions

Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large mixing bowl, cream together 1 cup softened butter, ⅓ cup granulated sugar, and ⅓ cup light brown sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
Add Egg Yolk and Extracts: Mix in 1 large egg yolk, 1½ tsp vanilla extract, 1½ tsp butter flavor extract, and 1 tsp almond extract thoroughly until combined.
Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together 2¼ cups all-purpose flour, 2 tbsp cornstarch, and ½ tsp salt.
Mix Dry into Wet: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed just until combined to form a dough.
Chill Dough: Shape dough into a disk, wrap tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes or overnight. If refrigerated overnight, allow the dough to warm to nearly room temperature before rolling.
Prepare Surface for Rolling: Lightly flour a flat surface or use two sheets of parchment paper to prevent sticking, then roll the dough into a 12 x 10-inch rectangle.
Make Filling: In a small microwave-safe bowl, melt 2 tbsp butter. Stir in ⅓ cup light brown sugar, 2½ tsp ground cinnamon, ⅛ tsp salt, and 1 tsp corn syrup until fully combined.
Spread Filling: Immediately pour the cinnamon filling evenly over the rolled dough, spreading with a spatula to cover the dough but leaving about a ½-inch border around the edges without filling.
Roll Dough Into Log: Position the 12-inch side toward you and carefully roll the dough tightly into a log using the parchment paper to guide and keep the roll firm.
Freeze Log: Wrap the rolled dough in parchment paper and freeze on a sheet pan for 15 minutes to firm it up for slicing.
Preheat Oven: Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Slice Cookies: Remove the dough log from the freezer and cut into ¼-inch thick slices. Cutting the log in half and slicing each half into 15 pieces works well for uniform cookies, totaling 30 cookies.
Bake Cookies: Place slices on the prepared baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes until lightly golden around the edges. Allow cookies to cool completely before frosting.
Make Frosting: In a mixing bowl, cream 3 oz softened cream cheese until smooth. Add 3 oz softened butter and beat until creamy. Incorporate 1¼ cup powdered sugar, ¼ tsp salt, and 1 tbsp milk. Then mix in ¾ tsp cream cheese flavoring extract, ½ tsp butter extract, and ⅛ tsp almond extract, beating until well combined and smooth.
Frost Cookies: Using a spatula or piping bag, spread or pipe the cream cheese frosting generously onto each cooled cookie.
Decorate: Finish by sprinkling festive purple, yellow, and green sprinkles atop the frosted cookies for a vibrant Mardi Gras-themed presentation.

Notes

Chilling the dough helps to make it easier to roll and handle, especially when slicing the cookies.
Using parchment paper during rolling and freezing helps maintain shape and prevents sticking.
If you don’t have cream cheese flavoring extract, just omit it; the frosting will still taste delicious.
Feel free to adjust sprinkle colors to match your celebration theme or omit them for a simpler look.
Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to a week.
Allow cookies to cool completely before frosting to prevent melting the frosting.

Keywords: Mardi Gras cookies, King Cake cookies, cinnamon roll cookies, cream cheese frosting, festive cookies, holiday baking