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Mardi Gras King Cake Cinnamon Roll Cookies Recipe

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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.

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

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together 2¼ cups all-purpose flour, 2 tbsp cornstarch, and ½ tsp salt.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. 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.
  9. 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.
  10. Freeze Log: Wrap the rolled dough in parchment paper and freeze on a sheet pan for 15 minutes to firm it up for slicing.
  11. Preheat Oven: Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  12. 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.
  13. 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.
  14. 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.
  15. Frost Cookies: Using a spatula or piping bag, spread or pipe the cream cheese frosting generously onto each cooled cookie.
  16. 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

Find it online: https://tastygenius.com/mardi-gras-king-cake-cinnamon-roll-cookies-recipe/