Introduction

Celebrate Mardi Gras with these festive King Cake Cookies, bursting with warm spices, cream cheese, and white chocolate chips. Their colorful sprinkles and sanding sugar stripes make them as joyful to look at as they are delicious to eat.

A close-up of six round cookies on a white marbled surface, each cookie having a golden brown rough-textured base with purple, green, and yellow sprinkles mixed inside and on top. Each cookie has a dollop of smooth, white icing in the center, decorated with more colorful sprinkles. The cookies are resting on a white baking tray lined with white parchment paper, and the background is softly blurred warm lights. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

1 cup salted butter, cold and cubed
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs, cold
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup cream cheese chunks, cold and cut into small pieces
3/4 cup white chocolate chips
1/2 cup purple, green, and gold sprinkles
1/2 cup purple, green, and gold sanding sugar

Instructions

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 410°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Step 2: In a stand mixer or with a hand mixer, beat the cold butter with granulated and brown sugars until smooth but not over-creamed, about 1-2 minutes. Mix in the eggs one at a time, then add vanilla and almond extracts.
Step 3: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
Step 4: Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet mixture and mix until just combined. Gently fold in the cream cheese chunks, white chocolate chips, and Mardi Gras-colored sprinkles.
Step 5: Divide the dough into large balls, about 5-6 ounces each. Shape them into tall, loose spheres without flattening to create thicker cookies.
Step 6: Place 3-4 dough balls onto each prepared baking sheet, spacing them apart. Add sanding sugar in stripes across the tops of each cookie.
Step 7: Bake for 9-12 minutes, until the edges are golden but the centers remain slightly underdone. Keep remaining dough refrigerated until ready to bake.
Step 8: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 30 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely. Repeat for remaining batches. This cooling time helps develop the proper texture.

Tips & Variations

For a more traditional flavor, substitute the almond extract with an additional 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.
Use different colored sprinkles to customize for other celebrations.
Ensure the butter and cream cheese are cold to help create a thicker, fluffier cookie texture.
Refrigerate dough balls if you want to bake fresh cookies throughout the week.

Storage

Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. For longer storage, freeze the cookies in a sealed container for up to 3 months. To reheat, warm cookies in a 300°F oven for 5-7 minutes to restore softness and richness.

How to Serve

The image shows six round cookies on a white baking tray lined with white parchment paper, placed on a white marbled surface. Each cookie has a golden brown base with visible texture and is topped with white cream in the center. Over the cream and cookie surface are colorful sprinkles in purple, yellow, and green, spread evenly across the top. The cookies have a slightly cracked texture around the edges, giving them a homemade look. The background is softly blurred with warm lights creating a cozy atmosphere. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I make the dough ahead of time?

Yes, the dough can be shaped into balls and refrigerated for up to 3 days before baking. Just be sure to cover tightly to prevent drying out.

Why are my cookies spreading too much?

Make sure your butter and cream cheese are cold when mixing the dough. Also, avoid flattening the dough balls before baking to maintain thick, puffy cookies that don’t spread excessively.