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Mardi Gras King Cake Cookies Recipe

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4.7 from 91 reviews

Celebrate Mardi Gras with these festive King Cake Cookies that capture the essence of the traditional king cake in a portable, cookie form. Packed with buttery richness, warm spices, cream cheese chunks, and white chocolate chips, these cookies are sprinkled with vibrant purple, green, and gold sugars for a truly authentic Mardi Gras treat.

Ingredients

Scale

Wet Ingredients

  • 1 cup salted butter, cold and cubed
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs, cold
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1/2 cup cream cheese chunks, cold and cut into small pieces

Dry Ingredients

  • 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

Mix-ins and Toppings

  • 3/4 cup white chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup purple, green, and gold sprinkles
  • 1/2 cup purple, green, and gold sanding sugar

Instructions

  1. Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 410°F (210°C). Prepare two baking sheets by lining them with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
  2. Prepare Wet Ingredients: Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat the cold cubed butter together with granulated and brown sugars until the mixture is smooth and creamy but not over-whipped, about 1-2 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, ensuring each is fully incorporated, then mix in the vanilla and almond extracts for flavor.
  3. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon, and nutmeg until evenly mixed.
  4. Incorporate Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, mixing just until combined to avoid overworking the dough. Gently fold in the cold cream cheese chunks, white chocolate chips, and Mardi Gras-colored sprinkles to infuse the dough with bursts of sweetness and festive color.
  5. Shape Cookies: Divide the dough into large balls weighing approximately 5 to 6 ounces each. Rather than flattening them, shape each into a tall, loose sphere to ensure a thicker, cakier cookie texture.
  6. Add Sanding Sugar: Place 3 to 4 dough balls on each prepared baking sheet, spacing them well apart to allow for spreading. Sprinkle purple, green, and gold sanding sugar in stripes across the tops of the dough balls for a colorful Mardi Gras look.
  7. Bake: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 9 to 12 minutes. The edges should be golden brown while the centers remain slightly underdone, ensuring a soft and chewy texture. Keep any remaining dough refrigerated until ready for baking subsequent batches.
  8. Cool Cookies: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for about 30 minutes to finish setting and develop proper texture before transferring them to wire racks to cool completely. Repeat the baking and cooling process with the remaining dough balls.

Notes

  • Keeping the butter and cream cheese cold helps create a tender, flaky texture in the cookies.
  • Do not overmix the dough once the dry ingredients are incorporated to avoid tough cookies.
  • The sanding sugar stripes add both texture and the classic Mardi Gras colors, making these cookies visually festive.
  • Cooling the cookies on the baking sheet before transferring prevents breakage and ensures the ideal chewy texture.
  • Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze dough balls for up to 1 month.

Keywords: Mardi Gras cookies, King Cake cookies, festive cookies, cream cheese cookies, white chocolate cookies, holiday cookies

Find it online: https://tastewithamy.com/mardi-gras-king-cake-cookies-recipe/