I have never been to New Orleans and celebrated an authentic Mardi Gras but that doesn’t mean we can’t celebrate at home. The vibrant colors and the food have me wanting to jump right in, so making this Mardi Gras Cookie recipe seemed like the perfect place to start. Making this cookie was so easy because I started with a cake mix and with all of the flavors of a King Cake, it has Mardi Gras written all over it. You need these delicious, soft and festive cookies in your life.
Do you love cinnamon cookies? Try these Cake Mix Cookies: Easy Cinnamon Roll Cookies Recipe!
King Cake Cookies
The King Cake is a traditional Mardi Gras Cake that is a ring shape. Traditionally the flavor is similar to that of a cinnamon roll {although now there are other fun flavors as well} and it is covered in traditional Mardi Gras Colors.
Yellow/Gold is said to represent power, green represents faith and purple represents justice. So this Mardi Gras Cookie recipe is really a King Cake Cookie.
It starts with a vanilla cookie base and then is stuffed with a cinnamon roll filling. The last step is a glaze frosting with traditional colored sprinkles.
Ingredients for your Mardi Gras Cookie recipe
- Vanilla Cake Mix-To get a delicious and good base, vanilla cake mix is always a fabulous way to start.
- Eggs-Added to help bind the dough and to give the cookie dough structure.
- Vegetable Oil-The addition of vegetable oil is so that the finished cookie is soft.
- Butter-Added in both the filling and the frosting, butter gives such great flavor wherever it is added.
- Brown Sugar-One of top 5 favorite ingredients, brown sugar lends a sweet and yet deep flavor for the filling.
- Cinnamon-A cinnamon roll based cookie wouldn’t be complete without the addition of cinnamon.
- Powdered Sugar-Added to the frosting for structure and sweetness.
- Milk-Used to thin out the frosting and give it a nice spreadable consistency.
- Sanding Sugar-A fabulous way to get the traditional Mardi Gras colors with minimal effort.
How to make Mardi Gras Cookies with a Cake Mix
- Combine melted butter, brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.
- Divide the cinnamon filling into 22 pieces and roll each piece in a ball. Place them on a parchment lined baking sheet and freeze for 15 minutes.
- While the filling is freezing, combine the vanilla cake mix, eggs and vegetable oil in a large bowl. Use a hand held mixer to mix the ingredients until you have a thick dough.
- Use a medium cookie scoop to scoop mounds of dough into your hand {if the dough is too sticky use a little flour to flour your hand}. Roll it into a ball and use your thumb to press an indentation into the center.
- Take one of the frozen cinnamon balls and place it into the indentation.
- Use your fingers to work the dough around the cinnamon ball and roll the cookie dough in a large ball. Place them on a silicone mat {or parchment} lined baking sheet.
- Bake in a 350 degree oven for 10-12 minutes or until set and baked through. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet.
- Once the cookies are cooled combine the melted butter, powdered sugar, vanilla extract and enough milk to create a spreadable glaze frosting.
To finish the cookies, spread about a teaspoon of frosting on top of each cookie. Top with green, gold and purple sanding sugar while the frosting is still wet. Allow the cookies to set up for a while before stacking.
4 Tips for making this Mardi Gras Cookie Recipe
- Remember to freeze the filling before adding it to the middle of the cookies. This will make wrapping the dough around it so much easier.
- Lightly flour your hands before working with the dough if the cookie dough is too sticky. It doesn’t take a lot of flour but it can make a big difference.
- Don’t over bake the cookies. Bake the cookies until they are set but not too brown. If you over bake the cookies then they will be hard once they cool.
- Be sure that the cookies are completely cooled before adding the frosting or it will melt.
Can I make this Mardi Gras Cookie recipe in advance?
Yes, you can make these a day or two in advance. They keep well at room temperature for up to 4 days.
How do I store these Mardi Gras Cookies?
Mardi Gras Cookies are best stored at room temperature in an airtight container. They can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
How to make your own Sanding Sugar
Sometimes it can be hard to find the exact color of sanding sugar that you want or need. Most grocery stores have a good variety but if you find yourself needing a color did you know that you can make your own?
Granulated sugar, gel food coloring and quick bake in the oven is all you need to do in order to get your own homemade sanding sugar. Katie over at Scrambled Chefs has a wonderful post and photos on exactly how to do this.
Do you love cake mix cookies? Try these awesome recipes…
- Hostess Cupcake Cookies Recipe with a Cake Mix
- Black & White Half Moon Cookies Recipe with a Cake Mix
- Texas Sheet Cake Cookies
- Easy Boston Cream Pie Cookie Bites Recipe
- Kentucky Butter Cake Cookies Recipe
- Cream Cheese Cake Mix Cookies Recipe
Easy Mardi Gras Cookies made with a Cake Mix
Turn a cake mix into festive and fun Mardi Gras Cookies that have all of the flavors of a King Cake with only a few easy steps.
Ingredients
Cinnamon Filling
- ¼ cup butter {melted}
- ¾ cup brown sugar {packed}
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
Vanilla Cookies
- 1 box vanilla cake mix {15.25 ounce}
- 2 eggs
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
Glaze Frosting
- 2 tablespoons butter {melted}
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk {or heavy cream}
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Topping
- 3 tablespoons green sanding sugar
- 3 tablespoons purple sanding sugar
- 3 tablespoons yellow sanding sugar
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350°.
Cinnamon Filling
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Combine the melted butter, brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Divide the mixture into 22 mounds and roll in your hands to make them round. Place on a baking sheet that is covered with parchment and freeze for 15 minutes.
Vanilla Cookies
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In a large bowl combine the vanilla cake mix, eggs and vegetable oil. Use a hand held mixer and mix until you have a thick dough. Use a medium cookie scoop to scoop mounds of dough into your hand {if the dough is too sticky use a little flour in your hand}. Roll the mound into a ball and use your thumb to make an indentation. Take one of the frozen cinnamon filling balls and place inside the indentation. Use your fingers to press the dough around the cinnamon filling and roll into a ball. Place the cinnamon filled cookie dough ball onto a silicone mat {or parchment} lined baking sheet.
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Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the cookies are set. Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to cool completely on the baking sheet.
Glaze Frosting
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Once the cookies are cool, combine the melted butter, powdered sugar, vanilla extract and enough milk {or heavy cream} to make a spreadable frosting. Spread about 1 teaspoon of frosting on top of each cookie and then top with sanding sugar as desired.
Recipe Notes
If you can't find the color of sanding sugar that you want you can easily make it at home with 2 simple ingredients.
See this post over at Scrambling Chefs for step by step instructions and great photos.
