Mardi Gras King Cake Donuts

The kitchen filled with the warm scent of cinnamon and nutmeg as I pulled these donuts from the oven, their golden surfaces glistening under the kitchen lights. My roommate wandered in, following the smell like a cartoon character floating toward pie, and immediately asked what special occasion had brought such treats into our Tuesday afternoon. I explained that Mardi Gras was around the corner, and somehow that justified transforming traditional King Cake into something you can hold in one hand while dancing to brass band music.

Last year I made these for a Fat Tuesday party and watched my friend Sarah take a bite, eyes widening as she hit the cinnamon swirl. She proceeded to eat three while standing by the kitchen island, abandoning all pretense of waiting for dessert. The plastic baby charm somehow ended up in the last donut, and the person who found it insisted this meant they had to host next years celebration, which is exactly how traditions should start.

Ingredients

• All-purpose flour: This creates the structure for your pillowy donuts, and bread flour would make them too chewy for what we are going for here
• Active dry yeast: Make sure your milk is warm but not hot, otherwise you will kill the yeast and your dough will not rise at all
• Ground cinnamon and nutmeg: This spice blend mimics the classic King Cake flavor profile that everyone associates with New Orleans bakeries
• Warm milk: I have learned the hard way that cold milk slows everything down dramatically, so microwave it for about 20 seconds first
• Unsalted butter: Melted butter in the dough keeps things tender, while softened butter for brushing helps that cinnamon sugar really stick
• Light brown sugar: The molasses in brown sugar creates a deeper, more caramel-like flavor in the filling that white sugar just cannot match
• Powdered sugar: Sifting this first prevents lumpy glaze, and nobody wants to pick sugar clumps off their beautifully decorated donuts
• Sanding sugar: The coarse texture sparkles more than regular sugar and will not dissolve into the wet glaze as quickly

Instructions

Whisk your dry ingredients together:

Combine the flour, sugar, yeast, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large bowl, making sure everything is evenly distributed before adding any wet ingredients

Mix up the wet mixture:

Whisk the warm milk, melted butter, and egg in a separate bowl until fully combined, then pour this into your dry ingredients

Knead until smooth:

Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes until it feels smooth and springs back when you poke it with your finger

Let it rise:

Place your dough in a greased bowl, cover it with a clean towel, and walk away for an hour until it has doubled in size

Preheat and prepare:

Heat your oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper so nothing sticks later

Mix the filling:

Stir together the brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl until it looks like wet sand, which means it is ready to sprinkle

Cut out your donuts:

Roll the dough to half an inch thick and cut out 12 donuts, saving the donut holes to bake alongside because they are secretly the best part

Add the topping:

Brush the tops with softened butter and press that cinnamon sugar mixture into the dough so it bakes into a crunchy, caramelized crust

Bake until golden:

Slide the tray into the oven for 12 to 15 minutes, watching for that perfect light golden color that means they are done

Make the glaze:

Whisk powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until you have something thick enough to coat a spoon but thin enough to drip

Decorate like a pro:

Dip each warm donut into glaze and immediately sprinkle with sections of purple, green, and gold sugar before the glaze sets

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My sister now requests these every February, and she has started hiding the plastic baby in increasingly creative places, including taped to the bottom of the serving plate one year. The donuts disappeared so fast that nobody found the baby until cleanup, which prompted a heated debate about whether that meant we all had to host Mardi Gras together next time. These have officially become non-negotiable for any Fat Tuesday celebration at our house.

Making Ahead

You can prepare the dough through the first rise and refrigerate it overnight, which actually develops flavor and makes the next day much easier. I have learned to let the chilled dough come to room temperature for about 30 minutes before rolling it out, otherwise it will fight back and make cutting donuts unnecessarily difficult. The baked donuts also freeze well without glaze, wrapped tightly and thawed in the microwave for 20 seconds when the craving hits.

Getting That Perfect Rise

The most reliable way to let dough rise is inside your oven with just the light on, creating a warm, draft-free environment that yeast absolutely loves. I turn my oven light on about 10 minutes before I need it, and that gentle warmth is usually enough to double the dough in about an hour. If your kitchen runs cold, the rise might take longer, and that is completely normal, so do not rush it or you will end up with dense donuts.

Decorating Like A Local

New Orleans bakers make the King Cake colors look effortless, but I have learned that sectioning off the sugars into three small bowls makes the process much less messy. Apply one color at a time, working on one third of each donut, and tap gently over a bowl to catch any excess sugar that can go back into the dish. The final result should look festive and slightly imperfect, because perfectly straight color lines are not really the point here.

• Use a small spoon to sprinkle sugars rather than pouring, which gives you much more control over where the colors land
• If you cannot find sanding sugar, coarse sugar or even colored sprinkles work in a pinch, though the texture will be slightly different
• The glaze sets pretty quickly, so have all your colors open and ready before you start dipping any donuts

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Whether you are celebrating Mardi Gras or just need an excuse to eat something covered in purple sugar, these donuts bring the party right into your kitchen. Laissez les bons temps rouler, friends.

Recipe Questions & Answers

→ What ingredients give the donuts their traditional Mardi Gras colors?

The donuts are decorated with purple, green, and gold sanding sugars applied over a vanilla glaze to reflect the festive Mardi Gras palette.

→ Can these donuts be made ahead of time?

Yes, you can prepare the dough through the rising stage and refrigerate it overnight before continuing the process the next day.

→ What type of flour is used for the dough?

All-purpose flour provides the ideal structure for a soft, pillowy texture in these donuts.

→ How is the cinnamon sugar filling incorporated?

The filling is mixed with brown sugar, cinnamon, and softened butter, then brushed onto the dough before baking to add warmth and sweetness.

→ What is the best way to serve these donuts?

Serve slightly warm with a cup of chicory coffee to complement the spices and rich glaze.

→ Are these donuts baked or fried?

These donuts are baked, resulting in a lighter texture while maintaining a soft crumb.