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King Cake Cookies

A bite-sized architectural tribute to the legendary Mardi Gras pastry. These domed, cake-like cookies feature a bright vanilla-lemon glaze and the traditional Carnival colors, offering a festive alternative to the classic King Cake without the technical friction of yeast dough.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 10 cookies (4-inch)
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American

Ingredients
  

For the Cookies
  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/3 cup milk
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon lemon extract
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
The Finishing Glaze
  • 1 ½ cups confectioners’ sugar
  • 3 tablespoons milk
  • ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon lemon extract
  • Sanding sugar in yellow purple, and green

Method
 

Technical Preparation
  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
  2. Line two professional baking sheets with parchment paper.
  3. In a small ceramic bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt until uniform.
Developing the Base
  1. In a separate bowl, stir together 1/3 cup milk, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, and 1/4 teaspoon lemon extract.
  2. Utilizing an electric mixer, combine the softened butter and granulated sugar until the mixture is pale and fluffy, approximately 1 minute.
  3. Incorporate the egg until fully emulsified.
The Architectural Mix
  1. With the motor on low speed, add half of the flour mixture followed by half of the flavored milk.
  2. When combined, stir in the remaining flour and finish with the remaining liquid.
  3. Mix only until the dough is cohesive to maintain the delicate domed structure.
Mechanical Portioning & Bake
  1. Utilizing a 1.5-inch stainless steel scoop, drop the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, ensuring even spacing.
  2. Bake for approximately 15 minutes until the cookies just begin to brown on the edges and achieve a cake-like rise.
  3. Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool completely before glazing.
The Finishing Glaze
  1. Whisk together the confectioners’ sugar, 3 tablespoons milk, and remaining extracts until smooth and pourable.
  2. Dip the top of each cooled cookie into the glaze.
  3. Immediately sprinkle with yellow, purple, and green sugars to ensure the Carnival colors adhere perfectly to the fresh glaze.