Mardi Gras King Cake Donuts (Printable)
Soft, baked donuts inspired by traditional King Cake, topped with sweet glaze and colorful sanding sugars.
# Ingredient List:
→ Dough
01 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1 packet (2 1/4 tsp) active dry yeast
04 - 1/2 tsp salt
05 - 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
06 - 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
07 - 2/3 cup warm milk (110°F)
08 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
09 - 1 large egg
→ Filling
10 - 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
11 - 2 tsp ground cinnamon
12 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
→ Glaze & Decoration
13 - 1 cup powdered sugar
14 - 2-3 tbsp milk
15 - 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
16 - Purple, green, and gold sanding sugar
# Directions:
01 - Whisk together flour, sugar, yeast, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large mixing bowl until thoroughly combined.
02 - In a separate bowl, blend warm milk, melted butter, and egg. Pour wet mixture into dry ingredients and mix until soft dough forms.
03 - Turn dough onto lightly floured surface and knead for 5 minutes until smooth and elastic.
04 - Place dough in lightly greased bowl, cover, and let rise in warm location for 1 hour until doubled in size.
05 - Preheat oven to 350°F and line baking sheet with parchment paper.
06 - Mix brown sugar and cinnamon in small bowl until uniform.
07 - Roll dough to 1/2-inch thickness. Cut 12 donuts using donut cutter or 3-inch and 1-inch round cutters.
08 - Arrange donuts on prepared sheet. Brush tops with softened butter and sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar mixture, pressing gently to adhere.
09 - Bake for 12-15 minutes until lightly golden. Transfer to wire rack and cool slightly.
10 - Whisk powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until thick and smooth.
11 - Dip warm donut tops into glaze, then immediately decorate with purple, green, and gold sugars in sections. Let glaze set for 10 minutes before serving.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- You get all the festive King Cake vibes without the intimidation factor of braiding dough or worrying about the baby getting lost in the oven
- The baked texture is impossibly light and fluffy, making them impossible to stop at just one
02 -
- Make sure your milk is warm to the touch, not hot, or it will kill the yeast and your dough will never rise
- Let the donuts cool just slightly before glazing, or the glaze will slide right off instead of setting beautifully
03 -
- Do not overfill your donut cutter scraps when rerolling the dough, or the donuts will become tough
- Work quickly once the glaze is made, as it begins to set and thicken as it cools