Mardi Gras Cinnamon Rolls
A delicious alternative to a King Cake you can enjoy with your friends!
Equipment
- 1 Hand mixer or whisk
- 1 9x13-inch baking dish
- 1 Rolling Pin
- 1 Sharp knife or dental floss To cut your rolls
- Measuring cups & spoons
- Clean Kitchen Towel or Cling Wrap To cover the dough while it rises.
Ingredients
Dough
- 2 ¼ tsp active dry yeast
- 1 cup warm milk (about 110°F)
- ¼ cup sugar
- ¼ cup butter (melted)
- 2 eggs
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
Cinnamon Roll Filling
- ½ cup butter (softened)
- 1 cup brown sugar (packed)
- 2 tbsp ground cinnamon
Cream Cheese Icing
- 4 oz cream cheese (softened)
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp butter (softened)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp milk (or as needed to reach desired consistency)
Sprinkle Purple, Green, and Yellow Sanding Sugar
Instructions
Activate the yeast:
- In a bowl, mix the warm milk and sugar. Sprinkle the yeast over the top and let it sit for 5 minutes until it becomes foamy.1 cup warm milk, ¼ cup sugar, 2 ¼ tsp active dry yeast
Make the dough:
- In a large bowl, combine the melted butter, eggs, and salt. Add the yeast mixture and stir. Gradually add in the flour, one cup at a time, mixing until a soft dough forms.¼ cup butter, 2 eggs, 1 tsp salt, 4 cups all-purpose flour
- Knead the dough for about 5-7 minutes, until it becomes smooth and elastic. You can do this by hand or with a stand mixer using the dough hook attachment.
Let the dough rise:
- Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover it with a clean kitchen towel, and let it rise in a warm place for 1-1.5 hours, or until it has doubled in size.
- Once the dough has risen, punch it down and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll it into a rectangle, about 16x12 inches.
Prepare the filling:
- Spread the softened butter evenly over the rolled-out dough.½ cup butter
- In a small bowl, mix the brown sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the buttered dough.2 tbsp ground cinnamon, 1 cup brown sugar
Shape the rolls:
- Starting at the long edge of the rectangle, tightly roll the dough into a log.
- Cut the log into 12 equal slices using a serrated knife or dental floss.
Bake the rolls:
- Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish and arrange the cinnamon roll slices inside. Leave a little space between them.
- Cover the rolls and let them rise for another 30 minutes while the oven preheats to 350°F (175°C).
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown on top.
Make the cream cheese icing:
- In a bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and butter together until smooth. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and milk, and mix until fluffy and smooth.4 oz cream cheese, 1 ½ cups powdered sugar, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 2 tbsp milk, 2 tbsp butter
- Once the rolls have cooled slightly, drizzle the cream cheese icing over them.
Sprinkle the top with purple, green, and gold sugars and admire the dessert you just created!
Notes
- Warm the milk properly – If it’s too hot, it can kill the yeast. If it’s too cold, the dough won’t rise properly. Aim for about 110°F (warm but not hot to the touch).
- Use room temperature ingredients – Cold butter or eggs can affect the texture of the dough. Let them sit out for 15-20 minutes before using.
- Check yeast freshness – If your yeast doesn’t foam up after 5-10 minutes in warm milk, it may be expired.
- Don’t overbake – The rolls should be lightly golden brown on top but still soft. Overbaking will make them dry instead of gooey.
- Let them cool slightly before icing – If they’re too hot, the icing will melt off completely instead of sitting nicely on top.
- Make ahead tip – You can prepare the dough and refrigerate overnight after shaping the rolls. Just let them come to room temperature and rise before baking the next day.
- DIY Mardi Gras sugars – If do not have any colored sugar on deck, do not worry! Simply mix some white sugar food coloring. Make sure to let it dry before using