With Mardi Gras festivities well underway, what better way to join in on the fun than with a homemade baked good? These King Cake Cinnamon Rolls are a nod to the classic Mardi Gras bread, spiraled with a cinnamon sugar filling and topped with a drippy glazed frosting. Once baked, the rolls can be consumed right away or stored in the freezer for a rainy day; simply reheat until barely warm throughout and frost prior to serving as a breakfast or dessert treat.

For thinner icing glaze, add an additional tablespoon of milk until desired consistency is reached. (Kate Wood / Wood and Spoon)

King Cake Cinnamon Rolls

Prep time: 120 minutes

Cook time: 25 minutes

Yield: 12

Ingredients

For the dough:

¾ cup lukewarm whole milk
2 large eggs plus 1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
⅓ cup sugar
2¼ teaspoons instant yeast
¾ teaspoon salt
3¼ cups all-purpose flour, with more for flouring surfaces
½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

For the filling:

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
¾ cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
Pinch of salt

For the icing:

2 cups powdered sugar
⅛ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup milk, plus more as needed

Instructions

To prepare the dough:

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, stir to combine the milk, eggs, egg yolk and vanilla extract.
2. Add the sugar, yeast and salt, and stir to combine.
3. On low speed with the paddle attachment, add the flour, ½ cup at a time, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.
4. Increase to medium speed (I use speed number 4 on my Kitchen Aid stand mixer) and begin adding the softened butter 1 tablespoon at a time.
5. Scrape the sides of the bowl and then continue beating for an additional 4 minutes. The dough will be soft and slightly sticky.
6. Lightly grease a large bowl and place the dough inside, covering it tightly with a piece of plastic wrap. Allow the dough to rest in a warm spot of your kitchen until it has approximately doubled in size, about 1½ to 2 hours.
7. Once the dough has nearly doubled in size, prepare the filling. Stir to combine the butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt and set aside.

To prepare the rolls:

1. After the first rise, roll the dough out into an 11-by-21-inch rectangle.
2. Use an offset spatula to spread the filling onto the rectangle.
3. Starting with one of the long ends, roll the dough into a tight log and pinch the edges together to seal them shut.
4. Use a sharp chef’s knife to cut 2-inch pieces out of the log.
5. Lightly grease a muffin tin and place a roll, face-up, into each compartment of the muffin tin. You will end up with about 12 rolls.
6. Lightly cover the tops of the dishes with plastic wrap for about a half hour.
7. In the meantime, preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and when the rolls have risen, remove the plastic and bake in the oven until golden brown, about 20-25 minutes.
8. Allow to cool slightly before stirring together the icing ingredients and drizzling over top. For thinner icing glaze, add an additional tablespoon of milk until desired consistency is reached. Re-warm and enjoy.

Kate Wood’s recipes can be found on her Wood and Spoon blog and on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest.

Allow to cool completely before topping with the simple glaze and loads of purple, gold and green sprinkles – the Mardi Gras way. (Kate Wood / Wood and Spoon)