Mardi Gras King Cake Bagels (Printable)
Bright and flavorful King Cake Bagels swirled with cinnamon sugar and topped with vibrant icing and colored sugar.
# What You'll Need:
→ Dough
01 - 4 cups bread flour, plus extra for dusting
02 - 2 teaspoons instant dry yeast
03 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
04 - 1½ teaspoons salt
05 - 1¼ cups warm water (110°F)
06 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
07 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
→ Filling
08 - ⅓ cup brown sugar, packed
09 - 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
10 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
→ Boiling
11 - 2 quarts water
12 - 2 tablespoons honey or light molasses
→ Glaze & Decoration
13 - 1 cup powdered sugar
14 - 1–2 tablespoons milk
15 - ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
16 - Purple, green, and gold/yellow sanding sugar
# Directions:
01 - In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, combine bread flour, yeast, granulated sugar, salt, and ground cinnamon. Mix briefly to combine dry ingredients evenly.
02 - Add warm water and melted butter to the dry mixture. Mix until a shaggy dough forms, then knead for 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
03 - Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, approximately 1 hour.
04 - While dough rises, mix brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl until well combined for the filling.
05 - Turn dough onto a floured surface and roll into a 10x16-inch rectangle. Spread softened butter evenly over the surface, then sprinkle with the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
06 - Starting from a long edge, tightly roll the dough into a log. Cut into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a 10-inch rope and join ends to form a bagel shape, pinching firmly to seal.
07 - Place shaped bagels on a parchment-lined baking sheet, cover, and let rise for 30 minutes until slightly puffed.
08 - Preheat oven to 400°F.
09 - Bring water and honey to a boil in a large pot. Working in batches, boil each bagel for 45 seconds per side. Remove with a slotted spoon and return to the baking sheet.
10 - Bake bagels for 20–25 minutes until golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.
11 - Whisk powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth and pourable. Adjust consistency with additional milk if needed.
12 - Drizzle glaze over cooled bagels. Immediately sprinkle with purple, green, and gold sanding sugar in sections to create the traditional Mardi Gras color pattern.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The moment you bite through that crisp bagel exterior into the swirly cinnamon sugar middle, honestly, nothing else matters
- These somehow turn a regular Tuesday breakfast into a celebration worthy of Bourbon Street
- The boiling step creates that authentic bagel chew while keeping the inside tender and sweet
02 -
- Let the glaze set for about 10 minutes before stacking or wrapping or the colors will run together into muddy brown
- The water temperature for the dough must be warm to the touch but not hot, around 110 degrees, or your yeast will never activate
03 -
- Weigh your flour instead of using cup measurements for the most consistent dough texture
- A bench scraper makes cutting the log into 8 equal pieces so much easier than trying to eyeball it