Description
These Festive Mardi Gras Cookies are beautifully decorated swirl sugar cookies with vibrant purple, green, and yellow royal icing—perfect for celebrating New Orleans’ favorite holiday! With a buttery, melt-in-your-mouth texture and eye-catching designs, these Mardi Gras-inspired cookies are a must-have for parties, parades, and Fat Tuesday fun!
Ingredients
Units
Scale
For the Cookies:
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp almond extract
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
For the Royal Icing:
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 large egg white (or 2 tbsp meringue powder + 2 tbsp water)
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- Food coloring (purple, green, yellow)
Instructions
- Prepare the Cookie Dough: Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in egg, vanilla, and almond extract. Gradually add flour, baking powder, and salt. Chill dough for 30 minutes.
- Shape & Bake: Roll out dough to ¼-inch thickness and cut into ring shapes (or your preferred Mardi Gras shapes). Place on a baking sheet and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 10-12 minutes. Let cool completely.
- Make the Icing: Whisk powdered sugar, egg white, and lemon juice until smooth. Divide into separate bowls and tint each with purple, green, and yellow food coloring.
- Decorate: Coat cookies with white icing. Use a piping bag to add colored dots and swirl with a toothpick to create a festive Mardi Gras design.
- Set & Serve: Allow icing to dry completely before serving.
Notes
- For a shortcut, use pre-made sugar cookie dough and focus on decorating.
- Swap almond extract for lemon or coconut extract for a flavor twist.
- Store cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
