Mardi Gras King Cake Bagels (Printable)
Colorful swirled bagels infused with cinnamon and topped with a smooth vanilla glaze.
# What You Need:
→ Dough
01 - 4 cups bread flour
02 - 2 ¼ tsp active dry yeast (1 packet)
03 - 1 ½ cups warm water (110°F)
04 - 3 tbsp granulated sugar
05 - 1 ½ tsp salt
06 - 2 tsp ground cinnamon
07 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
→ Food Coloring
08 - Purple gel food coloring
09 - Green gel food coloring
10 - Yellow gel food coloring
→ Boiling
11 - 2 tbsp honey or sugar
→ Glaze
12 - 1 cup powdered sugar
13 - 2-3 tbsp milk
14 - ½ tsp vanilla extract
→ Decoration
15 - Purple sanding sugar
16 - Green sanding sugar
17 - Gold sanding sugar
# How to Make It:
01 - Combine warm water and sugar in a small bowl. Sprinkle yeast over the surface and let stand for 5 minutes until mixture becomes foamy.
02 - Mix flour, salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Add activated yeast mixture and melted butter. Knead by hand or with stand mixer for 8-10 minutes until dough is smooth and elastic.
03 - Divide dough evenly into three portions. Knead purple gel coloring into one portion, green into another, and yellow into the third until color is uniformly distributed throughout each section.
04 - Cover colored dough portions and let rest for 1 hour or until doubled in volume.
05 - Roll each colored dough portion into ropes approximately 12 inches long. Twist one rope of each color together, then form into bagel shape by pinching ends firmly to seal. Repeat process for remaining dough.
06 - Place shaped bagels on parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover and let rest for 20 minutes.
07 - Preheat oven to 425°F.
08 - Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add honey or sugar to water. Boil bagels two at a time for 1 minute per side. Remove with slotted spoon and drain on wire rack.
09 - Return boiled bagels to baking sheet. Bake for 18-22 minutes until golden brown. Allow to cool completely before glazing.
10 - Whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth. Drizzle glaze over cooled bagels and immediately sprinkle with purple, green, and gold sanding sugars while glaze is wet.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- These bagels capture everything magical about Mardi Gras morning in New Orleans without needing a plane ticket
- The swirl technique looks impressive but is actually forgiving and fun to make
02 -
- Wear gloves during the coloring phase or your hands will stay festive for days
- The dough will feel stiff when you are adding color, but keep working it until the color distributes evenly
03 -
- Room temperature butter incorporates into the dough more evenly than melted, but melted works in a pinch
- If your colored dough feels too sticky, add a tablespoon of flour at a time until it is workable