Mardi Gras-Themed Desserts That Steal the Show

Mardi Gras isn’t just about beads, parades, and costumes—it’s also a celebration of flavor, color, and indulgence. And what better way to embrace the festive spirit than with Mardi Gras-themed desserts that are as vibrant as the party itself?

From classic King Cake-inspired treats to purple, green, and gold confections that pop off the plate, these desserts will steal the show at any Mardi Gras celebration. Whether you’re hosting a party or just want a sweet way to get into the spirit, these recipes are easy to make, delicious, and bursting with festive flair.

What You’ll Need

• Purple, green, and gold sprinkles – The signature colors of Mardi Gras
• Colored icing or food coloring – To bring each dessert to life
• Classic flavors like cinnamon, vanilla, and buttercream – Inspired by King Cake and traditional Southern sweets
• Fun decorations – Edible glitter, beads, and themed toppers

Now, let’s dive into some Mardi Gras-themed desserts that will take your celebration to the next level.

1. Mardi Gras King Cake Cupcakes

King Cake is the most iconic Mardi Gras dessert, but these cupcakes make it easier to serve and just as festive. They have the same sweet cinnamon-vanilla flavor, a soft and buttery texture, and a swirl of cream cheese frosting.

Ingredients:

• 1 box yellow cake mix (or homemade vanilla cake)
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ½ cup sour cream (for extra moisture)
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 batch cream cheese frosting
• Purple, green, and gold sanding sugar
• Small plastic baby figurines (optional)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a cupcake pan with festive liners.
2. Prepare the batter by mixing the cake mix, cinnamon, sour cream, oil, eggs, and vanilla.
3. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool.
4. Frost with cream cheese frosting using a piping bag or spatula.
5. Sprinkle with purple, green, and gold sanding sugar in sections to mimic the King Cake look.
6. Optional: Hide a mini plastic baby figurine inside one cupcake for a surprise.

Picture This:

A plate of fluffy, golden cupcakes, each topped with swirls of smooth cream cheese frosting. The vibrant purple, green, and gold sugar sparkles under the lights, mimicking the classic Mardi Gras King Cake. One cupcake has a small baby figurine peeking out from the side, ready to declare the lucky winner of next year’s celebration.

2. Mardi Gras Beignets with Powdered Sugar & Colored Drizzle

Nothing says New Orleans like a hot, fluffy beignet dusted with powdered sugar, but this Mardi Gras version takes it up a notch with a drizzle of colorful icing to match the holiday.

Ingredients:

• 2 ¼ tsp active dry yeast
• ¾ cup warm water
• ¼ cup sugar
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 egg
• ½ cup whole milk
• 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp butter, melted
• Vegetable oil for frying
• 1 cup powdered sugar (for dusting)
• ½ cup icing in purple, green, and gold

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let sit for 5 minutes.
2. Add sugar, salt, egg, milk, and butter. Stir in flour gradually to form a dough.
3. Cover and let rise for 1 hour. Roll out dough to ¼-inch thickness.
4. Cut into squares and fry in hot oil until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.
5. Dust generously with powdered sugar.
6. Drizzle with purple, green, and gold icing for a festive touch.

Picture This:

A plate of hot, golden beignets, piled high and dusted with a thick layer of powdered sugar. Bright drizzles of purple, green, and gold icing zigzag across the top, creating a picture-perfect Mardi Gras moment. The beignets look light, airy, and crispy on the edges, making it impossible to eat just one.

3. Mardi Gras Swirled Cheesecake Bars

These cheesecake bars are creamy, smooth, and baked with vibrant Mardi Gras colors. They have a buttery graham cracker crust, rich vanilla cheesecake filling, and a stunning marbled swirl of purple, green, and gold.

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs
• ½ cup melted butter
• 16 oz cream cheese, softened
• ¾ cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Purple, green, and gold food coloring

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Line an 8×8-inch pan with parchment paper.
2. Mix graham cracker crumbs and melted butter. Press into the bottom of the pan.
3. In a separate bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, eggs, and vanilla until smooth.
4. Divide batter into three bowls. Tint one purple, one green, and one gold.
5. Dollop spoonfuls of each color over the crust and swirl with a knife.
6. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Let cool before slicing.

Picture This:

A platter of cheesecake bars with a beautifully swirled purple, green, and gold top. The creamy filling contrasts with the golden graham cracker crust, creating a dessert that’s as stunning as it is delicious. Each bar has a unique marbled design, making every bite feel like a work of art.

4. Mardi Gras King Cake Truffles

These bite-sized truffles are a fun, easy twist on King Cake. They have a soft cinnamon cake center, coated in white chocolate and sprinkled with Mardi Gras colors.

Ingredients:

• 1 box cinnamon cake mix (or homemade)
• ½ cup cream cheese frosting
• 12 oz white chocolate, melted
• Purple, green, and gold sugar sprinkles

Instructions:

1. Bake the cinnamon cake. Let cool, then crumble into a large bowl.
2. Mix in cream cheese frosting to form a dough.
3. Roll into small truffle-sized balls. Freeze for 15 minutes.
4. Dip each truffle in melted white chocolate.
5. Sprinkle with purple, green, and gold sugar before the chocolate sets.

Picture This:

A tray of perfectly round white chocolate truffles, glistening with a dusting of purple, green, and gold sugar. The outer shell looks smooth and glossy, while the inside reveals a soft, cinnamon-spiced cake filling. They’re bite-sized, festive, and impossible to resist.

5. Mardi Gras Funfetti Sugar Cookies

These soft, chewy sugar cookies are packed with purple, green, and gold sprinkles for a fun, festive bite. They’re easy to make, kid-friendly, and perfect for a Mardi Gras dessert spread.

Ingredients:

• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ tsp almond extract (optional)
• ½ cup purple, green, and gold sprinkles

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
3. Add egg, vanilla, and almond extract and mix until combined.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add to the wet ingredients.
5. Stir in the sprinkles and gently fold into the dough.
6. Scoop dough into balls and place on the baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until edges are slightly golden.

Picture This:

A plate stacked high with soft, golden sugar cookies, each one bursting with purple, green, and gold sprinkles. The surface of the cookies has a slight crackle, revealing a soft and chewy center. A few extra sprinkles are scattered on the plate, making the whole scene feel fun, festive, and completely Mardi Gras-ready.

6. Mardi Gras Layered Jello Cups

These brightly colored jello cups are a fun, no-bake dessert that kids and adults love. They feature layers of purple, green, and gold jello, topped with whipped cream and festive sprinkles.

Ingredients:

• 1 box grape-flavored jello (purple)
• 1 box lemon jello (gold)
• 1 box lime jello (green)
• 3 cups boiling water
• 3 cups cold water
• Whipped cream
• Mardi Gras sprinkles for garnish

Instructions:

1. Prepare the grape jello first. Dissolve in 1 cup boiling water, stir in 1 cup cold water, and pour into clear cups. Refrigerate until set (about 30 minutes).
2. Repeat the process for the lemon and lime jello layers, pouring each new layer on top once the previous one has set.
3. Top with whipped cream and festive sprinkles. Serve chilled.

Picture This:

A row of clear cups filled with perfect layers of deep purple, bright gold, and vivid green jello. The colors are bold and translucent, allowing light to shine through, making them pop. Each cup is topped with a swirl of fluffy whipped cream and a dusting of festive sprinkles.

7. Mardi Gras Macarons

These light and airy French macarons are flavored with vanilla bean and filled with a rich buttercream. They’re dyed in Mardi Gras colors and dusted with edible glitter for an elegant, festive touch.

Ingredients:

• 1 ¾ cups powdered sugar
• 1 cup almond flour
• 3 large egg whites
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• Purple, green, and gold gel food coloring
• Edible glitter for garnish
• ½ cup buttercream (for filling)

Instructions:

1. Sift powdered sugar and almond flour together.
2. In a separate bowl, whip egg whites until foamy, then gradually add sugar and beat until stiff peaks form.
3. Fold in the dry ingredients gently to maintain the airiness of the batter.
4. Divide into three bowls and tint each with a different Mardi Gras color.
5. Pipe small circles onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and let sit for 30 minutes before baking at 300°F for 12-15 minutes.
6. Fill with buttercream and sprinkle with edible glitter.

Picture This:

A beautiful plate of Mardi Gras-colored macarons, arranged in a perfect circle. The shells are smooth and glossy, with delicate ruffled edges, and a shimmering dusting of gold edible glitter catches the light. The creamy buttercream filling peeks out slightly, making them look light, elegant, and irresistible.

8. Mardi Gras Doughnuts or Donut Holes with Colored Glaze

These bite-sized doughnuts are deep-fried, light, and fluffy, coated in a sweet purple, green, and gold glaze. They’re an easy-to-make, poppable treat perfect for any Mardi Gras celebration.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• ¾ cup milk
• 1 egg
• 2 tbsp melted butter
• Oil for frying
• 1 cup powdered sugar (for glaze)
• Purple, green, and gold food coloring

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
2. In another bowl, mix milk, egg, and butter. Combine with dry ingredients until smooth.
3. Heat oil in a deep fryer or pan to 350°F. Drop small spoonfuls of dough into the oil and fry until golden brown.
4. Make the glaze by mixing powdered sugar with a little milk. Divide into three bowls and tint each purple, green, and gold.
5. Dip each doughnut into the glaze, coating completely. Let set before serving.

Picture This:

A tray of perfectly round doughnut holes, each one glistening with a smooth glaze in Mardi Gras colors. Some are purple, some green, and some gold, arranged in a fun, colorful mix. The glaze has a slightly glossy sheen, making them look irresistibly fresh and delicious.

Pin This for Later!

Mardi Gras is all about indulging in rich, colorful, and festive treats, and these desserts bring all the fun and flavor of the celebration. Whether you’re making King Cake cupcakes, swirled cheesecake bars, or dazzling macarons, these recipes will add the perfect sweet touch to your Mardi Gras party.

Save this guide to your Mardi Gras board so you have the recipes handy when it’s time to celebrate!