Mardi Gras King Cake Bagels (Printable)

Colorful bagels tinted in Mardi Gras hues with cinnamon and vanilla glaze for a festive touch.

# What goes in:

→ 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

# Directions:

01 - Combine warm water and sugar in a small bowl. Sprinkle yeast on top and let stand for 5 minutes until foamy.
02 - Mix flour, salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Add yeast mixture and melted butter. Knead by hand or with mixer for 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
03 - Divide dough evenly into three portions. Tint each portion with a different food coloring (purple, green, yellow), kneading until color is uniform throughout.
04 - Cover dough portions and let rest for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
05 - Roll each colored dough into ropes about 12 inches long. Twist one rope of each color together, then form into a bagel shape, pinching ends tightly to seal. Repeat for remaining dough.
06 - Place 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. Boil bagels, 2 at a time, for 1 minute per side. Remove and drain on wire rack.
09 - Place boiled bagels back on baking sheet. Bake for 18-22 minutes until golden brown. Cool completely.
10 - Whisk powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Drizzle over cooled bagels and immediately sprinkle with colored sugars.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They bring the festive spirit of New Orleans into your home without requiring a plane ticket or plastic beads
  • The tri-color swirls create Instagram-worthy moments before anyone even takes a bite
  • You get the satisfaction of making bagels from scratch while feeling like an artist
02 -
  • Wear food-safe gloves when coloring the dough or you will have colorful hands for days
  • Boiling the bagels is not optional, it creates that chewy exterior texture that defines a real bagel
  • Let the bagels cool completely before glazing or the icing will slide right off
03 -
  • The bagels freeze beautifully before glazing if you want to make them ahead for a party
  • Add a tiny bit of lemon zest to your glaze for brightness that cuts through the sweetness

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