Description
These Easy King Cake Knots are a fun and festive twist on the traditional King Cake, perfect for Mardi Gras celebrations or any time you crave a sweet, cinnamon-flavored treat. Made with refrigerated French bread dough, these soft, buttery knots are coated with cinnamon sugar, baked to golden perfection, and finished with a vanilla glaze and colorful sugar sprinkles.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough and Filling
- 1 (11-oz) tube loaf refrigerated French bread dough
- 3 Tbsp butter, softened
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 Tbsp cinnamon
Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 4 tsp milk (may need more to get right consistency)
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
Topping
- Colored sugar – yellow, purple, green
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350ºF to prepare for baking the knots.
- Prepare Dough: Unroll the refrigerated French bread dough into a large rectangle, approximately 16 by 12 inches.
- Butter and Sprinkle: Lightly brush the dough with softened butter, then mix the sugar and cinnamon together and evenly sprinkle over the buttered dough.
- Cut Strips: Cut the dough lengthwise into two halves, then cut crosswise into strips about 1¼ inches wide.
- Form Knots: Twist two strips together, tie each loosely into a knot, stretching gently if needed. Place the knots on a baking sheet about 2 inches apart to allow room for expansion.
- Bake: Bake the knots in the preheated oven for 25 to 28 minutes or until golden brown. Remove and let cool completely.
- Make Glaze: In a small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until you reach a smooth glaze consistency. Adjust milk as needed.
- Glaze and Decorate: Dip each cooled knot into the glaze, then sprinkle generously with yellow, purple, and green colored sugar for the traditional Mardi Gras look.
Notes
- Make sure the knots are completely cool before glazing to prevent the icing from melting off.
- If you don’t have colored sugar, you can substitute with regular granulated sugar or colored sprinkles.
- The dough can be substituted with homemade brioche dough for a richer flavor.
- Store leftover knots in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
- For a dairy-free version, substitute butter with a plant-based alternative and use non-dairy milk for the glaze.
