King Cake-Inspired Mardi Gras Bead Cookies

By Lauren Mitchell, Test Kitchen Director · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-24 · Updated 2026-04-24

Buttery sugar cookies shaped like Mardi Gras beads and decorated with purple, green, and gold royal icing for a festive celebration treat. This french-inspired mardi gras ready in about 52 minutes layers unsalted butter, granulated sugar, large egg into a dessert worth slowing down for — great for weekend baking, holiday tables, or any time you want a sweet payoff at the end of a meal. Each serving lands at about 110 calories and feeds 24, so it slots into a weekend bake or a special-occasion dessert tray. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks), softened unsalted butter
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 3 tbsp meringue powder
• 6-8 tbsp, divided water
• as needed purple gel food coloring
• as needed green gel food coloring
• as needed gold gel food coloring or yellow with a touch of brown

Instructions

1. Step 1: Preheat oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Step 2: In a large bowl, cream together 1 cup softened unsalted butter and 1 cup granulated sugar with a mixer until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
3. Step 3: Add 1 large egg and 1 tsp vanilla extract, mixing until combined.
4. Step 4: In a separate bowl, whisk 3 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tsp baking powder, and 1/2 tsp salt.
5. Step 5: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, mixing until a soft dough forms.
6. Step 6: Roll dough into 1/2-inch thick strips about 6 inches long and shape into small bead-like loops or circles; place on baking sheets.
7. Step 7: Bake for 10-12 minutes until edges are just golden; cool completely on wire racks.
8. Step 8: For royal icing, beat 4 cups powdered sugar with 3 tbsp meringue powder and 6 tbsp water; add more water 1 tbsp at a time to reach piping consistency.
9. Step 9: Divide icing into three bowls; tint one with purple gel, one with green gel, and one with gold gel food coloring.
10. Step 10: Use piping bags to decorate cooled cookies with colorful bead patterns reflecting Mardi Gras colors; allow icing to dry completely before serving.