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Mardi Gras Cookies

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5 from 1 review

This is the best recipe for Mardi Gras Cookies! Soft and cakey vanilla cookies are topped with a luscious cream cheese frosting and decorated with colored sprinkles. These are the perfect cookies to make to get into the Mardi Gras mood!

  • Total Time: 85 minutes
  • Yield: 20 cookies 1x

Ingredients

Units Scale

For the Cookies

  • 1 1/2 c all purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 c unsalted butter
  • 3/4 c granulated sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 c full fat sour cream
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

For the Frosting

  • 8 oz full fat cream cheese (softened to room temp)
  • 4 1/2 c powdered sugar
  • 6 Tbsp heavy cream (additional as needed)

Instructions

  1. In a bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl using a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add the butter and add sugar. Cream butter & sugar on high speed until smooth and creamy, for about 2 minutes.
  3. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Give it a quick mix again to ensure there are no remaining pockets of unmixed ingredients.
  4. Add egg, sour cream, and vanilla extract. Beat on medium-high speed until combined. If the mixture looks curdled, it's fine. The moisture from the sour cream may not bind with the butter at first.
  5. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl.
  6. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients until combined. Stop mixing once all the flour is absorbed to avoid tough cookies. The dough/batter will be very thick, but creamy. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour.
  7. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  8. Remove cookie dough from the refrigerator.
  9. Using a medium cookie scoop (1.5 tablespoon in size), scoop the dough into your hand and quickly roll dough into a ball to smooth it out. Place on the parchment lined baking sheet about 3 inches apart.
  10. Bake cookies for about 15 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through for even baking.
  11. Once the cookies are lightly golden brown on the edges, test with your finger to see if they bounce back (if they do, they're done!). You can also test with a toothpick (the center should come out clean).
  12. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 3-4 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
  13. While the cookies are cooling, add all of the frosting ingredients into a large bowl or into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.
  14. Beat the ingredients until the frosting is smooth and silky (it will still be very thick). Add more cream as needed to achieve the desired consistency.
  15. Decorate with sprinkles immediately after frosting each cookie (the icing may crust over quickly and the sprinkles won't stick).

Notes

Recipe by Owlbbaking.com

Store finished cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the fridge. Anytime you're using cream cheese frosting, it should be refrigerated.

These cookies freeze well too. To freeze, line the finished cookies on a sheet tray (uncovered) and freeze for 2 hours. Then, place the cookies in a freezer zip lock bag and seal well. They should last for up to 3 months frozen.

  • Author: Liz at Owlbbaking.com
  • Prep Time: 10
  • Chill Time: 60 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15
  • Category: Cookies
  • Method: Baking