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Home » Recipes » Snack Recipes

King Cake Bites

Little squares of king cake bites, an image cropped square.
Everyone loves King Cake during Mardi Gras. Change things up and serve these cute little flaky pastries filled with a cinnamon cream cheese filling. King Cake Bites are the perfect little Mardi Gras Treat.
Prep Time :5 minutes mins
Cook Time :15 minutes mins
Total Time :20 minutes mins
Servings :24
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A long collage of two images showing king cake bites on a plate and one close up with a bite out, with text overlay for pinterest.

Published: Jan 3, 2023 · Modified: Aug 13, 2024 by Melanie Cagle · Leave a Comment

Tasty little King Cake Bites are the perfect alternative to a big King Cake. Cute little parcels of flaky pastry filled with a cinnamon and cream cheese filling then topped with a sweet glaze and some Mardi Gras colored sanding sugars.

Long image of a plate full of little king cake bites with a king cake baby.
King Cake Bites with a King Cake Baby

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Of course, we make these as a Mardi Gras dessert, as a quick alternative to a traditional King Cake - but you could in fact serve these any time of year and change up the sprinkles.

We live close to New Orleans so Mardi Gras is a big deal for us.

Jump to:
  • What makes this recipe so yummy
  • Groceries you'll need: Ingredients
  • Recipe walkthrough: Instructions
  • Recipe variations and substitute ideas
  • Necessary gear: Equipment
  • More Mardi Gras recipes I think you'll love
  • How to store leftovers
  • Mel's kitchen notes
  • King Cake Bites
  • 💬 Comments

What makes this recipe so yummy

  • They're super quick to make, an easy recipe.
  • A great Mardi Gras treat to bring to a gathering.
  • Inexpensive and always received well.
  • Flexible dessert - change up the sanding sugars for other decorations/sprinkles and it could be Christmas, or Halloween easy enough.
  • They're the perfect treat for Fat Tuesday.
  • They're like little mini King Cakes.
  • They're the perfect for any Mardi Gras celebration - right before Ash Wednesday and we all go into Lent.

Groceries you'll need: Ingredients

Overhead shot of ingredients needed to make king cake bites.
  • Refrigerated Crescent Roll Dough (crescent rolls)
  • Cream Cheese
  • Granulated Sugar
  • Ground Cinnamon
  • Powdered Sugar
  • Milk
  • Green, Purple and Yellow Sanding Sugars

See recipe card at the bottom of this post for quantities.

Recipe walkthrough: Instructions

This is an overview of the recipe steps. For more detailed instructions visit the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

  • Step 1: Mix the cream cheese with the granulated sugar in your stand mixer bowl.
  • Step 2: Unroll the crescent roll dough and tear into four rectangles.
  • Step 3: Using your fingers and thumb pinch the perforated lines down the middle of each rectangle closed.
  • Step 4: Sprinkle each rectangle with cinnamon.
  • Step 5: Spoon half of the cream cheese mixture onto the middle of the four rectangles.
  • Step 6: Fold the edge of each over the filling, then fold the other edge over closing it up like an envelope.
  • Step 7: Cut each roll into three and pinch the edges closed.
  • Step 8: Bake on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper for 13-15 minutes.
  • Step 9: Remove from the oven when golden brown and allow to cool for about 10 minutes before adding the glaze.
  • Step 10: Combine glaze ingredients, the powdered sugar with the milk, and drizzle over the cooled King Cake Bites. Sprinkle with the Mardi Gras colored sanding sugar.

Hint: Only glaze 3 squares at a time as the glaze will harden and the sanding sugar won't stick so well.

Recipe variations and substitute ideas

  • Cinnamon Sugar - instead of separating the sugar into the cream cheese.
  • White Chocolate - drizzle white chocolate instead of the glaze.
  • Almond Extract - just a touch into the glaze would be delicious.
  • Cream Cheese Icing - use a cream cheese icing instead.
  • Vanilla Extract - add a touch to the glaze.
  • Brown sugar - try sprinkling some inside the dough, with the cinnamon.
  • Lemon Juice - add a touch to the cream cheese.
  • Baby Jesus - yes, that tiny plastic baby is supposed to represent the Christ child. There's a big story behind it - I explain it here in my King Cake Recipe Post
Overhead shot of a plate of king cake bites.

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Necessary gear: Equipment

The following are affiliate links. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

I like to use a stand mixer to mix my cream cheese and sugar. Use an electric mixer if you don't have one, it's fine.

You'll also need baking sheets and other mixing bowls.

I have some affiliate links in the printable recipe card below.

More Mardi Gras recipes I think you'll love

  • a king cake with a piece cut out with the king cake baby sitting there
  • A dish full of king cake cinnamon rolls cropped square.
  • Close up of a slice of Mardi Gras cheesecake with a king cake baby on the side.
  • Close up shot of some mardi gras beignets.
  • Pecan Praline King Cake
  • King Cake Cinnamon Rolls
  • Mardi Gras Cheesecake
  • Mardi Gras Beignets

How to store leftovers

Once finished serving if you have any leftover, store them in an airtight container for a few hours at room temperature - otherwise, for 3 days in the refrigerator.

Mel's kitchen notes

Store a paper towel with the king cake bites, it will help keep the moisture at bay and your glaze/sanding sugars looking best.

Close up of a king cake bite with a bite taken out.

If you’ve tried this King Cake Bites Recipe or any other great recipe on my site, let me know in the comment section below, how it turned out, we love hearing from our readers!

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Little squares of king cake bites, an image cropped square.
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King Cake Bites

Everyone loves King Cake during Mardi Gras. Change things up and serve these cute little flaky pastries filled with a cinnamon cream cheese filling. King Cake Bites are the perfect little Mardi Gras Treat.
Prep Time5 minutes mins
Cook Time15 minutes mins
Total Time20 minutes mins
Servings: 24
Cuisine: Cajun and Creole
Author: Melanie Cagle
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Equipment

  • Glass Mixing Bowls
  • Stand Mixer

Ingredients

  • 2 (8 Ounce) Cans Refrigerated Crescent Roll Dough
  • 1 (8 Ounce) Block Cream Cheese softened
  • ½ Cup Granulated Sugar
  • ½ teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
  • 1 Cup Powdered Sugar
  • 2 teaspoons Milk
  • 3 Tablespoons Sanding Sugar Purple, Yellow and Green sanding sugars

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 350°F.
  • In the bowl of your stand mixer add the softened cream cheese and granulated sugar. Mix well with the paddle attachment, until creamy.
    1 (8 Ounce) Block Cream Cheese, ½ Cup Granulated Sugar
  • Unroll the first can of crescent roll dough.
    2 (8 Ounce) Cans Refrigerated Crescent Roll Dough
  • Tear off into four rectangles then crimp the perforated lines down the middle by pinching with your fingers.
  • Sprinkle each rectangle with a little cinnamon (about ⅛ teaspoon)
    ½ teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
  • Take half of the cream cheese mixture and spoon down the middle of the first rectangle.
  • Fold the rectangle over the filling, ⅓ of the way over then fold the other side (like an envelope).
  • Turn that roll over and crimp the edges with your fingers.
  • Using a sharp knife cut the roll into 3 pieces, crimp any open edges with your fingers and lay seam down on baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
  • Repeat those steps with the remaining crescent dough - using another baking sheet if you need to.
  • Bake in the oven for 13-15 minutes.
  • Remove and allow to cool about 10 minutes on the baking sheet.
  • While cooling add the powdered sugar to a small bowl and add the milk. Stir well until totally combined and you have a thick glaze.
    1 Cup Powdered Sugar, 2 teaspoons Milk
  • Spoon over each king cake bite, then apply the sanding sugars.
    3 Tablespoons Sanding Sugar

Notes

Don't leave the glaze too long before adding the sanding sugars or they won't stick. Rather glaze 3 bites at a time then go back and sugar them... before moving on.
Add a little chopped pecans, as a delicious optional extra.
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Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 355kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 41mg | Sodium: 292mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 22g

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Filed Under: Cajun Recipes, Dessert Recipes, Mardi Gras Recipes, Snack Recipes, Southern Recipes

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