Planning to celebrate Mardi Gras this year? King Cake is the traditional dessert; it’s a yeast bread flavored with cinnamon with a ceramic baby or bean baked inside. The guest who gets this coveted extra is obligated to hold the party for the next Mardi Gras. Fancier king cakes are also popular – a favorite is one with a cream cheese filling. King cakes are decorated with frosting that is sprinkled with the traditional colors – green for faith, gold for power, and purple for justice.

The following Mardi Gras Thumbprints capture the delicious flavors of a cream cheese stuffed king cake, but are easier to eat and stay fresh for a week or two. The base is a tender cream cheese cookie flavored with cinnamon and rolled in sanding sugar. The thumbprint is filled with a luscious pecan praline. The Official Hancock Tasters who were lucky enough to sample them fell in love.

About 84 Cookies

Cookies:
2 8 oz. packages softened cream cheese
1 1/2 cups butter
2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

4 1/2 cups flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda

Green, gold, and purple sanding sugar

Praline Filling:
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Cookies: Measure the cream cheese, butter, sugar, and vanilla extract into a large mixing bowl; beat the mixture until light and fluffy.
3. Place a fine strainer over the mixture and place the flour, salt, and baking soda into the strainer; shake the mixture through.
4. With the mixer on low speed, mix well.
5. Scoop tablespoon-size balls and place them on baking sheets; press a thumb into the center of each ball.
6. Carefully press the shaped cookies in purple, green, or gold sanding sugar and place back onto the baking sheet.
7. Bake 10-12 minutes or until set and the edges begin to brown slightly.
8. Remove from the oven, transfer to cooling racks, and let cool thoroughly.
9. Praline Filling: In a large Dutch oven (mixture bubbles up a lot, so it needs to be a very big pan) mix the sugar, salt, and baking soda; stir in the buttermilk.
10. Cover the pan and let the mixture come to a boil over medium heat.
11. Remove the lid, stir well, and let the mixture cook to the softball (240 at sea level) stage, stirring constantly.
12. Stir in the butter, vanilla, and chopped pecans; stir until the mixture returns to the softball stage.
13. Remove from the heat and stir for one or two minutes until the mixture starts to thicken.
14. Spoon the mixture into the thumbprints in the cookies.
15. Let the cookies set and store in an airtight container for up to a week.

.
Amount Per Serving
Calories 136 Calories from Fat 69
Percent Total Calories From: Fat 51% Protein 4% Carb. 45%

Nutrient Amount per Cookie
Total Fat 8 g
Saturated Fat 4 g
Cholesterol 18 mg
Sodium 108 mg
Total Carbohydrate 15 g
Dietary Fiber 0 g
Sugars 10 g
Protein 1 g

Vitamin A 5% Vitamin C 0% Calcium 0% Iron 1%