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–+ servings
a small king cake topped with a glaze and colored sugar on a mini cake stand
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4.79 from 14 votes

Small Batch King Cake Scones

Small Batch King Cake Scones are a festive way to celebrate Mardi Gras. The scone dough is shaped into a circle, baked, and topped with a sweet glaze and colorful sugar sprinkles. Once decorated, the cake is sliced into scone-shaped pieces, perfect for sharing.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Cool10 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American, French
Diet: Vegetarian
Keyword: cake, king cake, king cake scones, mardi gras, mardi gras scones, mini cake, mini king cake, scones
Servings: 4 servings
Author: Joanie Zisk

Equipment

Ingredients

For the king cake

  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ⅛ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ cup salted butter -cold (4 tablespoons)
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • ¼ cup milk
  • 1 tablespoon orange juice
  • ½ teaspoon orange zest

For the glaze

  • ½ cup powdered sugar
  • 2 ½ tablespoons milk or cream

For the colored sugar

  • 3 teaspoons granulated sugar
  • 1-2 drops purple, green, and yellow food coloring
US - Metric

Instructions

  • Heat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C)

Prepare the dough

  • Line a rimmed baking sheet with silpat or parchment paper and set aside.
  • In a bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, ground cinnamon, salt, and baking soda.
  • Using a pastry blender or your hands, cut the butter into the flour mixture until the mixture resembles fine crumbs.
  • In a separate small bowl, whisk together the egg yolk, milk, orange juice, and orange zest.
    Pour into the flour mixture and stir until just combined.

Shaping and baking

  • Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead very lightly and form a circle. Add a little more flour to the dough if the dough becomes too sticky to handle.
    King Cake | One Dish Kitchen
  • Roll the dough out so that it forms one long piece of dough.
    King Cake Dough | One Dish Kitchen
  • Shape the dough into a circle and gently press the edges of the circle together.
    King Cake | One Dish Kitchen
  • Place the dough on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 12 to 15 minutes, until golden.
    Mini King Cake | One Dish Kitchen

Make the icing and colored sugar

  • Whisk together confectioners' sugar and milk in a bowl. Drizzle over the cooled king cake.
  • Place 1 tablespoon of the sugar into three small bowls. 
    Add in 1 to 2 drops of the food coloring in each bowl. Make a separate bowl for the purple, the green, and the gold sugars.
    Spoon a little of each of the the colored sugars over the icing.

Notes

  • Keep Ingredients Cold: Use cold butter and milk for the best texture.
  • Handle Dough Gently: Avoid overworking the dough to keep it tender.
  • Adjust Dough Consistency: The dough should feel moist but not sticky. If needed, add a little more flour or liquid to get it just right.
  • Customize the Glaze: For a thicker glaze, add more confectioners’ sugar. For a thinner glaze, mix in more milk or cream.
  • Decorate for Any Occasion: Change the sugar colors to match the season—red and pink for Valentine’s Day, green for St. Patrick’s Day, or red and green for Christmas.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 335kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 77mg | Sodium: 295mg | Potassium: 172mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 465IU | Vitamin C: 2.5mg | Calcium: 92mg | Iron: 1.7mg

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