A festive King Cake Cheese Ball for Mardi Gras is a fun appetizer or dessert to celebrate Fat Tuesday. Decorated in Mardi Gras colors, your guests will love this!
It’s almost time for Mardi Gras and King Cake! Laissez les bons temps rouler! That’s the french translation for “Let the Good Times Roll” and is a common phrase used in Mardi Gras.
A king cake is another iconic Mardi Gras tradition and in the spirit of the holiday, I’ve created a King Cake Cheese Ball to celebrate this fun holiday with a twist.
My husband’s father and step mom live in New Orleans so we have strong ties to the city and the traditions that go with it. We usually get a text with a photo from them at Mardi Gras every ye
I’ve yet to make it to an actual Mardi Gras in New Orleans (my husband has been many times), but I’ve been there for St. Patrick’s day which is another huge party filled with lots of parades and “throws”.
Oh, and have I mentioned that our dog is named Cajun? 🙂
This Cheese Ball would be a fun idea for a Mardi Gras party and is really easy to make. It just needs some time in the fridge to setup before serving.
I sprinkled purple, gold, and green colored sugar (just as you would on an actual King Cake) on top of the cheese ball.
Here’s another dip idea for Mardi Gras themed after an iconic New Orleans dessert:
Tips and Tricks
The colors:
In case you are wondering, Mardi Gras colors have the following representation:
Purple = Justice
Gold = Power
Green = Faith
Cheese ball or dip:
If you don’t want to take the time to make this into a cheese ball, you can always serve this as a dip with the sugar sprinkled on top.
Let chill:
It’s important to let this cheese ball chill in the fridge per the recipe instructions so that it will set up properly. You can also make ahead a dip and then serve.
Recipe FAQs
Vanilla wafers or graham crackers are my favorite dippers with this.
This should easily last 3-4 days in the refrigerator.
Enjoy!
King Cake Cheese Ball for Mardi Gras
Ingredients
- 1 8 oz block of cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup butter, softened
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- Green, yellow/gold, purple sprinkles
Instructions
- Using a mixer on medium speed, beat together the cream cheese and butter until creamy. Add in powdered sugar slowly and mix until combined. Mix in brown sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla extract.
- Lay a large piece of plastic wrap on the counter and spoon the cream cheese mixture onto the center of the plastic wrap. Pull up the sides and pull together in the middle so the mixture forms into a ball. Twist the plastic wrap so that it holds together.
- Place in the refrigerator for several hours to overnight. This is important to give the mixture a chance to setup.
- Remove from the refrigerator and carefully pull away the plastic wrap. Put cheese ball onto a plate. Sprinkle sparkling sugar on top with each color covering a 1/3 section of the cheese ball.
- Serve with vanilla wafers or graham crackers.
I thought it was delicious but anytime I make a dip I add a tub of cool whip. It makes it lighter and fluffier so you can eat more without filling sick.
I left it as a dip and everybody loved it. Did not use the sugar toppings. Simple and such a hit!