22 Mardi Gras Desserts That'll Transport You To Bourbon Street (2024)

King cakes are one of the best parts of Carnival season. They’re traditionally sweet pastry shaped into a ring (like a crown) and covered with icing and colored sprinkles (gold for power, green for faith, and purple for justice). Whoever finds the toy baby inside their slice is king for the year (and has to bring the cake next Mardi Gras!).

Get the Mardi Gras King Cake recipe.

Beads are common to be thrown from Mardi Gras floats, but to catch a moon pie? Now that's special. You won't believe how satisfying the combo of cookie, marshmallow, and chocolate can be, especially with this chocolate mint twist.

Get the Chocolate Mint Moon Pies recipe.

Want to celebrate Mardi Gras from the comfort of your kitchen? Make beignets. Liberally dusted in confectioners’ sugar, these pillowy deep-fried doughnuts will make you feel like you're at the famous Cafe du Monde in just one bite.

Get the New Orleans-Style Beignets recipe.

Bananas Foster is a classic dessert that should never go out of style, and now we’re bringing it back in with this bananas Foster cheesecake. Boozy caramelized bananas are piled over a fluffy banana cheesecake for a classy, show-stopping dessert that’s sure to be the belle of any ball you bring her to.

Get the Bananas Foster Cheesecake recipe.

If you’re looking for a boozy treat to get your Mardi Gras party started, these little bites are calling your name. Made with finely chopped pecans, crushed vanilla wafer cookies, and of course, bourbon, these no-bake cookie truffles highlight the flavor of the bourbon while taming its typical burn.

Get the Bourbon Balls recipe.

Ask a local where you should go to get an epic dessert in New Orleans, and many of them will point you in the direction of Antoine's in the French Quarter. To make yours look just like theirs, use your meringue to pipe on the outside of your cake too.

Get the Baked Alaska recipe.

Pralines are a delicious Southern caramel-like candy made with sugar, butter, vanilla, and some form of dairy (like heavy cream or evaporated milk, which is our choice). You can make them with any nut, but pecan is classic.

Get the Pecan Pralines recipe.

This rich turtle cheesecake takes its inspiration from turtles, a delicious chocolate candy filled with gooey chewy caramel, melt-in-your-mouth chocolate, and crunchy toasted pecans all throughout. It's a masterpiece.

Get the Turtle Cheesecake recipe.

Traditionally, rum is the liquor of choice to flambé bananas Foster, but no one’s stopping you from experimenting with bourbon or anything over 80-proof that has great flavor. As the sauce ignites, the flames will die out as the alcohol is cooked off, leaving you with the flavor of whatever you choose.

Get the Bananas Foster recipe.

Paczki (pronounced something like puhnch-kee) are a traditional Polish dessert typically prepared on Fat Tuesday (or Mardi Gras) as a way to use up all the rich ingredients typically given up for Lent. If you're looking for a decadent treat, these dense jelly donuts should be next on your baking list.

Get the Paczki recipe.

If you love banana pudding, you’re in for a treat. These cookies have everything you love most about that classic dessert, but are much easier to eat on the go (when you're heading out to watch the parades, perhaps?).

Get the Banana Pudding Cookies recipe.

Get your groove on with these tie dye-inspired cheesecake bars. We used Mardi Gras gold (yellow and orange) for power, green for faith, and purple for justice, but pick your favorite bright colors—we do recommend staying under four though, so you don't risk them muddling together!

Get the Tie Dye Rainbow Cheesecake Bars recipe.

When it comes to retro Southern desserts, banana cream pie, pecan pie, and bananas Foster are always at the top of the list. If you’re torn between which dessert should be the centerpiece of your Mardi Gras table, why not combine them? Best part about this pie? It’s completely no-bake!

Get the No-Bake Banana Caramel Pecan Pie recipe.

Sweet potato pie is a Southern classic, but it can get a little repetitive. Not so when you turn it into cupcakes! This easy recipe uses boxed cake mix to make some of the tastiest cupcakes we've ever had.

Get the Sweet Potato Pie Cupcakes recipe.

The classic Little Debbie Cosmic Brownie is an extra chewy brownie with a simple ganache on top along with those iconic chocolate chip candies. Our version is a little fudgier, but is still just as chewy. They'll make you feel like a kid again, perfect for getting in the mood to dress up in your Mardi Gras finest.

Get the Copycat Cosmic Brownies recipe.

For the brownie lover, pecan pie can be kind of a bummer. No longer! Make these quick-and-easy beauties for the chocolate lover in your life—it's got the oooey, crunchy topping they'll love, in a delicious portable package.

Get the Pecan Pie Brownies recipe.

This rich, custardy dessert is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. We love challah for its subtle sweetness and light, airy texture, but any [stale] bread will do. Though raisins are optional, we think they add a nice pop of sweetness and texture.

Get the Bread Pudding recipe.

Celebrate Mardi Gras with these fun truffle-y twists on traditional king cake. We went ahead and made these boozy with a little bit of bourbon, because why not? You can leave it out if you'd prefer.

Get the King Cake Truffles recipe.

We looove pecan pie, but we gotta admit, it's not the easiest to make. These cupcakes have all the pecan pie flavors we love (plus whiskey!), and they're a total cinch to make. Smell ya later, pie crust.

Get the Boozy Pecan Pie Cupcakes recipe.

Bourbon bacon brittle celebrates Mardi Gras with a little alliteration and a whole lot of flavor. It's sweet, it's salty, it's crunchy... what more could you want?

Get the Bourbon Bacon Brittle recipe.