Last Updated on December 29, 2024 by Kimberly Stroh

Mardi Gras isn’t just for Louisiana to celebrate! It’s a popular cajun holiday that everyone can enjoy! Whether you’re throwing an adults-only Mardi Gras party or celebrating with the kids, at home, you’re going to love this Easy King Cake recipe made with Pillsbury Crescent Rolls. It’s soft like croissants, has a luscious filling and one lucky person will find the baby – to throw the next party!

Mardi Gras begins on the Epiphany, or January 6th, after Christmas Day. Most people don’t even know that there’s a connection between the holidays. The story goes – Jesus first showed himself to the three wisemen and to the world on this day. As a symbol of this Holy Day, a tiny plastic baby is placed inside each King Cake.

The person who gets the baby, while eating King Cake, is supposed to throw the next party! There’s always a party to celebrate when you’re visiting Louisiana. I’ve yet to visit the state during Mardi Gras, but I’ve heard that you’ve got to visit at least once in your lifetime!

Looking for more Mardi Gras ideas? Here are some fun family-friendly Mardi Gras craft ideas that kids will love:

• Copycat Pat O’Briens Hurricane Recipe
• Duct Tape Mardi Gras Beads (Crafts By Amanda)
• Throwing A Family-Friendly Mardi Gras Party (Intelligent Domestications)

How To Make King Cake With Pillsbury Crescent Rolls

The best part of making your easy King Cake this way, is using the Pillsbury Crescent Rolls. You can find them in the refrigerated sections of your grocery store. It’s such a great shortcut ingredients for so many recipes (I use them in my VERY popular Doritos Taco Pie), but works really great for King Cake too.

What To Serve With Crescent Roll King Cake 

You can obviously make the cake on it’s own for a party, but you can throw together some other traditional cajun dinner ideas that will make you feel like you’re in the bayou. Shrimp Po’ Boys and Instant Pot Gumbo are my absolute favorite cajun dishes. The cake is a sweet ending to your meal!

When To Serve King Cake

During Mardi Gras! It’s a traditional Mardi Gras food. What time of the day you serve it is up to you. I like to enjoy mine as dessert, but I’ve heard others say it’s great for breakfast too. With the crescent rolls, it could easily be a pastry-style breakfast.

What To Do With Leftover King Cake

If you’ve got any leftovers, just wrap it in plastic wrap. It will last for 3-5 days after baking. You can enjoy later with a fresh cup of coffee. Unfortunately, it won’t freeze well for reheating. I’d enjoy for a week and toss.

Can You Freeze Crescent Roll King Cake?

You can freeze this cake once you’ve enjoyed it! I slice it into individual servings and store it in a freezer bag. Place the cake in the back of the fridge where the temperature is less likely to fluctuate. Freeze the cake for up to 3 months. Let it thaw overnight in the fridge. Heat it in 30 second intervals in the microwave to enjoy again.

What You’ll Need From The Grocery Store:

• Refrigerated Crescent Roll Dough
• Cream Cheese
• Brown Sugar
• Vanilla Extract
• Ground Cinnamon
• Chopped Pecans
• Powdered Sugar
• Milk
• Lemon Juice
• Sanding Sugars: purple, green, yellow
• Small Plastic Baby Favor (alternative: coin)

Directions To Make Crescent Roll King Cake With Pillsbury

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Open crescent rolls and separate triangles. Arrange triangles on a large, round baking stone or pizza pan with the points in the middle.

Press the crescent rolls together at their middle in a round circle, allowing the edges to remain loose. In a mixer, combine cream cheese, brown sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla until well blended. Then, mix in pecans.

Evenly spoon cream cheese mixture over the pressed area of the crescent rolls.

Fold points of crescent rolls over the cream cheese mixture, pressing the tips into the other side of the dough. Then, fold the wide edges of the dough over the cream cheese mixture, tucking the ends under the inside of the crescent ring. Lightly press to seal any open creases.

Bake for 25 minutes or until golden. Allow king cake to cool slightly but not completely. 

For the glaze topping: In a medium bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and lemon juice until blended with no lumps remaining. Pour icing over king cake. Immediately add colored sugars.

Before serving, slide a plastic baby favor or coin under the king cake. The person who gets the token in their slice will make the next king cake and throw the next party.