Year after year, my Boudin King Cake is the top Mardi Gras recipe on Acadiana Table. And could this Boudin King Cake recipe be easier? Well, actually it could if we did a 1-minute video to demonstrate how simple it is. Take a look and then scroll down for all the details.
There are many great reasons to live in Louisiana, but Mardi Gras has to be near the top of the list. And king cake–the most regal cake of all–makes the carnival season even more special. This sugary confection comes out of hiding about three weeks before Mardi Gras day and is obsessed over by legions of passionate pastry aficionados who devour and debate their way through every king cake. And then it’s gone in a flash–into sweet hibernation.
Boudin King Cake: Cheese-stuffed boudin regally encased in crusty, pepper jelly-glazed bread–the king of all cakes. (All photos credit: George Graham)
But does king cake have to be sweet? Why not a savory and spicy version featuring boudin? After a few rounds of trial and error, I found the perfect balance–tasty and easy–for my Boudin King Cake. There are only six key ingredients in this Cajun recipe: Start with your favorite boudin or make your own; you’ll need a block of pepper jack cheese; pick up a couple packages of Crescent dinner roll sheets (not the rolls), open up a jar of red pepper jelly; chop some green onion tops; and fry up some crispy bacon.
Remove the casing from the boudin, stuff with cheese and wrap in a dough sheet — Boudin King Cake couldn’t be simpler.
Once you gather all your ingredients, the assembly of this Cajun recipe is easy, and this Boudin King Cake bakes up golden brown and spicy delicious in less than an hour.
Crispy bacon-topped crusty bread filled with spicy boudin oozing with pepper jack and glazed with a fiery sweet pepper jelly–this easy Cajun recipe for Boudin King Cake is reason enough for Mardi Gras to last year round.
- ½ cup red pepper jelly, such as Tabasco
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 pound boudin links
- 1 (8-ounce) package pepper jack cheese, cut into planks
- 2 (8-ounce) cans Pillsbury Crescent dough sheets or French bread sheets, 1 sheet per can
- 1 large egg, beaten, for brushing
- Kosher salt
- ½ cup crumbled bacon
- ½ cup diced green onion tops
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
- For the glaze, in a saucepan over medium heat, add the red pepper jelly and let cook until it softens and begins to melt, about 2 minutes. Add the water and stir until it thins out. Turn off the heat and keep warm.
- Lay out 2 links of boudin, and with a sharp paring knife, slice down the length of the boudin casing. Peel off the casing and discard. Slice halfway into the boudin the full length of the link. Wedge a plank of cheese into the opening at intervals along the boudin. Push down and close up the boudin around the cheese.
- Open a dough sheet package and unroll the sheet. Place the cylinder of cheese-stuffed boudin on the sheet and roll the dough around. Cut off the excess and pinch the ends closed. Repeat with the second link of boudin.
- On a metal baking tray sprayed with non-stick spray, place the 2 dough-wrapped boudin cylinders and join them together at the ends to form a circle. Brush the top with egg wash and sprinkle with salt.
- Place in the oven and bake for 40 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven.
- With a spoon or brush, drizzle and paint the pepper jelly over the top of the hot pastry. Sprinkle the top with crumbled bacon and diced green onion tops.
- Serve on the baking tray by slicing the boudin king cake into portions and calling your guests while it’s piping hot.
Melted cheese and spicy boudin royally redefines the Mardi Gras king cake in this easy Cajun recipe for Boudin King Cake.
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I made this recipe. It is very good! My family, from our 2-year-old grandson to the grandparents, and everybody in between, really liked it! Like a previous comment from the author, you pick your favorite boudin and go from there. The pepper jelly glaze really sets it off.
Hey Louise-
Thanks for the review, and I am glad your family enjoyed the recipe. Best, George
Hi George I have made this Boudin king cake 20+ times since last year, especially for LSU tailgating. It never fails to impress and enjoyed by all! Your website is incredible, recipes outstanding and full of our local heritage of love of great food! Thank you soooo very much!
Connie- Thanks for the kind words. All the best.
How about the fat baby. Isn’t there supposed to be a trinket in king cake?
Hey Bob- You are correct: In pastry king cakes, a plastic baby is inserted into the center. Tradition dictates that whoever gets the slice with the baby, brings the next king cake. In this hot, savory, home-baked version, I forego that custom, but if you insist, I recommend you add it after it is baked in the oven. All the best and Happy Mardi Gras!
Mardi Gras breakfast hit! It was easy and came out perfect, except that I used a baking pan that was too thin, and the bottom overcooked. I suggest you use a thick or double-walled pan for baking this. Otherwise everyone loved it!
Hey Molly-
Thanks for the tip on a thick pan for baking. And thanks for your positive review. Best, George
A gem! Made this for yesterday’s SuperBowl and most of the men missed the first 10 minutes of the game because they couldn’t stop eating!! I’m not really a boudin fan but I loved the special flavors and the fun.
Sandy- Great review and thanks for letting us know you scored a touchdown with this recipe. Best, George
My hubby made this tonight & all I can say is Wow! Seems as though we have a new Mardi Gras tradition in our house!
Jennifer- Hang on to that husband, he’s a keeper. And hang on to this recipe for making year-round boudin-stuffed French bread. Who says it’s just for Mardi Gras? Instead of joining the two loaves into a king cake-like circle, just leave them in two straight loaves…voila…Boudin-Stuffed French Bread loaf. And you have the option of brushing them with garlic butter (along with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese) rather than the sweeter pepper jelly glaze. Best to you (and your husband), George
I’ve made 4 of your boudin cakes since finding the recipe. Needless to say, it was out of this world. I used the Tabasco brand jelly but I prefer the green jalapeño jelly from a local specialty shop, much hotter. Thanks for posting this wonderful treat. Your recipe is now being shared at my husbands workplace.
Kristine- Thanks for sharing your success story. And you are correct, there are many great pepper jelly options if you look for them. Or even better, make your own. Best to you, George
going to go get the stuff I need to make this right now
I made one last year for the first time, and it was gone in no time. So freaking good, buy enough ingredients to make two. It won’t disappoint.
Hey Micnola- Thanks for the positive review. And if you access to quality boudin, this is also one of the easiest recipes. All the best.
Yes, this was awesome and was gone in record time. We just rolled out the crescent roll dough, but had trouble sealing it at the perforations around the boudin. Might try it in another pastry next time. All the flavors were wonderful, the best appetizer at our Thanksgiving dinner.
Hey Lynne- Did you use the Pillsbury Crescent Dough “Sheets?” Unlike the Pillsbury Crescent Dough Rolls, the sheet version has no perforation. All the best in your next boudin adventure.
I made this for Christmas brunch. It was awesome!
This was so easy to make and delicious! My husband and coworkers loved it!
I made this and it came out AMAZING… I used Ronnie’s Smoked Boudin from Robert, la.
simply the most amazing game day project I’ve ever accomplished. i’ll be making it for all the office parties and anywhere else I need something easy and a die for dish!
Hey Holly – So glad to hear you scored big with the boudin king cake. All the best.
Is boudin cooked ? Is it suppose to be hot or room temperature?
Awesome and unique recipe! I made it by rolling out the dough in a 9 x 13 pan, placing the boudin down the middle, pressing out, topping it with the cheese, and then crisscrossing the dough on top. Yummy!
Hey Paula – I like how you improvise; you can’t go wrong with Boudin King Cake! All the best for a Happy Mardi Gras!
I wonder if you have to use pepper jack cheese; some of us are wimps. lol
Hey Sadie – Don’t wimp out; spice it up. But Monterey Jack, white Cheddar, or even mozzarella would be fine.
Can I make this the night before and cook it in the morning?
Jennifer – Yes, but don’t brush with egg wash until just before you are ready to slide it into the oven. All the best.
Wonderful idea, thank you.
Want to make this SOON!
Do you cook the boudin first before putting the cheese inside??? I just bought some boudin and it is not cooked. Thank you!!!
Brandi – All boudin is cooked even if you buy it packaged in the supermarket. What the packaging is referring to is that the boudin should be removed from the package and heated (steamed or microwaved usually) to bring the contents to temperature to consume. All that said, you do not have to “cook” the boudin first in this recipe; it is best to slice it open while cold (it will hold its shape easier), insert the cheese and encase in the dough before baking. While baking at 350ºF for 40 minutes or so, the boudin will heat through and be perfectly moist and delicious for eating. All the best.
Made this last night for some guests, it was absolutely delicious! Definitely something I will make again very soon!! Thank you for the recipe
Cheryl-
Thanks for the comment, and all the best to you.
Can’t wait to try it!
First I made the boudin from your recipe. Delicious! The next day we had dinner guests and I made the King Cake as an appetizer. It was SPECTACULAR! I had hoped to have some leftovers for breakfast, but no such luck. I was unable to find the sheet crescent dough, but the pre-cut crescents worked really well – just had to pinch the perforations. Plus, I now have more than enough boudin to make this often. As usual, your recipes are the best! Thank you!
Hey Sydney-
Thanks for the great review. And yes, I have been having trouble finding the Crescent Dough “Sheets” and just made the Boudin King Cake using Crescent “French Bread Dough.” It works just as good. It looks very much like their other products in the refrigerated cans, and it is found in the same section. All the best.
This is a fabulous recipe, a real crowd pleaser
Hey Merna – You just made my day. Don’t you just wish Mardi Gras season lasted longer? All the best.
I made this last night for my mother and my son. It was delicious! My local store was out of the regular Pilsbury crescent dough so I had to get Pilsbury’s Sweet Hawaiian crescent dough. My goodness! It was amazing!
I made this boudin king cake but used pepper jelly for the glaze and topped with crushed cracklings. So good and well received by my guest.
Have you ever substituted the cheese? I’m not crazy about pepper jack and was thinking of using goat cheese. Can’t wait to try this recipe.
Julie – While goat cheese will work, I suggest replacing the pepper jack with a melting cheese like mozzarella, white cheddar or maybe even smoked gouda. This recipe is so easy you can experiment with different cheeses and see what works for you.
Wanting to make Boudin King Cake but can’t find red pepper jelly. Any substitution you will suggest? Thanks so much.
Hey BJ- I like the sweet/spicy combination that red pepper jelly delivers. Try lightly brushing the top with apricot jam for sweetness and sprinkling with finely diced red jalapenos for color and spice. It’s okay to be creative with this funky little party recipe. All the best and Happy Mardi Gras.
Thanks a million. Thought I could just experiment if I didnt hear from you.
Would the pepper jelly, not red we ate all the time when I was growing up in Louisiana work just as well. Just so it is sweet & hot, right
HAPPY MARDI GRAS sure miss it
BJ
BJ – Yes, any pepper jelly will work. All the best.
So is it better with the French bread sheets or the crescent dough sheets?
Carolyn- They both work. Since I first posted this recipe, I have not seen the Crescent dough sheets in stores in my area; they may have been discontinued. So, use the French bread sheets instead. All the best.
I’m going to make this for someone that is a boudin and all things spicy lover, however they don’t do any onions, whatsoever. Could you substitute with maybe.. jalapeños?
Hey Lindsey- I like the way you think! Spicy is always better in my book; jalapeños it is. All the best.
Made the boudin king cake this evening in Colorado. Missing Louisiana more than ever. Thank you for your recipes and your love of our food and culture. I look forward to making many more amazing dishes from you.
Hey Brian – Glad you brought a little Mardi Gras spirit to Colorado. And thanks for the kind words; writing Acadiana Table is a labor of love for me. Thanks for tuning in, and please keep the comments coming. All the best.
Absolutely great! So very easy to make! I used parchment paper to help “wrap” the dough around the boudin. I was out of Crescent sheets so used Crescent Roll dough and pressed the seams together…worked just fine.
Hey Martha – Yes, I have trouble finding the “sheets” and opt for the familiar “rolls.” Once semi-thawed, the dough presses together at the seams easily. All the best.
My son makes this but uses Steen’s syrup instead of the pepper jelly. Mmmmm good!