Disney Parks Cooking and Baking from Home

“How can I describe it? Good food is like music you can taste, color you can smell. There is excellence all around you. You need only to be aware to stop and savor it.” ~ Remy (Disney Pixar’s Ratatouille)

If you are like me, one of your favorite things to do on a trip to Walt Disney World is to try the different dining options. Whether it be full-service, quick-service, or a sweet treat from the various restaurants and stores throughout the Disney properties, there are so many delicious items to try, and with each visit, I make sure to try something new!

When I get home from a trip to Disney, all I can think of is the different meals I enjoyed and how eager I am to have them again. Sometimes, it can be years before I can go on another trip, and I never know if menu items I enjoyed on my trip will be replaced. So, I bought a couple of unofficial Disney Parks cookbooks to allow me to try my hand at my favorite Disney dishes and help me have an idea of where to start when preparing them.

I love cooking and baking and would like to share the Top 5 Disney dishes I have made at home, where to get them at Disney, how they turned out, and my thoughts on them. I used recipes from different cookbooks as well as different versions online, so they are not the exact same as what you can get at Disney, but I enjoy making my versions with my own twists.

Beignets

Guests can find Beignets at Scat Cat’s Club – Café located in Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter. Beignets are a special pastry that originated in France and was later brought to New Orleans in the 18th century. In the movie Princess & the Frog, Tiana’s specialty is Beignets, which is why they are a popular item found at Disney. Beignets are deep-fried pastries sprinkled with confectioner’s sugar. I find that when they are warm, they taste the best.

What I learned while making Beignets is to be patient. As you can see in my photo, they are darker than they should be because of how long I had them in the oil. If you don’t have a proper pot with a heavy bottom to heat a lot of oil, frying Beignets can be challenging. They tasted pretty good, but next time, I plan to fry them a little less and add more confectioner’s sugar to them.

Pretzel with Cream Cheese Filling

Pretzels with Cream Cheese Filling are sold at The Lunching Pad in Magic Kingdom and the Snack Cart Near Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway in Disney’s Hollywood Studios. I love all kinds of pretzels found at Disney, but I think this sweet pretzel is the best pretzel to purchase at Walt Disney World! It is stuffed with a sweet cream cheese icing, and the outside is dusted with graham cracker crumbs instead of salt. If you have not had a Pretzel with Cream Cheese Filling at Disney before, I highly recommend trying one on your next trip.

I was extremely happy with how my pretzels turned out, and they were all eaten shortly after they were made. I did not put too many graham cracker crumbs on my version, and I believe it was the right decision. My only tip if you are making these is not to let others try them, or they will be gone before you know it.

Churros

Churros have always been a fan favorite at Walt Disney World. Guests can purchase large churros at the various snack carts throughout the parks, as well as at some quick-service locations in the parks and at the resorts. When I did the Disney College Program, one of my placements was at Anaheim Produce, and I always loved being in charge of getting the churros from the warmers for guests. Opening the door of the warmer and having the smell of the churros hit me was my favorite part of my work day.

Like the batch of Beignets I made, I had a little difficulty making churros as I did not have the proper pot, so I could not make full-size churros. They did taste delicious, though, and I almost had them all to myself, but when people smell churros, they come running. My tip for making churros at home is to make sure you have a proper piping bag and tip. When I was making my churros, the piping bag kept coming loose from the tip, and the tip would get clogged.

Bacon Macaroni & Cheese Hot Dog

Guests can find the Bacon Macaroni & Cheese Hot Dog at The Friar’s Nook in Fantasyland Magic Kingdom Park and Avalunch in Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park. Bacon Macaroni and Cheese Hot Dogs are very filling and a great meal for when you are on the go. I love macaroni & cheese, and I believe it is a perfect side dish and can go with almost anything.

Bacon Macaroni & Cheese Hot Dogs was a really easy meal to make and is perfect for both kids and adults. It took no time at all to make it, and I had leftovers for the next day. I made my macaroni & cheese with old cheddar cheese, sauteeing onion, cooked bacon, and different seasonings. I have to say it was the best macaroni & cheese I have ever made! My tip is to have fun and try adding different things to your macaroni & cheese.

Sweet and Spicy Chicken and Waffle Sandwich

The Sweet and Spicy Chicken and Waffle Sandwich used to be found at Sleepy Hollow in Magic Kingdom. While the recipe has since changed, these are still a delicious snack! Waffles from Disney are my favorite kind of waffles, and guests can find them at many quick-service and sit-down restaurants in the parks and resorts for breakfast. Disney waffles don’t just come in the shape of Mickey and rectangles! There are a couple of restaurants where you can find waffles with other Disney characters, such as Stitch, Nala and Simba, Ariel and Flounder, and Darth Vader. I love that at Disney, you can have waffles in so many different ways.

The waffles I made for the sandwich tasted exactly like the waffles from Walt Disney World, and I will never get tired of them. When I made the sandwich, it was the first time I tried making homemade fried chicken in an air fryer, and I have to say I enjoyed it so much more than making it in oil. The sweet and spicy sauce turned out amazing as well, and I plan to make this sandwich often. My tip is if you like spice, don’t be afraid to add extra to the chicken breading and sauce, and don’t be afraid to add other toppings to your sandwich!

Honorable Mentions

Other dishes I have made at home that I highly recommend trying your hand at include Caramel Apples, Tomato Soup from Sanaa at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas – Kidani Village, Tacos de Pollo and Elote en Vaso from La Cantina de San Angel, Cookies from Gideon’s Bakehouse, Canadian Cheddar Cheese Soup from Le Cellier Steakhouse, The Grey Stuff from Be Our Guest, Cobb Salad from The Hollywood Brown Derby and my owner version of the Kitchen Sink from Beaches & Cream Soda Shop.

Have you tried making any dishes from Walt Disney World at home? Let us know what you have made and how it turned out. 

~ Mya