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With The Unofficial Disney Parks Cookbook, you can explore every delicious nook and cranny the parks have to offer, all without leaving the comfort of your own home. The cookbook is organized by park — from Disneyland to Epcot, Hollywood Studios to Disney’s Animal Kingdom — and showcases recipes for some of the amazing foods you can find from Main Street USA to Galaxy’s Edge. Thanks to the publisher, I’m sharing 3 recipes from the cookbook with you!

The Unofficial Disney Parks Cookbook

I received this book free to review; however, all opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive compensation at no cost to you.

The Unofficial Disney Parks Cookbook
by Ashley Craft
Hardcover : 240 pages
Publisher : Adams Media (November 10, 2020)

2020 has been crazy! Lots of us had plans to visit a Disney Park (or 2 or 4…), but the plans got waylaid! Thankfully, I’ve got a Disney crazed friend who lives in Florida. When the parks opened back up, she told us we should go because the parks were so sparsely occupied. She was right!

My daughter and I headed there mid-July and had a blast. With little wait, we were able to ride and see things we haven’t in the past. If you’re a Disney Parks aficionado, I’m sure the food is something you look forward to on your visits.

My absolute favorite thing to eat at Disney World is Dole Whip. It is so refreshing, and it gives you the extra burst of energy to go on more rides! Thanks to The Unofficial Disney Parks Cookbook, you can make this (and more) at home.

This cookbook would be the perfect gift this holiday season!!

All recipes are excerpted from The Unofficial Disney Parks Cookbook by Ashley Craft. Copyright © 2020 by Simon & Schuster, Inc. Photography by Harper Point Photography. Used with permission of the publisher, Adams Media, an imprint of Simon & Schuster. All rights reserved.

Dole Whip

Adventureland, Magic Kingdom

Dole Whip is arguably the number one cult-classic favorite treat of all time at Disney Parks. This fruity-sweet snack began in Hawaii on the Dole Plantation, where parched tourists got to sample the sorbet after a walk around the pineapple bushes. Promoted alongside Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room, guests can buy the treat in line for the show and eat it while listening to the “birds sing words and the flowers croon!”

SERVES 6

Ingredients

1 cup room-temperature water
1 1⁄2 cups granulated sugar
2 cups chilled pineapple juice
1 tablespoon lime juice

Directions

1. ‌In a medium microwave-safe bowl, combine water and sugar. Microwave 1 minute, stir, then microwave 1 more minute and stir to create a syrup. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours.

2. ‌Pour pineapple juice into ice cream machine and add 1⁄2 cup chilled syrup. Add lime juice. Follow ice cream machine instructions and run about 20 minutes.

3. ‌Serve immediately or transfer to a large plastic container, cover, and freeze overnight for a harder consistency.

DID YOU KNOW?

The “real” Dole Whip at Disneyland is prepared with a premade powder and water mixture. This recipe can be made at home without purchasing the mix and tastes just like the original!

Gaston’s Giant Cinnamon Rolls

Fantasyland, Magic Kingdom

Disney Parks have sold cinnamon rolls for a long time—regular, boring-sized cinnamon rolls. But in 2012, they upped their cinnamon roll game when they introduced the Warm Cinnamon Roll to their line-up. It is about 8″ square in size and is smothered in frosting and butterscotch topping. It is perfectly made for the man who eats five dozen eggs each day—or your whole family!

SERVES 8

Ingredients for the dough

3⁄4 cup salted butter, melted, divided
1 1⁄2 cups whole milk
6 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
2 (1⁄4-ounce) packets active dry yeast
1⁄2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1⁄2 cup room-temperature water
2 large eggs

1. ‌Grease a 9″×13″ pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.

2. ‌To make the Dough: In a medium bowl, combine 1⁄2 cup melted butter and milk.

3. ‌In the bowl of a stand mixer, add 2 1⁄2 cups flour, yeast, sugar, and salt. Add water, eggs, and butter mixture. Using the flat beater attachment, mix until well combined. Add remaining flour 1⁄2 cup at a time while mixing until Dough starts to form a ball.

4. ‌Switch to the dough hook attachment and knead Dough on low speed 5 minutes.

5. ‌Remove Dough from bowl, sprinkle some flour in bowl, and place Dough back in the same bowl. Let rise 10 minutes in a warm place.

Ingredients for the filling

2 cups light brown sugar
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1 cup salted butter, softened

1. ‌To make Filling: In a medium bowl, mix brown sugar, cinnamon, and butter together. Set aside.

2. ‌Roll out Dough into a long rectangle, about 3′ × 2′. Spread Filling evenly across the whole surface of the Dough. Starting at short end, roll Dough like a jelly roll. Make a cut in the center of the roll, and then cut about 6″ from the center on either side to make 2 giant rolls.

3. ‌Place both rolls swirl-edge down in prepared pan.

4. ‌Drizzle remaining 1⁄4 cup melted butter over rolls. Allow rolls to rise at room temperature 30 minutes.

5. ‌Preheat oven to 375˚F. Bake rolls 20 minutes, then cover loosely with foil and bake another 10 minutes.

Ingredients for Cream Cheese Frosting

8 ounces cream cheese
1⁄4 cup salted butter, softened
2 cups confectioners’sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons heavy cream

1. ‌To make Cream Cheese Frosting: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add cream cheese and butter. Combine and heat until melted, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in confectioners’ sugar. Add vanilla, cream, and salt. Stir, then set aside.

Ingredients for Butterscotch Topping

1⁄2 cup light brown sugar
4 tablespoons salted butter, softened
1⁄2 cup heavy cream
1⁄4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. ‌To make Butterscotch Topping: In a separate medium saucepan over medium heat, add brown sugar, butter, and cream. Bring to a boil and boil 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. Add salt and vanilla. Set aside.

2. ‌To serve, place each giant roll on a large plate. Drizzle cream cheese frosting in one direction along each roll’s swirl, then drizzle with butterscotch in the other direction.

COOKING TIP

The dough leftover on either end of the giant rolls need not be wasted! Make cuts about 1–2 inches along the extra roll. Lay swirl-side down in a glass 9″ x 13″ baking dish greased with cooking spray and bake about 20 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.

Cookies and Cream Mickey Cupcakes

Main Street, U.S.A., Disneyland

Candy Palace on Main Street, U.S.A., was renovated in 2012 and given a very sweet interior. Many of the features are meant to look edible, such as the chandelier that seems to be dripping ice cream, and the exit sign shaped as a wrapped candy. And among its actually edible creations are delectable, super sweet Cookies and Cream Mickey Cupcakes. Topped with the iconic mouse ears, these popular treats are easy to whip up and sure to please.

YIELDS 24 CUPCAKES

Ingredients for the Cupcakes

3 tablespoons salted butter, softened
1 1⁄2 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1⁄3 cups all-purpose flour
1⁄4 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
3⁄4 cup cocoa powder
1⁄4 teaspoon salt
1 cup whole milk

1. ‌To make Cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two standard muffin tins with cupcake liners and set aside.

2. ‌In the bowl of a stand mixer, add butter and sugar. Using the flat beater attachment, cream together well. Add eggs and vanilla. While mixer is running, add flour, baking soda, baking powder, cocoa powder, and salt; continue mixing until well combined. Add milk slowly.

3. ‌Scoop batter into prepared muffin tins, filling cups just above halfway.

4. ‌Bake 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely, about 1 hour, before frosting.

Ingredients for the Frosting

1⁄2 cup salted butter, softened
4 cups confectioners’ sugar
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons heavy cream
10 chocolate sandwich cookies, crushed
48 mini chocolate sandwich cookies, whole

1. ‌To make Frosting: In the bowl of a stand mixer, add butter, confectioners’ sugar, cream cheese, and heavy cream. Using the flat beater attachment, whip until light and fluffy. Add crushed cookies and mix until combined.

2. ‌Scoop frosting into a piping bag fitted with a large star tip. Swirl a generous amount of frosting on each cupcake, creating a pointed mound. Stand a mini sandwich cookie upright on either side of pointed mount to create Mickey Mouse ears.

MIX IT UP

Frosting swirls are adorable, but if you prefer less frosting on your cupcakes, you can just use a knife to spread a thinner layer of frosting on top of the cupcakes—enough to push in the mouse ears.

Be sure to share these recipes and a link to purchase the cookbook with your family and friends! I’m sure they’ll thank you for it!