Why You Need The Unofficial Disney Parks Cookbook – 100 Magically Inspired Copycat Disney Recipes to Make at Home
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If you’ve ever been to a Disney park, you know the food can be as much of an attraction as the rides. In fact, events like the yearly Food & Wine Festival at Disney World’s EPCOT often draw visitors that have little to no interest in the park’s rides and attractions. Instead, they come to try cuisines from all over the world.
Because so much of the food prepared and served at Disney is something most people rarely, if ever, get a chance to enjoy, there is a huge market for the copycat recipes used to create Disney’s most iconic dishes. This is where The Unofficial Disney Parks Cookbook comes in handy.
Why You Need It
There are two compelling reasons to buy this cookbook; you’ve been to Disney and want to recreate your favorite dishes at home, or you’ve never been, but still want to get a taste of Disney’s culinary offerings. Either way, you need to make this cookbook a part of your collection. With 100 copycat Disney recipes to choose from, you may be in the kitchen for the foreseeable future.
More Than Just A Cookbook
While The Unofficial Disney Parks Cookbook is chock full of irresistible recipes, it has so much more to offer. It gives you some behind-the-scenes details on the Disney culinary scene. You’ll learn the details of why Walt Disney thought it was so important to offer food in the parks. The book even includes a breakdown of how dishes are prepared and served in each section of Disney World and parks like California Adventure. Dishes vary from one park to the next, based on the parks’ locations and the local cuisines.
One of the most unique parts of this cookbook is that before you even get to a single recipe, it includes a list of all the kitchen tools you will need to prepare the recipes you’ll find. There is a picture and an explanation for each item that you’ll need. It’s worth taking the time to review this list before you dive into making these culinary delights in your own kitchen.
The Meat & Potatoes
The copycat Disney recipes in this cookbook are divided up according to which parks the dishes are served in. Also included is a map of where you can get each of these dishes at the park that particular chapter is about. So if you wanted to recreate something you had, say, at Disney World, or Disneyland, all you have to do is go to the chapter for that park. You can also refer to the index in the back of the book if you want to cut to the chase and find one specific recipe.
The cookbook includes recipes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner dishes, alongside drinks, snacks, and treats. Many recipes include a full-color picture of what the finished product is supposed to look like.
Highlights Of The Unofficial Disney Parks Cookbook
Let’s cut to the chase by discussing the best recipes this book has to offer. Some of them are inspired by pieces of Disney history, and the Peter Pan Floats are no exception. Before the world knew who Walt Disney was, he played Peter Pan in a production put on by his school.
Peter Pan Floats
Many years later, Disney World’s Magic Kingdom first served the Dole Whip Float. Since not everyone likes the flavors of a Dole Whip, the Peter Pan Floats were created as an alternative. When you order this drink at the park, they serve it to you topped with a red feather made of milk chocolate. The feather is meant to represent the one that was on Peter Pan’s cap.
The ingredients that give this float its flavor are lemon and lime juice, as well as lemon-lime flavored soda. Easy to make at home, it calls for ingredients most people keep on hand already.
Blueberry Cream Cheese Mousse
If you like blueberries, and can’t resist mousse, try your hand at making Blueberry Cream Cheese Mousse. This dessert was inspired by Pandora, the name of the planet in Avatar. Even if you haven’t seen the movie, you may be curious to try this recipe.
With a muffin cup base, this mousse dish is something you could easily make to take to a party or other similar event. It would be perfect for a Disney or Avatar-themed party, even if it’s just a watch party in your living room.
Pumpkin Spice Churros
Some of us can’t get enough of anything Pumpkin Spice. If you are one of those people, consider following the recipe for Pumpkin Spice Churros. You’ve only had these at Disneyland if you happen to visit during the fall.
Whether you haven’t gotten to try them, or you want them all year long, now you can whip them up in your kitchen whenever you get a chance. The best part about these churros is that they are enhanced even more by cream cheese frosting, which is incredibly easy to make at home.
Cookies And Cream Mickey Cupcakes
From a visual perspective, the best recipe in this book may very well be the Cookies And Cream Mickey Cupcakes. They are just one feature of Main Street USA’s Candy Palace. Making them at home requires nothing more than all the usual ingredients used in baking. The only problem you may have is that they may turn out too cute to eat.
PrintCookies and Cream MIckey Mouse Cupcakes
Inspired by the Cookies and Cream Mickey Mouse cupcakes from The Unofficial Disney Parks Cookbook, these cupcakes are almost too cute to eat.
- Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
- Yield: 12 cupcakes 1x
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 2/3 cup buttermilk, shaken
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 10 tbsp butter, slightly softened
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
- 2 large eggs
Frosting
- 1/4 cup butter, softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 tbsp half and half
- 5 chocolate sandwich cookies, crushed
- 24 mini chocolate sandwich cookies, whole
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-cup cupcake pan with paper liners.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a small bowl, stir together the buttermilk and vanilla.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter, sugar, and brown sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy.
- Reduce the mixer speed to medium-low.
- Add eggs one at a time and then beat until creamy.
- Slowly add half of the flour mixture, then the buttermilk mixture, and then the remaining flour mixture, beating until just mixed after each addition.
- Divide the batter evenly between the liners and then bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle of a cupcake comes out clean, about 20 minutes.
- Place pan on a wire rack and cool completely before frosting.
Cookies and Cream Frosting
- In a stand mixer bowl fitted with a paddle attachment, add the butter, powdered sugar, cream cheese, and half and half, whipping until light and fluffy.
- Scoop the frosting into a piping bag fitted with a large star tip.
- Swirl the frosting on each of the cupcakes, creating a pointed mound.
- Place 2 mini sandwich cookies, one on each side of the mound of frosting to create Mickey Mouse ears.
- Enjoy!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American Cuisine
What Are You Waiting For?
If you don’t own The Unofficial Disney Parks Cookbook yet, what are you waiting for? It is the ultimate gift to anyone who loves Disney and enjoys cooking and baking. And let’s face it, even if you have visited every Disney park mentioned in the book, it’s not likely you’ve tried every dish at every park. But this cookbook opens you up to be able to make most of the best-loved recipes that Disney parks serve hungry visitors. It’s the next best thing to being there for anyone who can be considered a foodie.
Cover and Recipe Images
Photos: MouseEars TV Creative Team