New Official Disney Parks Cookbook includes recipes for the Grey Stuff, Epcot festival favorites, and more

The cookbook penned by Pam Brandon and the Disney Chefs arrived in February with more than 100 recipes – from Disney-fied twists on classic dishes to sweet and savory treats only found at the Disney Parks.

Brandon has been writing Disney cookbooks since 1996, including “Delicious Disney: Walt Disney World,” which was released last spring. There are hundreds of unique recipes at each of Disney’s parks worldwide, so pairing down to just 100 was Brandon’s biggest challenge when writing the cookbook.

“We wanted the book to include a little of everything: beverages, appetizers, mains, sides and sweets, so we started by narrowing down recipes in each of those categories,” Brandon said. “And, of course, we want to include the most popular tastes like our Dole Whip-inspired sweet and the Grey Stuff.”

Luckily for Disney fans who may not be as skilled in the kitchen, Brandon said most of the recipes are “very do-able (and all home tested).”

It was important for Brandon and the Disney Chefs to include recipes that are workable for home cooks, so she said crafting the cookbook meant looking at “the big picture and great eats” rather than starting with a particular Disney character or franchise in mind.

“When we start creating a cookbook, we love getting hundreds of recipes from chefs all across the Disney parks and resorts,” she said. “A book is like a wonderful jigsaw puzzle at the beginning, and it’s such a joy to see it all come together.”

There are, however, a few recipes inspired by beloved Disney franchises and characters. There’s a recipe for Mickey Mouse beignets and instructions for cherry tomato and bocconcini salad from Goofy’s Kitchen at the Disneyland Hotel. There are also recipes for a couple of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge favorites, like the Batuuan Ronto Wrap and the Dagobah Slug Slinger cocktail from Oga’s Cantina.

But the true highlights of the cookbook are the recipes that inspire the stories of the parks just as much as the characters and rides do. There are recipes from all six U.S. parks as well as from resort hotels, Disney Springs restaurants, and even ones from seasonal festivals.

Try your hand at making the Pop Art Cookie from Epcot’s International Festival of the Arts, or watermelon lemonade and beet kombucha sangria from the Food & Wine Festival at Disney’s California Adventure.

Brandon said some of the most beloved recipes home chefs should look out for include:

• Monte Cristo from Smokejumpers Grill at Disney California Adventure
• Charred Nebraska Corn Chowder from Storytellers Cafe at the Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa
• Hollywood Brown Derby Cobb Salad from Hollywood Studios
• Honey-coriander chicken wings from ‘Ohana at the Polynesian Resort
• Konk Kooler from Disney’s Castaway Cay

“Asking chefs for a favorite recipe is like asking them to name their favorite child, or they often will say ‘the next recipe I create,'” Brandon said. “Our Disney chefs have so much fun creating new dishes and are always working on something to wow guests.”

Brandon does have a few favorites from the cookbook, including bold flavors like the lamb meatball with spicy tomato chutney from the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival. She also enjoyed writing the spicy Durban-style chicken from Sanaa and California Grill’s grouper with Asian vegetables, sticky rice and ginger-soy broth.

“This takes lots of prep and patience, but the payoff is worth it,” she said.

For sweets, she said she loves “the simple African fruit fool from Boma – Flavors of Africa” and like to start her day with a glass of POG juice, like the beverage served at Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa.

From Disney twists on classic comfort dishes and elevated theme park food to fine dining inspired by international flavors, there are recipes for everyone to create in “The Official Disney Parks Cookbook.” The collection is available now from Disney Books.