I'm a dessert girl. Forget the salty and savory—I want the sugar. Add in my love for everything Disney and what better place to indulge than The Disneyland Resort.
I took it upon myself to thoroughly investigate what the bakers and pastry chefs of the Disneyland Resort have imagineered and thus cultivated my own guide to the resort's best chocolates, sweets, candies, and calorie-laden, sticky, doughy desserts. Hey, someone had to do it.
The Favorites
I didn't need to look very far for this one—just check out the Tiki Juice Bar queue when you walk by The Enchanted Tiki Room into Adventureland. Guests patiently wait for the popular Pineapple Dole Whip either as a swirled cup serving or float complete with umbrella garnish. I'm not a big fan myself—I'll take ice cream any day—but for many, this is a rite of passage every Disneyland trip.
Not to be outdone, the Mouse himself has a huge following so any dessert with ears is fair game. The most popular? Beignets of course, followed by anything cold and on a stick.
Mickey-shaped beignets can be found at The Mint Julep Bar and Cafe Orleans in New Orleans Square in Disneyland. Photo by Lisa Stiglic.
Frozen treat menus are strategically placed throughout the Disneyland Resort, such as this one near Grizzly Peak in Disney California Adventure. Photo by Lisa Stiglic.
As the newest Mouseketeer to the club, Ghiradelli Soda Fountain and Chocolate Bar in Disney California Adventure has turned into a must stop for guests who can hit the mother lode with sundaes, cones, and shakes.
Ghiradelli Soda Fountain and Chocolate Shop offers plenty of sweet options for guests. One bonus to visiting is a small sample of the company's famous chocolate squares. Photo by Lisa Stiglic.
The Seasonals
Spring has sprung, which means things are fresh and new including in the dessert menus at the Disneyland Resort. So I stepped in time straight to the Jolly Holiday Bakery on Main Street to pursue these refreshing additions.
It took me awhile to choose among Coconut Lime Cheesecake, Raspberry Creme Brûlée, Strawberry Shortcake Bundt Cake, or the newest Mickey Mouse macaron, lemon raspberry. The Mouse won, as always.
This tart, tantalizing treat revealed a raspberry jam center. A perfect amount of zing on the tongue. Photo by Lisa Stiglic.
Although not technically one of the four seasons, Season of the Force has landed in Tomorrowland so I hyper-jumped to Redd Rockett's Pizza Port to check out the neighboring galaxy fare.
Darth by Chocolate was just that. A chocolate parfait layered with red velvet cake, chocolate mousse with chocolate cake, more mousse and topped with a chocolate ganache. And, to make sure you completely turn to the dark side, a chocolate Darth Vader, complete with edible red light saber, sits atop his decadent throne. I would highly recommend milk with this although blue banta milk is a missing commodity.
The light side and dark side are represented by two separate desserts. Darth by Chocolate is also available at Galactic Grill in Tomorrowland. Photo by Lisa Stiglic.
To represent the light side, visitors can enjoy Chewbacca's Cheesecake with Salty Caramel. I'm not sure the Chewie 3D effect works on this dessert—my daughter thought it looked like a pile of hay with Chewie's face—but it was delicious and fun to eat. Again, order a beverage as this cake was a bit too sweet.
The Secrets
One of the reasons I wanted to dine on Disney desserts was due to a rumor of ice cream nachos available at The Golden Horseshoe in Disneyland's Frontierland. I'm happy to confirm this rumor is true. Just ask for the nachos by name since they are not listed on the menu. You can choose your three scoops of ice cream from vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, or mint chip. The generous heaps of ice cream top waffle cone pieces (nachos), and are finished with whipped cream, chocolate chips, and three cherries. This is a lot of dessert, so you may want to share (or not).
Grab a lot of napkins with this colossal creation, because the ice cream nachos are messy goodness. Photo by Lisa Stiglic.
Dole whip, chocolate, and ice cream—check. Something still seems to be missing… churros. Okay, here's a tip for all you churro-heads out there: save your $4.25, skip the churro cart line, and go directly to the Hungry Bear in Critter Country for the Churro Funnel Cake. At $6.99 before tax and annual passholder discounts, this fabulous find is enough for two.
Churro batter is deep fried as a funnel cake, sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar, then doused in caramel sauce that deliciously drips down the sides. Finally, a cloud of whipped cream, in the shape of Mickey of course, tops this culinary celebration. Grab a few forks and a beverage and go at it. I solo sampled this and found myself hiding in a corner channeling the eighth dwarf, Gluttony. It wasn't a pretty sight.
The winner of the Disney dessert showdown is the Churro Funnel Cake. Photo by Lisa Stiglic.
So the sweet tooth has been satisfied, for now. I'll set my sights on some other food finds at the Disneyland Resort next. Maybe foods on a stick? In the meantime, hunt down some of your own favorite sweet surprises in the parks and enjoy.
