It’s just not a Disney World trip without at least one sugar crash…
The most Magical Place on Earth isn’t just about rides and fireworks. Despite recent ups and downs at some Disney dining establishments, Disney World remains a top destination for sampling culinary delights. You don’t have to wait for Epcot’s Food and Wine Festival to try something new, either!
Most seasoned Disneyphiles have tried the resort’s most popular sweet treats: Dole Whip Floats, the Grey Stuff, School Bread, monster cinnamon rolls, and even the illustrious Tonga Toast. Have you tried these more elusive Disney delicacies though? Some may even surprise passholders!
1. Rice Cream and Lefsa at Kringla Bakery
Image: Jett Farrell-Vega
Before the release of Frozen, Kringla Bakery in Epcot’s Norway pavilion was mostly a quiet spot. Older guests and Maelstrom fans frequented it, but overall, the Boulangerie Patisserie in France drew larger crowds. Not so anymore thanks to Elsa, Anna, and that little dancing snowman we all want to take a bite out of come July.
Kringla has quickly become an Epcot favorite, and their cream-filled troll horns and oh-so buttery school bread remain their most popular treats. If you have not tried the school bread, in particular, I encourage you to drop what you’re doing on your next trip and pick one up. It’s a dessert worthy of a place in Valhalla.
However, two of Epcot’s best (and most subdued) desserts can also be found at Kringla, and many guests never take up the chance to order them: rice cream and lefsa.
Rice Cream is exactly what it sounds like and yet completely different from what you’d expect. Norwegian sweets tend to err on the less-sugary side, and this snack emphasizes that subtlety. Anyone can hork down a funnel cake and find themselves gurgling in agony on Gran Fiesta Tour an hour later. Rice Cream is the perfect dessert if you want to avoid this. The creamy rice pudding has almost no sugar. Instead, it gets its sweetness from the strawberry compote included on top. You can mix in as much or as little as you like, resulting in a rich and surprisingly adaptable dessert.
Lefsa is hit-or-miss for some guests, but it’s definitely a must try if you’d like a taste of Norway. It’s comprised of a flat potato bread rolled into small logs with a sugar, cinnamon, and butter spread similar to that used on school bread. The result is a slightly sweet, creamy, and entirely unique dessert. While it was a tough sell when I was a kid, it quickly became one of our favorite Epcot treats as adults.
2. Chile Mango Paletas at La Cantina de San Angel
Image: Christina Xu, Flickr (license)
La Cantina de San Angel can seem a somewhat intimidating place to grab food at Epcot due to the huge crowds it draws. However, this World Showcase mainstay holds the distinction of having one of the most unique desserts at Disney World that most guests have never even heard of.
Paletas are basically Mexican popsicles. They’re refreshingly creamy, packed with fruit chunks, and prove extremely popular during the summer. Flavors include watermelon, coconut, lime, and chile mango.
I’ve been standing in line more than once and heard guests puzzle over the chile mango flavor. For visitors from the southwest, this combination is probably familiar. The sweet and sour notes of the mango blend extremely well with the punchy spice of the chile, resulting in a zesty dessert treat that truly captures the flavors of Mexico. You can get a similar experience trying the chile Tamarindo candy inside the pavilion.
It’s not clear if La Cantina is still offering the chile version of the mango paletas, but if you happen to see them available on your next trip and don’t mind a bit of spice, step out on a limb and try it!
3. Coffee Crisps at the Canada Pavilion
Image: CKFromtheD, Flickr (license)
Canadian readers will need to bear with me on this one. This Epcot sweet treat is probably the easiest for guests to miss, particularly if you aren’t familiar with them already. Inside the Canada pavilion’s gift shop, you may notice a humble candy bar in a yellow wrapper called Coffee Crisps.
If you have not had one at this point, purchase one immediately.
Coffee Crisps are a common candy staple in Canada. However, they’re largely non-existent in the US outside of specialty shops (I have seen some at rare Publix stores in Florida in their UK sections). The taste can be compared to a giant Kit-Kat bar with hints of coffee in its creamy layers. A Canadian friend visiting the parks with us pointed them out, and we’ve been hooked ever since.
The wonderful thing about Coffee Crisps compared to other Disney snacks is they’re relatively inexpensive, generally require no wait to purchase, and are easily tastier than the average park fare. You can even grab a few to carry as snacks if the weather isn’t too hot. Either way, don’t miss this national treasure of Canada.
4. Quick Sand at Jungle Navigation Skipper Canteen
Image: Jett Farrell-Vega
We tried to focus this list mostly on quick service sweet treats. However, with how new Jungle Navigation Skipper Canteen at Magic Kingdom is, this restaurant still remains off most guests’ radars. We’ve gushed before about their delicious vegetarian food and hilarious servers, but there’s another item we loved at this new Adventureland establishment.
We enjoyed all the desserts we tried here (the Kungaloosh! Chocolate Cake was another strong contender), but the Quick Sand stood out among anything else available at Magic Kingdom. Similar to the aforementioned Rice Cream, it’s a rice pudding with a coconut and jasmine rice base. The pudding is paired with a sweet mango sauce, tart lemon curd, pineapple, and a tasty hibiscus merengue. The result is a tasty tropical treat that captures the spirit of Adventureland with a refreshing blend of sweet and sour flavors. It’s a good enough dessert to merit a trip to Jungle Navigation Skipper Canteen just to try it.
5. Strawberry Shortcake and Bircher Muesli at Sunshine Seasons
Image: Danuv, Flickr (license)
Epcot easily takes the cake (no pun intended) for best range of sweet treats. It’s easy to spot these in World Showcase, but one of the best values for a dining plan snack credit can be found at The Land’s Sunshine Seasons food court. While this location is very popular, their wide range of choices can make it easy to miss two of their most unique treats.
In springtime and summer, there’s nothing like a tasty strawberry shortcake. As of our last visit, the shortcake at Sunshine Seasons was still a delicious winner for dessert choices. It’s just heavy enough to sate a sweet tooth while remaining light enough to refresh you in the Florida heat.
Image: Jett Farrell-Vega
The Bircher Muesli may not even occur to many guests as a sweet treat, but this tasty cold-oatmeal snack is an excellent choice for a healthy bite that you won’t find elsewhere at Disney. Like Norway’s pastries, it’s sweetness is largely subtle which helps it stand out compared to Sunshine Season’s other breakfast offerings. Particularly for guests looking to satisfy a sugar craving without breaking their diet, the muesli is a delicious choice. It’s filling with a pleasing chewy texture and is topped with fresh berries.
Have you tried these? What’s the most unique sweet treat you’ve tried at Disney World?
