It’s about this time of year when I start writing out my meal plans for the upcoming holidays with my family. I’m often cooking for between 10 and 20 people, which means nothing happens on a whim; I’ll need to plan out every dish with a recipe and ingredients list well in advance, making sure to get everything organized as soon as possible. I love taking inspiration from the creativity of Disney dishes, so I went looking through some of my old favorites that are bookmarked in my browsers and thought I might share some of them with you.

Disney Cruise Line’s Pumpkin Cheesecake

Fancy Pumpkin Beignets From Club 33 at Disneyland Park

Pumpkin Beignets

Club 33, Disneyland Park

Makes 24 beignets

Pumpkin Beignets

• 1/2 teaspoon dry yeast
• 1/4 cup warm water (105º)
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup hot water
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons vegetable shortening
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Vegetable oil, for frying

Maple Glaze

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 cup powdered sugar

For pumpkin beignets:

1. Sprinkle yeast over warm water in a small bowl, stirring to dissolve. Let stand for 5 minutes.
2. Combine flour, pumpkin puree, sugar, heavy cream, hot water, egg, shortening, and salt in a large bowl; stir in the yeast mixture. Mix dough just until combined and smooth. Let dough rest in a bowl, covered with a clean kitchen towel, for 30 minutes.
3. Transfer the dough to a well-floured surface. Pat to about 1/4-inch thickness and cut into 2-inch squares. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free area for about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
4. Heat 3 inches of vegetable oil to 350°F in a deep, heavy pot over medium-high heat. Fry beignets until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes, turning as soon as they brown on one side.
5. Remove with tongs or a slotted spoon and place on paper towels to drain.

For maple glaze:

1. Combine butter and maple syrup in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave until butter melts. Whisk in powdered sugar until smooth.
2. Drizzle warm beignets with maple glaze and serve immediately.

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Pumpkin Muffins from Disneyland Park

Pumpkin Muffins
Makes 12 muffins

Muffin Recipe
1 cup cake flour
1 cup bread flour (may substitute all-purpose flour)
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 5-ounce can pumpkin purée
1 cup golden raisins

Streusel
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons (packed) dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 pinch salt
1 tablespoon cold unsalted butter

For muffins:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F and line a muffin pan with paper liners. Set aside.
2. Sift together cake flour, all-purpose flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large bowl. Set aside.
3. Beat together sugar and eggs until pale yellow in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Blend in oil and pumpkin purée until the mixture is smooth.
4. Blend half of the flour mixture into the egg mixture until just combined. Scrape the sides of the bowl, then stir in raisins. Add the remaining flour mixture to the batter, mixing just until combined.
5. Scoop batter into prepared muffin pan, filling about 3/4 full.

For streusel:

1. Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl. Mash butter with a fork until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle about 1 teaspoon of streusel on each muffin.
2. Bake for 18 minutes, then lower the oven temperature to 325°F and bake 5 minutes more or until golden brown.

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Leftover Stuffing Waffles – EPCOT^® International Festival of the Holidays

Serves 6

CRANBERRY SAUCE

• 12 ounces cranberries
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• Zest of 1 orange

WAFFLES

• 4 1/2 cups leftover stuffing, crumbled
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup heavy cream
• Vegetable oil for brushing the waffle maker

TO SERVE

• 1 pound warmed leftover turkey, sliced 
• 2 cups warmed leftover mashed potatoes
• 2 cups warmed leftover gravy

FOR CRANBERRY SAUCE:

1. Stir together cranberries, sugar, water, and orange zest in a saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes, until sugar dissolves and cranberries are soft. 
2. Increase heat to medium and cook for about 12 minutes, or until cranberries burst. Cool to room temperature before serving. 

FOR WAFFLES:

1. Preheat the waffle maker to medium-high. Combine stuffing, eggs, and 1/4 cup of cream. If the mixture is too dry and not spreadable in the waffle maker pockets, add more cream as needed until the mixture is just wet enough to spread.  
2. Generously brush the top, bottom, and all pockets of the waffle maker with oil.
3. Evenly and firmly pack each pocket of the waffle maker full with stuffing mixture. (Note: If using a mini waffle maker, this will make 12-14 mini waffles. A larger waffle maker (6”-8” in diameter) will yield 6-8 waffles). Close and cook for about 7 to 8 minutes, until golden and the waffles easily lift out of the waffle maker. 

TO SERVE:

Place two mini waffles or one large waffle on each plate. Top each with turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, and cranberry sauce. 

Note: Always use caution when handling sharp objects and hot contents. Please supervise children who are helping or nearby. This recipe has been converted from a larger quantity in the restaurant kitchens. The flavor profile may vary from the restaurant’s version. 

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Pumpkin Twists from Disneyland Park

Makes 6

1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon plus 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice, divided
1 tablespoon instant pectin
1 cup pumpkin puree
3 (17.3-ounce) boxes (6 sheets) of frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 egg
1 tablespoon milk
1/2 cup sanding sugar

1. Combine brown sugar, granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice, and instant pectin in a medium bowl. Stir in pumpkin puree until well combined. Refrigerate until ready to use.
2. Place one sheet of puff pastry onto a lightly floured, movable, flat surface, such as a lightweight cutting board. Lightly dust the surface of the pastry with flour and roll lightly just to smooth creases.
3. Spread with 1/3 cup of the pumpkin mixture, stopping 1/4 inch from the edges.
4. Roll the second sheet of puff pastry on a lightly floured surface to smooth creases; place on top of the first sheet and press down gently. Repeat the process two more times with the remaining pastry sheets and remaining filling. Refrigerate the filled pastry for 15 minutes.
5. Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick silicone mat.
6. Working with one filled pastry at a time, cut into 1 1/2-inch strip.
7. Place strips on baking sheet spacing about 1/2-inch apart. Carefully lift strips and twist every 3 times before laying down. (Leave remaining filled pastry in the refrigerator until ready to bake.)
8. Mix together coarse sugar and the remaining 1 tablespoon of pumpkin spice.
9. Beat egg and milk together in a small bowl. Using a pastry brush, brush each twist with egg wash and evenly sprinkle evenly with a coarse sugar mixture.
10. Bake for 22 to 24 minutes or until puffed and golden brown. Cool on a baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat the process two more times, cutting and baking one remaining filled pastry at a time.

Cook’s Notes: To make pumpkin pie spice at home, combine 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon, 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg, 2 teaspoons ground ginger, and 1 teaspoon ground allspice.

Sanding sugar is larger, polished grains of sugar – about four times larger than those in granulated sugar. Because the sugar crystal grains are large and reflect light, they give off a “sparkling” effect. The large-grained sugar won’t melt and disappear as it bakes, giving a nice crunch to the dessert topping.

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Pumpkin Cheesecake

Pumpkin Cheesecake
Makes 9-inch cheesecake

Crust

• 1 1/2 cups crushed graham crackers
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1/3 cup butter-melted

Cheesecake Filling

• 3 (8-ounce) blocks of cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 15-ounce can of pumpkin purée
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 5-ounce can of evaporated milk
• Chocolate syrup for drizzling

For crust:

1. In a bowl, combine the crushed graham cracker, sugar, and ginger. Melt the butter and stir into the mixture.
2. Spray the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Press the crust mixture into the bottom of the pan using your hands.
3. Place the pan on a large piece of foil and wrap the foil tightly up sides and around the pan.

For cheesecake filling:

1. Preheat oven to 325°F.
2. Beat cream cheese, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
3. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
4. Whisk together pumpkin purée, cornstarch, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a medium bowl until well combined. Add pumpkin mixture to cream cheese mixture, beating until well combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add evaporated milk, mixing well.
5. Slowly pour the cheesecake filling onto the crust mixture in the prepared pan. Drizzle with chocolate syrup.
6. Place the foil-wrapped pan inside a larger roasting pan. Place oven rack and carefully add enough hot water to reach halfway up sides of the springform pan.
7. Bake for 1 hour or until the center moves only slightly when shaken.
8. Turn the oven off. Crack open the oven door, and allow the cheesecake to cool inside the oven for 1 hour.
9. Remove the pan from the water bath and set it on a wire rack to cool completely. Cover the top of the pan with foil and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to overnight.

Cook’s Notes: Wrapping foil around the springform pan prevents water from the water bath from getting into the cheesecake. The slow cooling inside the oven prevents the cheesecake top from cracking.

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Pumpkin Mousse Trifle with Cranberries and Apricot-Orange Sauce

Serves 6 to 8

Streusel
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons old-fashioned oats
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
5 tablespoons butter, melted

Apricot-Orange Sauce
1/2 cup apricot jam
1/4 cup orange juice

Pumpkin Mousse
1 egg yolk or 1/4 cup pasteurized egg yolks
3/4 cup canned pumpkin pie filling
3/4 cup white chocolate chips
1 cup heavy cream

Store-bought spice cake mix, prepared per package directions and cooled
1/2 cup Ocean Spray Craisins

For streusel:

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Line a sheet pan with foil; set aside.
2. Combine oats, flour, brown sugar, and sugar in a medium bowl. Add melted butter and stir until the mixture is crumbly.
3. Pour onto prepared sheet pan; bake 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.
4. Set aside to cool; crumble into small pieces.

For orange sauce:
Combine apricot jam and orange juice in a medium bowl. Whisk together until smooth.

For pumpkin mousse:

1. Whisk egg yolk into pumpkin pie filling. Melt white chocolate chips in a microwave or using a double boiler. Whisk melted white chocolate into the pumpkin mixture.
2. Whip heavy cream to medium peaks. Gently fold whipped cream into the pumpkin mixture.

To serve:

1. Cut spice cake into cubes. Place a dollop of mousse at the bottom of a serving dish. Top with cranberries and a drizzle of sauce.
2. Place a few cubes of cake over the mousse. Top with another layer of mousse, cranberries, and sauce, then top with streusel.

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Is anyone else super hungry now? Let me know what you add to your holiday menu plan and if any of your dishes are inspired by Disney recipes like mine are from the ones above.

Feature Image: Photo by Cesira Alvarado on Unsplash