5 Disney Apple-themed Recipes to Make for the Holidays

Ever wish you could recreate Disney dishes at home?

Holiday Mickey and Minnie rice crispy treats

While we can’t transport entire Disney restaurants to our houses, we can use Disney’s own recipes to create some delicious park-inspired meals! So let’s have a look at some of the recipes they shared just in time for the holidays!

It’s time for all of that holiday cooking and we’ve got some Disney recipes to share! They’re all apple-themed recipes, which is great because apples are the perfect ingredient for tasty recipes this season. Disney gave us recipes for desserts, apple butter, and even a refreshing cocktail! Let’s dive right in!

Holiday Apple Tart from Tomorrowland Skyline Terrace at Disneyland Park

©Disney

This Holiday Apple Tart is a recipe from Disneyland Park. These tarts are filled with a rich caramel cream sauce and topped with apple filling and streusel. You can use store-bought or your favorite tart recipe for the shells. Leftovers (if you have any) also pair well with a cup of coffee the next morning.

HOLIDAY APPLE TART RECIPE

Makes 12 Tarts

Here are the ingredients you will need to grab:

STREUSEL

  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
  • 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes

APPLE FILLING

  • 4 large apples
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 5 tablespoons water, divided
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch

CARAMEL CREAM

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 6 tablespoons salted butter, cut into cubes
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt

APPLE TARTS

  • 6 (3-inch) vanilla tart shells
  • Holiday sprinkles

Now, let’s dive into the steps to make this dish!

For Streusel:

  1. Combine flour, sugar, brown sugar, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl.
  2. Add cubed butter and use a pastry blender or two knives to cut butter into flour mixture until it resembles coarse sand.
  3. Set aside until ready to assemble tarts.

For Apple Filling:

  1. Peel, core, and chop apples into 1/2-inch cubes.
  2. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add cinnamon, nutmeg, sugar, 3 tablespoons of water, and chopped apples. Cook, stirring occasionally for 4-6 minutes, until apple begin to soften.
  3. Combine cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water in a small bowl. Add to apple mixture and cook until liquid begins to boil.
  4. Boil for one minute, then remove from heat. Set aside to cool completely before assembling tarts.

For Caramel Cream:

  1. Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat, swirling pan, but not stirring, occasionally until sugar is melted and is a light amber color.
  2. Carefully whisk in butter, one cube at a time. Remove pan from heat and slowly stir in heavy cream, whisking constantly until fully incorporated.
  3. Add salt and set aside to cool to room temperature.

For Holiday Apple Tarts:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Place tart shells on a baking sheet.
  2. Spoon 1 tablespoon of caramel cream into each tart shell. Add 1/4 cup cooled apple filling to each tart.
  3. Top with streusel, covering the top of the apples.
  4. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until topping is golden brown.
  5. Top with holiday sprinkles before serving.

Cook’s Notes: Tart shells are available at many specialty grocery stores. You can also use your favorite homemade pie dough. Cut dough into 3 1/2- inch circles and place in the bottom of muffin tins. Bake at 400°F for 10 minutes. Remove from oven, fill, and bake as directed in recipe. 

Warm Apple Butter Cake from The Disney Recipe Vault

©Disney

The next recipe is a delicious Warm Apple Butter Cake. This at-home version of this buttery cake topped with caramelized apples makes individual cakes. If you do not have enough ramekins for this recipe, large muffin tins can be used.

WARM APPLE BUTTER CAKE RECIPE

From the Disney Recipe Vault

Makes 15 individual cakes

Here are the ingredients you will need to grab:

CARAMELIZED APPLES

  • 2 Granny Smith apples, peeled and cored
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 tablespoon sugar

BOURBON CARAMEL GLAZE

  • 3/4 cup light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter
  • 1/2 tablespoon bourbon
  • 1 cup heavy cream

APPLE BUTTER CAKE

  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 3/4 cups sugar
  • 8 eggs
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 1 cup butter, melted
  • 1 1/2 cups plus 1 teaspoon buttermilk
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract

Vanilla ice cream, for serving

Dried apple slices, for garnish (optional)

Cranberries, for garnish

Now, let’s dive into the steps to make this dish!

For Caramelized Apples:

  1. Cut apples into thin slices.
  2. Melt butter in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat; add apples and sugar.
  3. Cook apples until golden and softened. Set aside to cool.

FOR BOURBON CARAMEL GLAZE:

  1. Combine brown sugar and butter in a large saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir continuously until the sugar dissolves.
  2. Simmer over medium heat without stirring or touching the pan until the mixture is thick and dark amber in color, about 10 minutes.
  3. Remove pan from heat. Carefully whisk in bourbon and heavy cream. The mixture will bubble vigorously and release very hot steam.
  4. Pour caramel into a bowl to cool; set aside.

FOR CAKE:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour fifteen (3/4-cup) ramekins; set aside.
  2. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
  3. Whisk together sugar, eggs, egg yolks, and melted butter in a separate large bowl until well combined.
  4. Combine buttermilk and almond extract in a small bowl; set aside.
  5. Fold a third of the flour mixture into the egg mixture. Stir in half of the buttermilk mixture. Fold in another third of the flour mixture, then add the remaining buttermilk mixture. Fold in the remaining flour mixture.
  6. Ladle 1/2 cupcake batter into each prepared ramekin. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

TO SERVE:

  1. While the cakes are warm, carefully remove them from the ramekins onto a serving plate.
  2. Divide caramelized apples among the tops of the cakes. Spoon bourbon caramel glaze over top of apples and cake.
  3. Serve with vanilla ice cream and garnish with dried apple slices and cranberries, if desired.

Apple Tart Tatin from Topolino’s Terrace – Flavors of the Riviera at Disney’s Riviera Resort

©Disney

The talented culinary team at Topolino’s Terrace — Flavors of the Riviera created this version of the Apple Tart Tatin. It’s a beautiful dessert to serve at any holiday gathering! The apples can be prepared up to two days in advance and refrigerated until you’re ready to bake them.

APPLE TART TATIN RECIPE

Serves 6

Here are the ingredients you will need to grab:

APPLE TART

  • 7 medium Honeycrisp apples
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 2 teaspoons water
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1/3 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 2 puff pastry sheets, thawed

CHANTILLY

  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/4 vanilla bean, cut in half and seeds scraped
  • Pinch salt

Now, let’s dive into the steps to make this dish!

For Apple Tart:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Peel and core apples, then cut each apple into 9 slices.
  2. Place sugar, water, vanilla extract, and lemon juice in a large sauté pan and cook over medium-low heat for 5 minutes until amber in color. Add room-temperature butter and stir after half of the butter is melted.
  3. Add apples and cook for 5-7 minutes until tender, but still firm. Remove from heat.
  4. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and place six 4-inch tart pans on the sheet. Evenly divide the apple mixture among the tart pans, making sure to add any syrup from the sauté pan to the tarts.
  5. Cut puff pastry to fit the tops of each tart pan and place on top of apples. Pierce each puff pastry 10 times with a fork.
  6. Place a sheet of parchment paper on top of the tarts and top with a sheet pan to press apples and puff pastry. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown. Remove the top baking sheet immediately.

For Chantilly:

  1. Combine heavy cream, powdered sugar, vanilla bean, and salt in a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with whisk attachment. Whip to soft peaks.
  2. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

To Serve:

Turn warm tarts onto a plate. Serve with Chantilly.

Apple Butter from The Disney Recipe Vault

©Disney

This recipe from the Disney recipe vault is easily doubled (or tripled) and makes a great gift for the holidays.

APPLE BUTTER RECIPE

From the Disney Recipe Vault

Makes 1 Pint

Here are the ingredients you will need to grab:

  • 6 cups Fuji apples, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
  • 1 cup apple juice
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon ice wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/4 vanilla bean

Now, let’s dive into the steps to make this dish!

  1. Place apples, juice, brown sugar, and salt in a large saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cover and reduce heat to low. Continue simmering for 20 minutes, until the apples are soft. Remove from heat.
  2. Stir in lemon juice, vinegar, and cloves. Split vanilla bean in half, lengthwise, and scrape out seeds with a knife. Add seeds to the pan.
  3. Puree with a stick blender until smooth.
  4. Return the saucepan to the stove and simmer over low heat, stirring every 5 minutes, for 30 minutes, until a deep amber color forms and apple butter reaches the desired thickness.
  5. Strain through a fine mesh sieve to remove any excess liquid.
  6. Store in refrigerator for up to 7 days.

Szarlotka (Apple Pie) Cocktail from the EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival

©Disney

We’re ending this list with a refreshing cocktail from a past EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival. This apple pie cocktail is easy to make and can easily be made in a larger batch for a holiday party.

SZARLOTKA (APPLE PIE) COCKTAIL RECIPE

Serves 1

Here are the ingredients you will need to grab:

  • 1 ounce Polish bison grass vodka
  • 6 ounces of apple cider
  • Apple slice, for garnish

Now, let’s dive into the steps to make this dish!

  1. Pour Vodka and apple cider into a shaker; fill with ice and vigorously shake for 30 seconds.
  2. Strain into chilled glass. Garnish with an apple slice.

The holidays are extra cozy at Disney World!

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The post 5 Disney Apple-themed Recipes to Make for the Holidays first appeared on the disney food blog.