Karamell-Küche in EPCOT’s World Showcase Germany pavilion is the perfect snack spot in all of Walt Disney World. This evaluation takes a take a look at a few of our favourite decadent desserts and candy treats on the menu at this spot that’s sponsored by Werther’s Authentic Caramel. (Up to date October 17, 2023.)
In the case of Walt Disney World eating, we’re “staunch snacking advocates.” Clearly, points of interest are the first purpose most individuals ebook journeys, however the parks are way more than merely a set of rides. Amongst different issues, there’s leisure, themed design, and even consuming that completes the expertise.
All of that’s doubly true in World Showcase at EPCOT. Though it’s added two of the most well-liked points of interest at Walt Disney World within the final decade with Frozen Ever After and Remy’s Ratatouille Journey, the primary draw of World Showcase is–and can all the time be–exploring the nations of the world in a day.
Suffice to say, World Showcase has a formidable culinary lineup–from effective eating in France and Japan to meals kiosks. Snacks are one of many robust fits of EPCOT, with nice bakeries in Norway and France, plus wonderful choices and compelling attracts at just about each nation in between. That’s exactly why now we have a Information to Snacking Round World Showcase at EPCOT.
By means of this all, Karamell-Küche has been one among Walt Disney World’s snacking stalwarts for the final decade-plus. It has delivered hit after hit for us in the previous few years, and it’s time to lastly give this EPCOT candy deal with spot its lengthy overdue accolades…
October 17, 2023 Replace: Let’s begin with the newest menu additions at Karamell-Küche, which have arrived for Fall 2023 and the upcoming vacation season. Listed here are the brand new Werther’s Authentic treats you’ll find at Karamell-Küche for a restricted time:
- Pumpkin Spice Caramel Popcorn
- Pumpkin Spice Butter Bar
- Minnie Witch Caramel Apple
- Maple Bacon Caramel Cupcake
- Pumpkin Spice Cupcake
- Cinnamon Cookie Popcorn
- Mickey Pumpkin Caramel Apple
- Maple Caramel Sq.
Within the title of Very Essential Analysis, we’ll be taste-testing a number of of these things as quickly as doable. Okay, so perhaps it’s probably not “analysis” to strive our favourite varieties of snacks (all issues pumpkin and maple) at our favourite snack spot in all of Walt Disney World. However it is vitally necessary!!!
If you happen to handle to beat us to the punch, the objects that sound most fascinating to us–based mostly on previous precedent at Karamell Küche–are the Pumpkin Spice Butter Bar and each of the cupcakes (they’re completely different than regular Walt Disney World cupcakes). To every their very own, however I discover the caramel apples to be underwhelming–go for one of many distinctive objects at Karamell Küche!
With the brand new additions for Fall 2023 out of the best way, let’s rapidly cowl some background about this EPCOT snack spot. Within the lengthy arc of Walt Disney World historical past, Karamell-Küche remains to be a relative newcomer, debuting roughly a decade in the past within the Germany pavilion in partnership with Storck, the makers of Werther’s Authentic Caramels.
Karamell-Küche interprets to Caramel Kitchen in German and the store took the place of Glas und Porzellan. The intimate location is modeled after an old-world German caramel kitchen, very like the corporate’s first store in Werther, Germany that opened in 1903. It opened as the one freestanding retail location on this planet for Storck.
One of many major causes we’ve been “eating” a lot at Karamell-Küche these days is as a result of the placement has been providing the merchandise low cost charge to Annual Passholders. That low cost is legitimate on the Werther’s Authentic caramel popcorn on the cabinets, in addition to all the pieces within the show instances.
For the month of June 2023, which means 30% off! So in case you’re an Annual Passholder dropping into EPCOT for the free Figment magnet or to make the most of the lounge in Sunshine Seasons, you must also head again to Karamell-Küche in Germany.
Usually, Karamell-Küche additionally participates within the Disney Eating Plan, with virtually all the pieces within the show instances being redeemable for a snack credit score. Though quickly suspended proper now, the Disney Eating Plan returns for 2024.
Walt Disney World launched the Record of Eating places on the 2024 Disney Eating Plan, and Karamell-Küche isn’t at the moment on it. Nonetheless, as famous above, it’s technically a store–Essential Avenue Confectionary isn’t on the checklist for that very same purpose.
Previous to its suspension, a lot of the objects at Karamell-Küche have been an objectively poor use of Disney Eating Plan snack credit. There have been a couple of exceptions to this, just like the Apples, however a lot of the “good” treats at Karamell-Küche have been cheap.
Nonetheless, that’s now previous tense. Due to some menu additions mentioned under, now among the dearer objects are additionally the tastiest choices. The one query is whether or not these will likely be eligible for DDP credit score redemption. If that’s the case, search for Karamell-Küche on our checklist of Finest Makes use of of Snack Credit on the 2024 Disney Eating Plan!
To that time, the best choice for the Disney Eating Plan goes to be the Werther’s Authentic Snickerdoodle Sandwich ($6.99). This isn’t simply the best choice for the DDP–it’s the best choice for anybody. The Werther’s Authentic Snickerdoodle Sandwich is a brand new addition for Summer season 2023 at Karamell-Küche.
This addition would possibly sound or look acquainted, and that’s for good purpose: it’s a remix of the fan-favorite Gingerbread Salted Caramel Buttercream Cookie Sandwich. This snickerdoodle sandwich replaces the gingerbread possibility, which was all the time meant to be seasonal, however had caught round by standard demand.
Like its predecessor, this consists of caramel and buttercream sandwiched between two cookies. On this case, gooey and freshly-made snickerdoodle ones. The person elements right here have been pretty much as good as all the time, with high quality and preparation being off the charts. As a complete, it’s very candy–to the purpose that I ate half once I bought it and the opposite half a couple of hours later. (The heat of my backpack made it even higher–really ooey gooey good!)
If pressured to decide on between the Werther’s Authentic Snickerdoodle and Gingerbread Sandwiches, I’d choose the latter. These are each elite tier Walt Disney World snacks, and are must-eat treats. For now, just one is out there at a time, so your selection is clear: get whichever is there.
By a slight margin, I desire the gingerbread model. Though I favor snickerdoodle cookies, usually, the sandwich is a sweetness overload, whereas the gingerbread sandwich has a bit of higher stability. With that mentioned, if snickerdoodle is the one possibility subsequent time I’m at EPCOT, I’ll completely be shopping for it once more. (Our full evaluation of the gingerbread model is additional down within the submit.)
Turning to critiques of the opposite objects we’ve tried within the final couple years, let’s get the worst out of the best way first: the Caramel Apple Oatmeal Cookie with Pecan.
This is likely one of the longer-running objects at Karamell-Küche, though, as with a number of different desserts, it has been tweaked over time. The newest iteration is lacking the beneficiant drizzle of caramel and consequently is a bit missing within the taste division. (Phrases you’ll solely see as soon as on this evaluation.) It’s nonetheless good by oatmeal cookie requirements, however doesn’t rise to the excessive(ly decadent) bar of Karamell-Küche.
Persevering with with cookies, now we have the Caramel Stuffed Chocolate Cookie.
This merchandise can also be lacking the drizzle proper now, however a hearty quantity of caramel inside (plus the final superiority of chocolate cookies over oatmeal ones) makes it a winner.
Subsequent, the Werther’s Caramel Butter Bar. That is one other merchandise that has developed over time, with earlier incarnations having the phrases “Shortbread” and/or “Chewy” within the title.
It’s positively nonetheless each of these issues, however the recipe has modified. As soon as a Walt Disney World fan favourite, it’s now extra divisive, with some believing its too buttery and others believing it’s good with a wide range of textures and melt-in-your-mouth deliciousness. I occur to fall firmly within the latter camp, and I’m not usually one for overly-indulgent Disney desserts.
In the end, I’d strongly advocate shopping for it to search out out the place you stand on the Caramel Butter Bar, because the upside potential is extremely excessive. Maybe it’ll be an excessive amount of for you–a disappointment. Then again, in case you’re something like me, it might be one among your very favourite snacks at Walt Disney World.
Lastly, the primary occasion. Karamell-Küche serves up the Werther’s Pumpkin Cupcake with Salted Caramel Buttercream from round October by means of December. For the final a number of years, they’ve additionally supplied the above-mentioned Gingerbread Salted Caramel Buttercream Cookie Sandwich throughout that very same timeframe.
And right here we thought L’Artisan des Glaces was a lock for EPCOT’s pumpkin and gingerbread snack MVP award. Not since Lemieux and Jagr has the world seen this dynamic of a duo. (I used to be going to go together with Shaq and Kobe, the extra worldwide aptitude of Lemieux and Jagr appears extra apt for this comparability.)
Given our penchant for pumpkin, it’d be completely affordable to imagine the “finest snack at Walt Disney World” title we teased above was in reference to the Werther’s Pumpkin Cupcake with Salted Caramel Buttercream. And nearly wherever else, this may be the #1 snack.
The buttercream is wealthy and scrumptious, the pumpkin base is contemporary and flavorful, and there’s simply the correct quantity of salt and caramel. It culminates into one thing particular, and with a top quality in contrast to some other cupcake at Walt Disney World. It’s an absolute must-order…however it’s not the perfect snack.
The undisputed MVP right here is the Gingerbread Salted Caramel Buttercream Cookie Sandwich. (So perhaps this duo is extra like Jordan and Pippen, with each being nice however one clearly higher.)
This cookie sandwich is nothing in need of a revelation. I can’t even totally articulate how or why that is so good, however it’s.
The best method to describe it’s most likely through comparability to the Carrot Cake Cookie (pictured above), some of the iconic and finest snacks at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
Setting apart apparent variations in taste profiles, the Carrot Cake Cookie is just like the Large Mac and the Gingerbread Salted Caramel Buttercream Cookie Sandwich is sort of a Double Double from In-N-Out Burger (or a ShackBurger, if that’s extra your model).
Don’t get me improper, the Large Mac is addictively good and it’s a responsible pleasure that I like, but it surely doesn’t maintain as much as its upmarket rivals in comparison aspect by aspect. It’s the identical deal right here for the Gingerbread Salted Caramel Buttercream Cookie Sandwich.
This factor is off the charts, with extra nuanced taste, higher texture, and decisively greater general high quality. The sandwich options thick and chewy gingerbread cookies stacked with a heavy serving to of buttercream and liberal layer of caramel. All of this melds into the superlative snack at Walt Disney World, concurrently candy, buttery, salty, creamy, and zingy. Once more, phrases and photographs really don’t do it justice–you’ll simply must style it.
In the end, Karamell-Küche is a snack spot the ultimate at Walt Disney World. Whereas there are many different nice bakeries that serve up a handful of outstanding objects (together with Kringla Bakeri og Kafe and Les Halles Boulangerie & Patisserie in World Showcase), nowhere else is as constantly wonderful.
There’s nowhere else at Walt Disney World the place I’ll order actually something new on the menu–it doesn’t matter what it’s–as a result of it’ll most likely be scrumptious. This has been true many occasions previously even with objects that didn’t sound like they’d be to my tastes. I’d say that Karamell-Küche is filled with surprises…but it surely’s actually not. Virtually all the pieces right here is improbable. Going ahead, we’ll do a greater job of offering common updates on the newest menu updates at Karamell-Küche. (Its recipes and rotation do change ceaselessly!)
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YOUR THOUGHTS
Have you ever tried Karamell-Küche? Favourite snacks on the menu right here? Something you assume has modified for the higher or worse because the menu at Karamell-Küche has “developed” since its opening? Ideas on the brand new pumpkin and gingerbread seasonal objects? Contemplating attempting this spot? Do you agree or disagree with our evaluation? Any questions we might help you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even once you disagree with us–is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas under within the feedback!