Dolly Parton's Favorite Dollywood Food Isn't Cinnamon Bread—It's This Sweet Treat

Like Dole Whip is to Disney, Cinnamon Bread is Dollywood’s beloved treat. The Grist Mill staple is one of the most iconic theme park snacks, closely followed by Dollywood’s infamous 25-pound apple pie.

And yet, despite the infinitely long lines at Grist Mill or even the on-demand, room-service cinnamon bread available at the park's resorts (Yes, that’s a thing now!), Dolly Parton is not in on the whole cinnamon craze.

She much prefers a simpler, more classic snack in the park. And you’ve probably walked right past this humble confection on your way to snag that cinnamon bread. 

I was recently at the grand opening of The Dolly Parton Experience, a new immersive campus at Dollywood that chronicles Dolly’s career, and I had the chance to officially confirm Dolly’s favorite Dollywood treat and snag the recipe. 

Dolly Parton’s Favorite Dollywood Snack Is Funnel Cake

“She loves funnel cake,” said Cyndi McCormack, Dollywood’s Vice President of Guest Experience and creative director of The Dolly Parton Experience. “She likes the cinnamon bread, but she is crazy for funnel cake.” 

The classic creation might seem simple compared to Dollywood’s custom cakes at Spotlight Bakery or the water park’s new Bear Paws, but it’s a treat nonetheless and something that the “Backwoods Barbie” likely didn’t get too often as a kid in Locust Ridge, Tennessee. 

“I think delicacies like that were probably not common in her house growing up,” said McCormack. “But she can certainly have them now. And she likes to share them with the world here at Dollywood.” 

What Makes Dollywood's Funnel Cakes So Delicious

You can find traditional, crispy funnel cakes, both plain and powdered, at two locations in Dollywood: Crossroads Funnel Cakes and Splinter's Funnel Cakes up on the hill. And there’s nothing basic about them. The dough is rich and decadent. When asked what makes Dollywood funnel cake so good, Chef Mattew Poorman, Dollywood’s Director of Culinary Operations replied, “Because it’s made with the most love.” 

It’s made with creativity, too. The chefs at Dollywood are doing funky, inventive things with funnel cake, and while Dolly loves to keep it classic, don’t sleep on the seasonal flavors and toppings. “That’s where the creativity and the chef perspective comes in,” said Chef Poorman. “We can have a lot of fun with that. You can elevate it in so many ways.” 

Dollywood Funnel Cakes Are Next-Level with Amazing Toppings and Seasonal Flavors

There are at least four rotating funnel cake flavors a year, which change with the season. Past favorites include pumpkin for fall, s’mores for summer, red velvet cake for the holidays, and honey and lavender for spring.

There have also been several cereal-inspired riffs and a banana pudding funnel cake. During the Harvest Festival (September 9 - October 28, 2024), there’s a booth with mini funnel cake donuts. You read that right. They take the traditional funnel cake batter and make tiny, bite-sized fried donuts. 

If you don’t want to mess with the OG dough but want to level up your funnel cake, there are toppings galore. At both Crossroads and Splinter’s, you can add chocolate sauce, strawberry sauce, caramel sauce, whipped cream, fresh berries, Oreo crumbles, or pie filling. Yes, really.

You can top a funnel cake with strawberry pie filling or apple pie filling to create a funnel cake pie. What a time to be alive! And at Splinter’s, you can take it up yet another notch with ice cream. There’s Mayfield vanilla, strawberry, and butter pecan ice cream. 

Dollywood Funnel Cake Recipe

Want to make Dollywood’s classic funnel cake at home? Chef Poorman shared the official recipe with Allrecipes for the first time.

Serving size: 2 cakes | Prep time: 5 mins | Cook time: 4 mins

Ingredients 

• 1/4 cup milk 
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (not extract)
• 1 tablespoon caster sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 pinch sea salt
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 tablespoons powdered sugar (sifted)

Directions

1. In a large liquid measuring cup or batter bowl with a spout, whisk together milk, egg, water, and vanilla bean paste. 
2. Add sugar, baking powder, allspice, and salt, and whisk until combined.
3. Add the flour and whisk until completely smooth. Set aside. 
4. In a medium, deep-sided pan or pot, heat 1" of oil to 375°F over medium-high heat. When you put the end of a wooden spoon in the pot and bubbles form around the spoon, it's ready. Reduce heat to medium.
5. Drizzle batter from cup in a thin line, swirling around the pan and overlapping as desired. Cook for 2 minutes or until light golden brown, then flip and cook another 2 minutes or until golden brown.
6. Dust with 2 tablespoons powdered sugar and serve. Repeat one more time with the remaining batter.