The Great Smoky Mountains Holiday Food Tour

Pigeon Forge

Eggnog bread pudding at Dollywood

Who doesn’t love Dolly Parton? The country queen’s namesake, Dollywood, gets all dazzled up for the holidays for its annual Smoky Mountain Christmas celebration. While you can find specialty seasonal bites throughout the park (like the must-try cinnamon bread), the most indulgent plate is the eggnog bread pudding served at Front Porch Cafe. Eggnog replaces traditional custard in this Christmas-tinged recipe, resulting in a moist, dense, spoon-soft bite with just enough crunchy crust to add texture. A drizzle of cinnamon-caramel sauce, a scoop of butter pecan ice cream, and a hearty helping of homemade whipped cream add over-the-top holiday magic.

Apple turnover at Dolly Parton’s Stampede Christmas dinner show.

A Pigeon Forge institution, Dolly Parton’s Stampede entertains visitors to the Smokies all year long with a cast of expert horseback riders showing off their skills in a competition-style showcase, all accompanied by a four-course meal. The highlight of the Christmas-themed dinner show, complete with classic carols and synthetic snow, is the finale: an old-fashioned apple turnover. The pastry is flaky and buttery with a jammy apple-cinnamon filling reminiscent of the all-but-extinct McDonald’s fried apple pie — remember those?

Spicy pomegranate paloma at The Wayback Hotel.

Pigeon Forge isn’t exactly known for its adult-only hangouts, but retro-themed The Wayback Hotel fills that void with a year-round pool club complete with a renovated Airstream serving as the bar. During the holidays, heated igloos pop up around the pool, providing a cozy retreat to enjoy seasonal sips like a spicy pomegranate paloma. Smooth and well-balanced, the cocktail’s ruby red color and thyme sprig garnish add festive flair (and make for awesome photos against the blue pool backdrop).

Pumpkin roll moonshine at Old Forge Distillery.

You can’t visit East Tennessee without getting a taste of moonshine. The Smokies’ signature spirit can be infused with just about any flavor under the sun, and Old Forge Distillery in Pigeon Forge embraces moonshine’s versatility by churning out more than 60 options. For a taste of the holidays, go for the pumpkin roll moonshine packed with warming spices like cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, ginger, and allspice. Subtle notes of vanilla and confectioner’s sugar give the final product a sippable pumpkin bread-like flavor without being overly sweet.

Gatlinburg

Strawberry sleigh ride hot chocolate at Anakeesta.

Gatlinburg’s mountaintop theme park, Anakeesta, welcomes the holidays this year with its Enchanted Christmas festival, complete with plenty of seasonal treats. Among the highlights is a seven-stop hot chocolate trail featuring cocoa in festive flavors like peppermint, orange, and cotton candy. The strawberry sleigh ride is particularly enticing thanks to tart strawberry syrup and a whimsical garnish of yogurt-covered animal crackers that cut through the richness of the hot chocolate.

Feliz Navi-Fry churro bites at Anakeesta.

If hot chocolate isn’t your thing, try this caramel lover’s indulgence. Head to Anakeesta’s recent Stone Village expansion for Feliz Navi-Fry, a shareable portion of freshly fried churro bites topped with whipped cream, mini gingerbread men, and a caramel drizzle. The bites are also stuffed with super-rich dulce de leche. The creamy filling paired with the warm, crispy churro shell makes for a satisfying treat, though you can probably only eat a few before feeling like you’ve overdone it.

Sevierville

Mulled Wine at Hillside Winery

Specializing in Italian-style wines made with Tennessee-grown grapes, Hillside Winery in Sevierville offers a holiday experience with its signature mulled wine. This seasonal treat starts with the winery’s Don Rosso red, gently heated, and infused with aromatic spices like cinnamon, clove, and a hint of citrus zest. The final product is a sweet and spicy sip that’s soul-warming. Enjoy a glass on the winery’s rustic patio, or buy a bottle of red and a pack of mulling spices to make at home.

Deep-fried s’mores pop tart at Wilderness Lodge.

Not all deep-fried treats are created equal, but the deep-fried s’mores pop tart served at Wilderness Lodge’s ice skating rink is a stroke of genius. Served fresh from the fryer, the pop tart is cut into triangles to allow you easy access to all that gooey goodness inside. The marshmallow and chocolate interior oozes with nostalgic sweetness, while the graham cracker-flavored tart shell and crispy fried coating add the texture you’re looking for from a s’more. The whole bite is both familiar and unusual, creating a unique (and less messy) twist on a holiday favorite.

Caramel pumpkin pie milkshake at Red’s Soda Fountain and Ice Cream.

Step back in time at the recently opened Red’s Soda Fountain and Ice Cream in downtown Sevierville, where vintage interiors and an old-school menu honor the original Red’s Cafe — famed as the spot where a young Dolly Parton had her first burger. For the holidays, Red’s serves up caramel pumpkin pie ice cream in cups, cones, and sundaes, but the milkshake steals the show. The ice cream’s warming spices shine, accenting the subtle pumpkin flavors and complementing the creamy caramel drizzle for a festive treat.

Apple stack cake at The Apple Barn.

For a true taste of the holidays in Appalachia, grab a slice of apple stack cake. The carb-heavy treat is available year-long but is particularly popular for Thanksgiving and Christmas. The cake has layers of molasses-sweetened pancakes or thin skillet-made sponges and apple butter (think Appalachian crepe cake), stacked a day or two ahead of serving to allow all that fruity goodness to soak into the fluffy cake layers. The rich molasses gives the cake a nostalgic gingerbread-like flavor. One of the best versions can be found at The Apple Barn, a 50-year-old family-run orchard in Sevierville.

Gingerbread eggnog cheesecake at Skyland Ranch.

Home to the longest mountain coaster in the Southeast, Skyland Ranch is a working mountaintop farm that transforms into a Festival of Lights for the holidays. The onsite bakery gets a seasonal makeover with tinsel, twinkling lights, and treats like gingerbread eggnog cheesecake. This dessert packs a ginger-forward punch with more subtle holiday spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, giving the bite an eggnog-reminiscent finish. The creamy treat is more spice than sugar, so while it may not be everyone’s cup of tea, holiday spice lovers and those who prefer less sweet desserts will appreciate this indulgence.