I tried Disney World's most coveted Christmas cookies, and I understand why people wait hours in line for them

When I took a Disney World vacation in August 2021, visiting Gideon's Bakehouse at Disney Springs was the highlight of my trip.

So when I spent a weekend in Florida again this month, my top priority was returning to the cult-favorite bakery and trying its limited-edition Christmas cookies and cakes.

Now I can confidently say the half-pound treats were worth taking a flight in December. I also understand why people have been waiting five hours in line to try them.

I hopped into my rental car early on a Friday morning and arrived at Disney Springs at 8:53 a.m.

At that point, more than 25 people were already in line to enter the shopping center. I figured that most had the same idea I did: getting in line for Gideon's Bakehouse one hour before they opened at 10 a.m.

A line immediately formed alongside the bakery and started to wrap around surrounding buildings only 10 minutes later. My dad and I were approximately the fifth party in line.

But I didn't mind waiting at all. There was a short wall we could sit on at the front of the line, and we were able to chat with fellow travelers and dessert fanatics.

The wait also gave us time to browse the website menu and plan our orders. Though I wanted to order one of everything at the shop, I decided to stick to the Christmas offerings this time around.

I don't like coffee, so I worried that I wouldn't be a fan of this cookie. But I absolutely loved it.

Each flavor held its own but also blended together perfectly to create a dessert that's sweet and perfect for winter. The coffee flavor was also pretty light and added the right amount of depth and contrast to the cookie.

It was flavored exactly like the cookie but somehow tasted even better in the form of a moist cake.

That's not to mention that it was giant, and could easily feed three people.

Unfortunately, I don't love the combination of mint and chocolate, so this cookie wasn't one of my favorites. Still, there's no denying that it was a good dessert.

My dad absolutely loved it, and practically devoured the half-pound snack outside the shop.

It had a chocolate shell, edible glitter, Andes Mint candies on top, and some of the most delicious chocolate cake I'd ever eaten inside. There was also a layer of mint frosting that reminded me of ice cream.

Whereas the minty flavor of the Krampus cookie was too overpowering for my taste, this cake blended the flavor with chocolate in a balanced and delicious way. I still mostly wanted to eat the chocolate cake, but I didn't mind the green frosting either.

If you live in the Sunshine State, however, you still have time to pick them up this year. Most of the desserts I tried are available at both Gideon's Bakehouse locations — there's a second store at the East End Market in Orlando, Florida — until the end of December.

If you're visiting the Disney World spot, however, be prepared to wait. During my trip, I saw lines outside the bakery from open until closing, with some wait times extending five hours.

Still, I'd argue that it's entirely worth it for desserts unlike any others I've ever tried.