Pumpkin season has officially arrived at Gideon’s Bakehouse, but this year, there’s something a little strange going on behind the sweets.
September has arrived at Gideon’s Bakehouse, and the popular Orlando bakery is welcoming fall with pumpkin-packed treats, returning seasonal favorites, new merchandise, and the unexpected return of a character we haven’t seen around these parts in quite some time. Dr. Tobias Brimstone is back!
The fictional explorer has apparently stopped by Gideon’s this September after traveling to places unknown, bringing with him what the bakery describes as some “otherworldly flavors” that just happen to resemble the pumpkin spice of our own realm.
And if that wasn’t enough Gideon’s lore for one monthly menu, the bakery is already teasing that Brimstone’s return could be connected to a mystery that’s about to unfold.
That’s especially intriguing because October marks a major milestone for Gideon’s Bakehouse: 10 years since its East End Market location officially opened.
Gideon’s says it has been working on a huge project for most of this year and plans to reveal it next month. So yes, we’re here for the pumpkin cookie, but we may also want to start paying attention to the clues.
The star of September’s menu is the massive Pumpkin Bread Chocolate Chip Cookie. Like Gideon’s other signature cookies, this thing isn’t exactly dainty. The bakery is known for its handmade cookies that weigh nearly half a pound each.
The Pumpkin Bread Chocolate Chip Cookie is made with real pumpkin and Dr. Brimstone’s Pumpkin Spice Blend, with a relatively small amount of chocolate baked inside.
So if you’re someone who normally skips Gideon’s because you aren’t interested in a cookie completely covered in chocolate chips, this one might be worth another look. The outside is instead covered with a generous layer of Pumpkin Butter Crumbs, creating the chunky, crumb-covered exterior you can see in Gideon’s newly released photos.
The cookie will be available every day throughout September, with a limit of two per person. And Gideon’s apparently has a lot of confidence in this one. The bakery describes the seasonal creation as potentially its favorite Thanksgiving cookie.
Looking at that Pumpkin Butter Crumb coating, we can understand the enthusiasm. September’s pumpkin takeover isn’t stopping with cookies. The Pumpkin Caramel Double Frosted Cake is also back.
And “double frosted” means exactly what it sounds like at Gideon’s. The cake gets an entire layer of Caramel Buttercream followed by another full layer of Pumpkin Cream Cheese Buttercream. Under all that frosting is a Vanilla Cinnamon Swirl Cake that Gideon’s describes as simultaneously soft and crumbly.
The finished cake has three layers, with the cinnamon-colored swirl visible through each one and thick frosting between the layers. Pumpkin-colored buttercream covers the exterior, while piped frosting decorates the top.
Unlike the cookie, however, you won’t find slices every day. The Pumpkin Caramel Double Frosted Cake will be available by the slice every Wednesday and Saturday throughout September.
Want the entire cake? Whole-cake preorders are available this month only through Gideon’s original East End Market location. Gideon’s does not offer its preorder program at Disney Springs; the bakery confirms that advance preorders are exclusive to East End Market. That means Disney Springs visitors hoping to try the cake should plan around one of those Wednesday or Saturday slice days instead.
You can’t have pumpkin season without something to drink. The Pumpkin Chai Nitro Cold Brew is returning to Gideon’s at Disney Springs for September.
The seasonal coffee has previously accompanied Gideon’s fall menu and gives pumpkin fans another option beyond the cookie and cake. And this one is specifically worth noting for Disney World visitors because Gideon’s announcement calls out its return to the Disney Springs location.
Between the Pumpkin Bread Chocolate Chip Cookie, Pumpkin Caramel Double Frosted Cake, and Pumpkin Chai Nitro Cold Brew, you could theoretically build yourself an entire pumpkin tasting flight.
We’re not saying that’s a good idea. We’re also not saying we wouldn’t do it.
Dr. Tobias Brimstone Has Returned — And He Looks VERY Familiar
The food might be the immediate reason to visit, but September’s real star could be the mustachioed gentleman staring back at us from the monthly menu.
Dr. Tobias Brimstone is Gideon’s intrepid explorer, adventurer, and scientist.
According to the bakery’s elaborate fictional history, Brimstone once worked for mysterious bookseller Jonathan Lindwurm, traveling to the darkest reaches of the world to find rare books, ancient idols, antiquities, and evidence of strange creatures.
His writings apparently contain references to mermaids, a half-bat man, a boy with the head of an orange, and other characters that have become part of Gideon’s increasingly elaborate universe.
And if you’re looking at Brimstone and thinking, Hang on. I’ve seen this guy somewhere before...you’re definitely not alone. Dr. Tobias Brimstone bears a suspiciously strong resemblance to former Walt Disney Imagineer and Disney Legend Joe Rohde. The prominent mustache. The adventurous explorer aesthetic. The intense expression. And, perhaps most conspicuously, that enormous earring.
When Brimstone originally debuted at Gideon’s in January 2022, the resemblance immediately caught the attention of Disney fans and multiple Disney news outlets, which described the character as being inspired by or modeled after Rohde.
Rohde, of course, spent four decades at Walt Disney Imagineering and is particularly associated with the creation of Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Expedition Everest, Aulani, and Pandora — The World of Avatar.
So creating a globe-trotting, artifact-collecting adventurer with a giant earring who looks remarkably like Rohde? We’re going to assume Gideon’s knew exactly what it was doing. Brimstone hasn’t headlined a Gideon’s monthly menu since his original appearance in January 2022, making his September return especially notable.
This time, you can find him as the featured Morsel on September’s collectible menu. But his sudden reappearance may not simply be nostalgia.
Gideon’s says there is “a mystery in town” and suggests Dr. Brimstone might be the man behind the secret. That’s all the bakery is telling us for now.
Naturally, the good doctor didn’t return empty-handed. September brings an entire collection of Dr. Tobias Brimstone merchandise, including a Dr. Tobias Travel Stamp Sticker, Dr. Tobias Morsels Pin, Dr. Tobias Morsels Beverage Sleeve, and Dr. Tobias Adventurers T-Shirt.
The shirt particularly embraces the explorer theme, featuring Brimstone inside an oversized vintage travel-stamp illustration with “Discovery Delights in Darkness” printed around him.
There’s also something arriving just in time for spooky season: the All Hallows Scented Candle.
The candle comes in a black Gideon’s vessel decorated with a winged cat and arrives with an appropriately spooky Gideon’s Spookhouse lid.
The September merchandise launches at 10 AM on September 1, both in Gideon’s stores and through its online merchandise shop, with availability subject to supplies. And considering how collectible some Gideon’s character merchandise has become, anyone specifically interested in the Brimstone pieces probably shouldn’t assume they’ll still be sitting around at the end of the month.
Here’s where September gets considerably more interesting. Gideon’s isn’t simply teasing its normal Halloween offerings for next month. October marks the 10th anniversary of the original Gideon’s Bakehouse location at East End Market.
And the bakery says it has been working on a “huge project” for most of 2026 that it plans to announce as part of the celebration.
Exactly what that project is remains a mystery. Gideon’s isn’t giving away the answer yet, and neither are we going to speculate that an unannounced project is something it may not be. But the bakery did provide one potentially significant clue. The illustrative artwork surrounding Dr. Tobias Brimstone this September is meant to serve as a small teaser for whatever is coming next.
That suddenly makes all the maps, expedition imagery, travel stamps, mysterious artifacts, and “Adventure Awaits” branding surrounding Brimstone feel a little more important.
Gideon’s ended its teaser with two words: “Patience rewards.” Consider our curiosity officially activated. In the meantime, there’s plenty to eat.
Gideon’s Bakehouse at Disney Springs is located in The Landing, and Disney currently lists the bakery as operating from 10 AM to 11 PM, although operating hours can change. And remember that Gideon’s limited treats can sell out. If the Pumpkin Bread Cookie or another September exclusive is a must-have, we’d prioritize it rather than leaving it until the very end of your Disney Springs night.
Keep checking back with Theme Park Scope as we follow the mystery into October and bring you the latest treats, merchandise, and updates from Gideon’s Bakehouse and Disney Springs.
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