As temperatures cool and pumpkin patches proliferate, we’ll let you in on a little secret: Cakey, golden-brown apple cider donuts are a hallmark of autumn in the Hudson Valley — possibly even more so than pumpkin or apple picking. (We admit it, we’ve gone “apple picking” just for the fresh cider and hot donuts. Don’t @ us.) Topped with crumbly sugar and fried to perfection, there is nothing more rustic and heartwarming for a Westchesterite in the fall than a piping hot apple cider donut fresh from the farmhouse bakery. Here are our favorite local spots to indulge this fall.
Acorn Farm & Garden Center
470 Mamaroneck Ave, Harrison; 914.698.7846
This outdoor living store sells everything from wood-crafted playhouses to outdoor furniture. On the weekends, its country store sells homemade donuts. The center is open from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends.
Harvest Moon Farm & Orchard
130 Hardscrabble Rd, North Salem; 914.485.1210
Light, richly flavorful, and hot from the oil, these addictive orbs from heaven above are like no other donut here on Earth. The slightly crunchy outer edge is the ace in the hole, requiring no added cinnamon sugar (but you do you) — only the patience to withstand the lines that linger well into winter. Apple cider donuts are served daily at the farm store from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and at special events such as the Fall Festival, a ticketed event running September through October.
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Salinger’s Orchard
230 Guinea Rd, Brewster; 845.277.3521
This orchard is open daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. to serve you cider donuts, made fresh all day. “We use our own fresh-pressed cider in every batch,” says Tim Salinger of Salinger’s Orchard. It “makes them have a more distinct flavor, and the exterior has more crunch or texture from the caramelized sugars in the juice. We make them every day 362 days a year!”
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Stew Leonard’s
1 Stew Leonard Dr, Yonkers; 914.375.4700
Sweet, cakey, and most akin to a traditional donut (but with that oh-so-appley pop), these beauties won’t reach your lips warm, but they’re readily available in packs throughout the store, and the only line you’ll endure will be at checkout, which runs like a well-oiled machine. Stew Leonard’s is open daily from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
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Stuart’s Fruit Farm
62 Granite Springs Rd, Granite Springs; 914.245.2784
Also sporting a fresh-from-the-oil crispness and warmth, these wheels of autumn wonder work well with a light dusting of cinnamon sugar but also hold their own when devoured plain. Apple cider donuts can be found, and enjoyed, at the bakery daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Thompson’s Cider Mill @ Fable Farm
1311 Kitchawan Rd (Rte 134), Ossining; 914.271.2254
Donuts are served on weekends from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thompson’s Cider Mill opens for the season on September 21. “They’re really fresh and I think the best I’ve had, real traditional cider donuts,” says proprietor Geoff Thompson.
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Wilkens Fruit and Fir Farm
1335 White Hill Rd, Yorktown Heights; 914.245.5111
Everyone’s favorite fall donuts are served Wednesday through Monday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
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