The end of a New England summer is bearable—but only because New England fall and its apple cider donuts are around the corner. From local bakery chains to country orchards and everywhere in between, here’s where to find versions of the autumnal snack that don’t disappoint.
A batter made with nutmeg and cinnamon gives Union Square Donut’s Apple Cider Cake Donut an extra helping of autumnal goodness. After frying, the seasonal flavor is dusted with cinnamon and clove sugar. The Brookline, Somerville, Time Out Market, and Boston Public Market USD locations are currently open; for Brookline and Somerville, you’ll need to order ahead of time online.
Red Apple Farm, a fourth-generation family-owned farm in Phillipston, Massachusetts, operates a stall inside the Boston Public Market that pumps out apple cider donuts on the spot. And now that the market has re-opened for socially-distant shopping, you can once again watch the mini assembly line fry donuts before your very eyes.
At Lexington’s Wilson Farm, you can find everything from Chinese eggplant and Tuscan melons to a full-fledged baking operation pumping out sugar-caked apple cider donuts alongside cookies, muffins, and dozens of pie flavors. Pro tip: If you’d prefer a Netflix binge over a trip to Lexington, you can have Wilson Farm’s apple cider donuts delivered via Mercato.
The Apple Cider donut rolled out at Blackbird Doughnuts each autumn is a twist on their old-fashioned cake donut, with a spiced batter and generous topping of cinnamon and sugar. Keep an eye out for its debut in late September or early October. (In the meantime, you can order the Celebration Pie, made with Apple Cider donuts baked in a graham cracker crust.) Between Blackbird’s five outposts in the South End, Harvard Square, Brighton, Newton Centre, and Fenway, it’s easy to find a convenient spot for pick-up or delivery; check their website for details and pre-ordering.
If your apple cider donut fix must come from an actual orchard, Honey Pot Hill Orchards is the way to go. Autumnal activities are the perfect way to work up an appetite for one of Honey Pot Hill’s cider donuts, and this orchard in Stow, Massachusetts, (about an hour out of town) will be offering pick-your-own apples by reservation this fall. Order ahead of time online if you’d like four-dozen or more donuts; for smaller quantities, just head into the farm store.
