Nothing captures the essence of fall quite like the warm, spiced aroma of apple cider donuts wafting through crisp autumn air. These beloved treats have become synonymous with apple harvest season, drawing crowds to farms and orchards during apple-picking time.
A staple throughout New England since the ’50s, these flavor bombs signal fall’s arrival. So when the folks at Carter Mountain Orchard got wind of their popularity, they knew it was time to introduce them to their Charlottesville mountain top. “We saw them at an orchard in the Northeast and wanted to bring something new to our customers,” says Cynthia Chiles, who handles retail and hospitality for Carter Mountain.
She says their secret lies in their simplicity. But what makes these humble donuts so irresistible? “We mix our donut batter and include apple cider as the liquid. Then we fry them fresh and dip them in cinnamon sugar,” Chiles explains. “That’s it. No complicated ingredients. They taste like autumn!” The process transforms the entire character of the donut. “Most days, we are making them fresh and hot all day. Folks will line up to get them fresh off our fryers. On a cool, crisp morning there’s nothing like it.”
What started as a seasonal specialty has evolved with changing times. “We originally only made them in the fall; however, as we’ve become a year-round operation, we’ve found that folks are delighted to get an apple cider donut any time of year.” ChilesFamilyOrchards.com
Click here for an apple cider donut recipe.
Featured photo by Sarah Hauser. This article originally appeared in the October 2025 issue.
