Signs that fall has arrived in New England: Leaves of gold, red and orange. Crisp, cool nights. Apple harvests and overflowing pumpkin patches.
And with it comes a bounty of autumn-flavored goodness: Apple cider, apple and pumpkin pies, and the indulgence in apple cider doughnuts.
We all have our favorite apple cider doughnuts, since no two shops make them the same. In many cases, the recipes are family secrets known only by a few family members and trusted staffers.
We asked the staff members of our sister publications — The Berkshire Eagle in Pittsfield, Mass.; the Brattleboro Reformer in Brattleboro, Vt.; The Manchester Journal in Manchester, Vt.; and the Bennington Banner in Bennington, Vt. — to recommend their go-to spots for apple cider doughnuts. Of course, they came up with more than a few. By no means are these the only options, but they are the ones our staff members frequent.
If you’re in the Berkshires, we suggest:
Bartlett’s Orchard
575 Swamp Road, Richmond, Mass.
413-698-2559
bartlettsorchard.com
Hilltop Orchards and Furnace Brook Winery
508 Canaan Road, Richmond, Mass.
800-833-6274
Hilltoporchards.com
Home Sweet Home Doughnut Shoppe
258 Stockbridge Road, Great Barrington, Mass.
413-717-4144
homesweethomedoughnutshoppe.com
Jaeschke Orchards
23 Gould Road, Adams, Mass.
413-743-3896
Jaeschkesorchard.com
Lakeview Orchard
94 Old Cheshire Road, Lanesborough, Mass.
413-448-6009
lakevieworchard.com
Taft Farms
119 Park St., Great Barrington, Mass.
413-528-1515
taftfarms.com
Whitney’s Farm Market & Garden Center
1775 S State Road, Cheshire, Mass.
413-442-4749
whitneysfarm.com
If you’re in Southern Vermont, we suggest:
The Apple Barn
604 US Route 7S, Bennington, Vt.
802-447-7780
theapplebarn.com
Allen Brothers Farms
6023 US Route 5, Westminster, Vt.
802-722-3395
allenbrothersfarms.com
Cold Hollow Cider
3600 Waterbury Stowe Road, Waterbury Center, Vt.
800-327-7537
coldhollow.com
Equinox Valley Nursery
1158 Main St., Route 7A, Manchester, Vt.
802-362-2610
equinoxvalleynursery.com
Green Mountain Orchards
130 West Hill Road, Putney, Vt.
802-387-5851
greenmountainorchards.com
The Sugar Shack
Sugar Shack Lane, Route 7A, Arlington, Vt.
802-375-6747
sugarshackvt.com
Over the border in New York:
Goold Orchard
1297 Brookview Station Road, Castleton, N.Y.
518-732-7317
goold.com
Lumber Jack’s Coffee And Snacks
5103 NY-7, Hoosick Falls, N.Y.
518-686-1614
lumberjackscoffee.com