When the air turns crisp, the leaves take on brilliant shades of amber and gold, and the apple trees are weighed down with fruit, it’s officially orchard season. Though the hayrides and rows upon rows of apple trees are sure to delight, there’s one treat that truly captures the essence of fall: the apple cider doughnut. Best served piping hot from a farm stand or your favorite apple orchard shack, apple cider doughnuts, or simply cider doughnuts, are the epitome of fall flavor. Crisp, golden, and craggy on the outside but tender on the inside, the doughnuts often get a generous dusting of cinnamon sugar before being served to eagerly awaiting orchard-goers.
Despite their more widespread popularity now thanks to nationwide doughnut chains and packaged varieties, cider doughnuts didn’t really achieve mainstream popularity until the 1950s. But it’s believed that iterations of the apple cider doughnut existed as early as the beginning of colonial times in America. With harsh winters ahead,
