How to find the perfect apple cider doughnut, according to an expert

Alex Schwartz has eaten a lot of apple cider doughnuts and has cultivated a following for their expertise. Here are their tips and recommendations for fall 2024.

Another New England fall means it’s another year of envy toward Alex Schwartz’s job as our regional apple cider doughnut expert.

Schwartz, 37 and living in Maine, fell in love with the New England autumn treat when they attended the Big E in West Springfield as a kid. It’s been a mild obsession ever since, and in search of an escape from lockdown in 2020, this love turned into a project to share their apple cider doughnut findings around New England.

“Being in New England, [apple cider doughnuts are] a cultural thing,” Schwartz said. “Seeing people try apple cider doughnuts for the first time, that keeps me interested in bringing attention to all the farms making great stuff around here.”

Though Schwartz feels like they’ve accomplished their goal of developing and providing an ultimate apple cider doughnut map that can be used by anybody, they still have new places to try and old stops to look forward to each year.

So what’s the “Cider Donuteur,” as they are called on Instagram up to this year? Schwartz shared with Boston.com their new favorite place for doughnuts, what goes into finding the perfect doughnut, and tips they share with New Englanders and visitors looking for their next bite of cider doughnut.

How to rate an apple cider doughnut

When Schwartz thinks about the perfect apple cider doughnut, it’s all about striking a balance in a few areas.

Starting with the actual doughnut, the fry matters. It can’t be too crispy or spongey, but instead somewhere in the middle, according to Schwartz.

The apple cider flavor needs to also come through, and similar to the fry level, the interior of the doughnut needs to meet in the middle of airy and dense.

Too much sugar or glaze can also make it too sweet, Schwartz said.

But then there’s a factor that matters just as much as the actual doughnut: where you eat one.

“You can get out in a car to an orchard and have that fall outdoor apple-picking moment. The doughnuts are just going to taste better by definition,” Schwartz said.

Eating a cider doughnut in a parking lot or at your work desk in downtown Boston isn’t nearly as picturesque as one from a farm stand. When it feels like an idyllic fall day in New England, and you’re surrounded by fall foliage and apple pickers wearing flannel shirts, Schwartz said that can make a good doughnut exceptional.

How many cider doughnuts does an expert eat each fall?

Schwartz guessed they probably hit up around 20 spots in one season, trying out a few new spots but making more room for their tried-and-true favorites.

They also try to plan apple cider doughnut stops around New England road trips. Maybe Schwartz has plans to visit a friend in Vermont, which sounds like a perfect time to plot out a short doughnut excursion.

“It’s not about numbers,” Schwartz said. “It’s fitting it in naturally, to drive around New England and be on the windy roads and in cool air, the leaves changing and all that. That’s part of it, getting there.”

They never order just one doughnut after their travels, instead opting for a half-dozen or dozen doughnuts to share with friends that same day.

“I’m kind of like Santa Claus with a big bag of doughnuts,” Schwartz said. “I eat less of them myself over time — just trying to balance health with tasty treats.”

Apple cider doughnut recommendations and tips

When Boston.com spoke to Schwartz in September, they hadn’t made many trips to New England apple orchards since it was the start of the season.

But they did rave about one new addition that surprised them: Thompson’s Orchards in Maine, near where Schwartz lives.

“I was trying to find a place [in Maine] that was selling and making doughnuts that felt like they were as good as some of the ones that were in the Mass. area,” Schwartz said. “I finally found a place that I think goes toe-to-toe, and it’s my pick for this year.”

They also gave a shout-out to stops Schwartz returns to year after year. There’s Russell Orchards, which is probably the most convenient option for Bostonians, and Schwartz also said Bolton Spring Farm and Red Apple Farm are must-haves every fall.

Cider doughnut seekers can also use Schwartz’s popular map — one that they are frequently updating with new additions — to find an orchard near them.

There are bakeries and doughnut shops on the list, too, but Schwartz said the way to go is to find a place that hands you a bag of hot doughnuts, made right in front of you. Those places are only orchards and farms.

“When you go to a place where they’re going to hand you a bag of doughnut that when you open the bag, steam comes out, that just says it all,” Schwartz said. “That means they made it hot right in front of you at that moment.”

To find that perfect, hot doughnut, you may want to call ahead to make sure an orchard is making hot doughnuts, or go on a day when demand is high and the farm is likely making fresh doughnuts constantly — for example, a Saturday, even though Schwartz noted that you’ll also have to deal with crowds.

And even though you may feel tempted out of convenience, Schwartz warns against the grocery store box of doughnuts, no matter how big of a fan you are of Trader Joe’s other snacks.

“Don’t fall into that trap,” Schwartz said. “Make it the experience that it deserves.”

Katelyn Umholtz covers food and restaurants for Boston.com. Katelyn is also the author of The Dish, a weekly food newsletter.