New Hampshire apple picking and cider donuts: an orchard guide

An orchard visit is the quintessential New Hampshire fall outing: pick a bag of apples, buy a dozen cider donuts still warm, and drink a cup of cider at a picnic table. Orchards run across the southern half of the state and into the north, and the season runs from late summer into early November. Pick a bag, buy the donuts while they are warm and arrive early.

When is apple season in New Hampshire?

Early varieties ripen in late August and early September, and the main season runs from September through October. Some orchards sell stored apples and cider into November and beyond. A typical orchard lists which varieties are ready each week, so the apples you pick in early September differ from those in mid-October. Pumpkin season overlaps, from September to late October.

What kinds of orchards can you visit?

Orchards range from big farms with dozens of varieties, hayrides, pick-your-own apples and pumpkins and a farm market with pies and cider, to small family orchards that sell donuts and pies from a barn. Corn mazes and events are common at the larger farms. In the southeast, many orchards are a short drive from the Seacoast. In central New Hampshire, the picking starts in early September and the farm stands sell pies, cider donuts and whoopie pies. In the west, some orchards add peaches, plums and pumpkins from late summer.

How does pick-your-own work?

You pay at the farm stand for a bag or basket, walk or ride to the rows, and pick the varieties that are ready. A good apple comes off the branch with a gentle twist and lift. Pick from the lower branches, and do not shake trees. Weigh your bag at the stand, and pay by the bag or by weight. Many orchards provide a map of the rows with a note of which varieties are ripe. Wear sturdy shoes, and bring a bag for the car.

What varieties should you try?

Common New England varieties include McIntosh (tart and juicy, the classic cider apple), Cortland (white flesh that resists browning, good for salads), Honeycrisp (crisp and sweet), Macoun (aromatic, a New York and New England favorite) and Empire. For pies, look for firm tart apples like Cortland and Granny Smith. Ask the orchard staff what they recommend for eating, baking and sauce.

What is a cider donut, and where do you get one?

A cider donut is a cake donut made with apple cider that has been boiled down, giving a deep apple flavor, then rolled in cinnamon sugar. It is best warm, within an hour of frying. Many orchards make them daily in the farm stand and sell them by the half dozen or dozen. Weekends have lines. Go in the morning for the freshest donuts. Fresh cider, which is unfiltered apple juice, is often sold in jugs, sweet or sometimes hard (alcoholic) at licensed cideries.

What else do the farm stands sell?

Apple pies, turnovers, cider slushies, caramel apples, jams, honey, maple syrup, local cheese, pumpkins, squash and gourds. Some have petting zoos, corn mazes or hayrides, particularly the larger farms. Some host food trucks on weekends.

How do you make a day of it?

An orchard visit pairs well with another stop. In the southeast, combine an orchard with a Seacoast lunch; in the Merrimack Valley, with a stop in Concord or Hopkinton; in the west, with the Connecticut River towns. A simple day looks like this: orchard at opening time for picking and donuts, lunch at a diner or a local bakery, a walk or a drive through the foliage, and a stop at a second farm stand on the way home for pies and cheese. Pack a cooler for the apples and a bag for the donuts, since a car left in the sun is no place for fresh cider.

If you have never picked before, start with a small bag. Apples are heavier than they look, and a half peck feeds a family for the week. Pick apples that are firm, colored and free of bruises. Keep them in the refrigerator, where they last for weeks, and eat the softest ones first.

How do you avoid the crowds?

Weekday mornings are the quietest. Weekend afternoons and the Columbus Day holiday are the most crowded, with traffic backing up on country roads. Arrive at opening time, bring a picnic and plan to leave before the afternoon rush. If the orchard offers timed tickets or a limit on pickers, follow the rules.

What about dietary needs?

Apples are naturally vegan and gluten-free, but donuts, pies and baked goods contain wheat, eggs and dairy. Many orchard kitchens handle nuts. Ask staff about allergens.

What does it cost?

Pricing varies, with a bag priced by weight or by size. There may be an entry fee for events on a busy weekend. New Hampshire has no general sales tax, and fresh produce is not taxed. The 8.5 percent meals tax applies to prepared food eaten on site, such as hot donuts and sandwiches, where the orchard collects it as a restaurant.

How do you remember the orchard donuts and apples you liked?

By the second orchard, the first one's donuts are a blur. In the Mosey app, rate the cider donut, the pie or the cider by the dish, add a tag such as Pastries or Worth the Wait, and keep the orchards in a list for next season. Share it with the family that picks with you, and they can add the variety they would buy again. Mosey runs seasonal food votes, and apple season is the moment to rate what you ate.

Rate your next cider donut in the Mosey app and build an orchard list for next fall.

More guides to read next:

• New Hampshire Lakes Region and White Mountains: where and when to eat
• New Hampshire fall foliage season: where to eat and how to book
• New Hampshire Maple Weekend and sugar shacks: a guide to sugaring season

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