As autumn settles in, many Americans are growing weary of the ubiquitous pumpkin spice flavor. For those seeking an alternative seasonal treat, apple cider doughnuts offer a delicious respite. These iconic fall pastries evoke memories of crisp days spent at orchards and farms in the Northeast.
One food enthusiast, reminiscing about childhood trips to upstate New York and New England during peak foliage season, decided to embark on a quest to find satisfying apple cider doughnuts closer to home in New York City. With apple orchards too distant for a quick visit, the writer turned to grocery stores, purchasing apple cider doughnuts from Trader Joe’s, Wegmans, and Whole Foods for a family taste test.
The Trader Joe’s offering, priced at $4.50 for six doughnuts, came from a family-owned bakery in western Massachusetts. Despite claims of being made with real apple cider for a fluffy texture and tangy flavor, these doughnuts fell short of expectations. While they had a cinnamon sugar coating and appeared similar to typical supermarket cake doughnuts, the texture was described as gluey rather than fluffy. The flavor was likened to green apple candy, seemingly an artificial imitation of apple cider. These were unanimously ranked last by the tasting panel.
Wegmans’ contribution to the taste test was their “apple cider fry cakes,” priced at $5 for four. These cake doughnuts stood out visually due to their thick glaze coating, a departure from the traditional plain or cinnamon sugar-dusted varieties. The hearty, cakey texture and subtle cider flavor were appreciated, and the glaze added an interesting textural element. While not the tester’s top choice, these doughnuts were favored by the children in the family. The reviewer noted they would purchase them again if convenient but wouldn’t go out of their way to do so.
The clear winner of the comparison came from Whole Foods. Priced at $6.50 for four, these were the most expensive but also the largest of the bunch. Found in the bakery section in simple, hand-packed containers, they resembled farm-fresh doughnuts in presentation. The taste and texture impressed the adult testers, boasting a pronounced cider flavor and a full coating of cinnamon sugar that provided both spice and texture. Despite their substantial size and crusty exterior, the doughnuts maintained a surprisingly moist interior.
The Whole Foods doughnuts truly shone after a brief stint in an air fryer, elevating them to a quality comparable to freshly made orchard doughnuts. This treatment cemented their position as the undisputed favorite for the adults in the tasting group. The reviewer
emphatically stated that of all food comparisons conducted, this particular ranking was the easiest to determine, with Whole Foods clearly emerging victorious.
For those unable to make a trek to an apple orchard this fall, the Whole Foods apple cider doughnuts offer a commendable alternative. They successfully capture the essence of the seasonal treat, providing a taste of autumn that can be enjoyed without leaving the city. The reviewer expressed enthusiasm about purchasing these again whenever the craving for authentic apple cider doughnuts strikes.
This comparison highlights the varying quality of mass-produced seasonal treats and underscores the potential for grocery stores to offer products that rival traditional, locally-made favorites. It also demonstrates the power of nostalgia and the importance of texture and authentic flavor in recreating beloved seasonal experiences.