One family orchard can fry about 500 dozen apple cider donuts in a single day. That works out to around 6,000 donuts.
On busy weekends, its machine turns out 57 dozen an hour. I had to read that twice.
That number says a lot about fall in Wisconsin. Cider donuts here come from orchards with century-old roots, ridge-top towers, model trains, and lakeshore views.
Some stops press their own cider right on the farm.
I love that a simple fried ring of dough can turn into a road trip. You get apples, crunchy leaves, fresh air, and a paper bag of cinnamon-sugar donuts.
That sounds like a pretty good Saturday to me.
So which orchard deserves the first stop on your map? I can’t decide, and honestly, I don’t want to.
Ten stops sounds about right, and each one has its own reason to pull over.
1. Sunrise Orchards, Inc.
Apples have grown on this ridge since 1913, so the donut game here has had a long time to warm up. Four generations of growers have kept the family tradition going in the bluffs of southwest Wisconsin.
The orchard calls its apple cider donuts legendary, and they’re made fresh in the Apple Corner Bakery. That’s a bold word, but a century of apple growing gives it some weight.
Your bakery bag doesn’t have to stop at donuts. Apple strudel sticks, oatmeal caramel apple cookies, and apple turnovers are also part of the lineup.
Out in the market, you’ll find fresh pressed cider and caramel apples. Shelves also hold cheeses, sausages, jams, Amish candy, and hundreds of specialty foods and gifts.
Kids get plenty to look at here too. The Sunrise Express Model Train, an Apple Packing TV, and a family playground keep little hands busy.
Bringing your pup? Dogs are allowed, and there’s even a dog park on site.
Keep in mind this isn’t a pick-your-own orchard. The growers handle the picking, and you handle the eating, which sounds like a fair trade.
The orchard grows more than 21 apple varieties, so you can stock up for pies at home. It sits in Gays Mills, a ridge-top town known as an apple hub for the region.
Hours run 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily during the season. A smaller sister market operates about five miles east under the Sunrise Orchards at Hillcrest name.
Address: 48340 WI-171, Gays Mills, WI 54631
2. Heritage Orchard
Lake views and cider donuts in the same afternoon? That’s the deal at this family orchard on the east shore of Lake Winnebago.
Heritage Orchard sits on Lakeshore Drive, between Stockbridge to the north and Brothertown to the south. The drive alone makes a fine excuse to roll down the windows.
Inside, a full bakery turns out homemade apple cider donuts. You’ll also find apple pie, flaky apple turnovers, and apple pie rollups, which sound like dessert in a sleeping bag.
The orchard’s apple cider has won prizes, so grab a jug to go with your donuts. Caramel apple ice cream is another sweet reason to linger.
Apples come in more than a dozen varieties. You can buy them in the store or pick your own, and some varieties are Certified Organic.
Pumpkins show up for fall, too. Grab one for the porch while you’re there.
Shopping goes beyond food at this stop. A large selection of art and crafts comes from local artists and artisans.
The pantry shelves are packed as well. Look for jams, jellies, apple butter, pickled goods, pasta, soups, dips, and salsas.
The orchard is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dogs are allowed, and the shop offers a gender-neutral restroom.
Getting there is easy from much of eastern Wisconsin. It’s about 30 minutes from Fond du Lac and an hour from Green Bay.
Address: N2963 Lake Shore Dr, Chilton, WI 53014
3. Ski-Hi Fruit Farm
More than a century of memories, 30-plus apple varieties, and bluff views to match. Ski-Hi doesn’t do autumn halfway.
This third-generation family orchard sits in the Baraboo Bluffs, right next to Devil’s Lake State Park country. In fall, the hills around the farm put on a serious color show.
The bakery case is where your willpower gets tested. Donuts share space with fresh made pies, turnovers, and caramel apples.
Wash it all down with farm-pressed cider. Cider pressed right on the farm feels like the proper partner for a cider donut, doesn’t it?
Apple fans can go wild with the selection. With over 30 varieties, you could try a new apple for most of the month.
History buffs get a bonus here. The farm keeps its past alive and invites you to explore that history while you snack.
Ski-Hi also likes adding new traditions along the way. That mix of old and new gives the place a fun, lived-in personality.
Hours are generous compared to many orchards. The farm opens at 8 a.m. daily and stays open until 8 p.m. on Thursdays.
Fridays and Saturdays run until 6 p.m., so a late afternoon visit works well. Sunset over the bluffs is a pretty nice reward for the drive.
Dogs are welcome, even inside. Your four-legged buddy can sniff the donut air right along with you.
Address: E11219A Ski Hi Rd Ste A, Baraboo, WI 53913
4. Wood Orchard Market
Door County runs on cherries all summer, then quietly swaps teams. Around late August, this market trades its cherry donuts for apple cider donuts.
That switch makes Wood Orchard Market a fun fall stop on the peninsula. The cider donuts stick around from September through November.
The family behind it has deep roots. Jim and Barbara Wood started the fruit farm in 1955, and later generations took over the work.
The market itself began as a simple roadside fruit stand in 1996. Today it’s a full shop with plenty to browse.
The bakery makes fresh pies, strudel, bread, and cookies daily. Fudge is made right on site, which is dangerous news for your sweet tooth.
Cherry lovers still have options in fall. The shelves carry jams, preserves, and plenty of canned cherry products from the area.
Apples here include crowd favorites like Honeycrisp and SweeTango. Local vegetables, dip mixes, and specialty foods round out the grocery side.
Need a gift for the person watching your cat? Home decor, women’s clothing, kids’ items, and pet goodies are all part of the mix.
The location on Highway 42 makes it handy when you’re heading into or out of Door County. It works well as a quick stop.
Weekends get the busiest crowds. Wednesday and Thursday mornings tend to be the calmest times to swing by.
Address: 8112 WI-42, Egg Harbor, WI 54209
5. Maple Ridge Orchard
Here’s a donut stop where you can climb 40 feet for dessert views. A tall observation tower looks out over the orchard and the fall colors on the ridge.
Up top, the view stretches across more than 4,500 apple trees. That’s a lot of future pie spread out below your feet.
The donuts are the real reason to plan ahead. They’re made daily with fresh cider pressed on site, often in small batches.
Those batches tend to sell out quickly. Arriving earlier in the day gives you a better shot at a bag.
Honeycrisp fans should pay attention. The orchard offers U-Pick Honeycrisp, along with other apple varieties.
The family planted its first Honeycrisp trees over two decades ago. That’s plenty of time to get good at growing a famously crunchy apple.
Beyond donuts, the shop is stacked with apple goodies. Look for hand-dipped caramel apples, apple pie, and apple and cherry turnovers.
The pantry side is just as tempting. Apple butter, jams, jellies, local honey, and apple-hickory BBQ sauce all make the list.
Timing matters at this Cashton farm. Maple Ridge is open Wednesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., during the season.
It’s closed Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday, so plan your Driftless drive around that. Parking is free once you arrive.
Address: 6675 Maple Ave, Cashton, WI 54619
6. Oakwood Fruit Farm
Five generations, one family, and donuts made fresh by the hour. Oakwood has been in the fruit business since 1904.
Albert Louis started the farm, and his family kept it going through the decades. Children and grandchildren joined in 1935, 1955, 1979, and 1992.
Today the orchard covers 180 acres in the hills of southwest Wisconsin. That’s a big spread for a family farm.
The bakery staff fry dozens of apple cider donuts every hour. Fresh batches keep rolling out while the shop is open.
Other treats deserve a spot in your bag too. Homemade caramel apples, turnovers, cookies, and take-n-bake pies are all on hand.
Take-n-bake pies are a smart move for a busy week. You get the farm pie and the bragging rights for baking it.
The Apple Retail Shop also sells fresh cider, pumpkins, and mums. Local cheese, sausages, and handmade crafts fill out the shelves.
Apples come in more than 20 varieties. The farm doesn’t offer U-pick apples, but U-pick grapes are available in season.
You can still stroll through the orchard for photos. Golden hills make a pretty nice backdrop for your donut selfie.
Hours run 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. from August through October. November hours end at 4 p.m., and December runs until the apples sell out.
Address: 31128 Apple Ridge Rd, Richland Center, WI 53581
7. Apple Holler
Cider donuts in a sundae? Cider donuts in bread pudding?
Apple Holler clearly believes a donut can do more than sit in a bag.
The Red Barn Restaurant serves both of those creations year-round. It’s a bold use of a fall classic, and I respect it.
Plain donuts are easy to find too. Grab them at the Farm Store and Bakery, the Outdoor Bakery, or the Drips and Donuts coffee cart.
That coffee cart runs on weekends in September and October. Coffee plus cider donuts is a pretty strong morning plan.
Pie fans have their own hero here. The High Top Apple Pie comes from Grandma Edna’s recipe.
The orchard itself is huge. More than 30,000 dwarf trees grow about 30 apple varieties, and pick-your-own runs from August into early November.
You can take a tractor ride through the orchard with a donut in hand. Barnyard animals, farm tours, and a Family Fun Park keep the day moving.
Love taking pictures? The farm has more than 20 photo spots, so your camera roll will fill up fast.
The Flannery family founded Apple Holler over 30 years ago. USA Today has named it one of the country’s top ten orchards.
The Farm Store opens at 8:30 a.m. daily in southeast Wisconsin. Weekday mornings are usually calmer than weekend afternoons.
Address: 5006 S Sylvania Ave, Sturtevant, WI 53177
8. Apple Hut
Fritz’s Famous Cider Donuts come from a secret family recipe. Nobody’s sharing it, so you’ll just have to eat your way toward the answer.
The recipe belongs to the father of the current owner. He started the place as a hobby orchard back in 1979.
That hobby grew into a serious donut operation. On busy weekends, the machine turns out about 57 dozen an hour.
Daily totals reach roughly 475 to 500 dozen donuts. That’s a whole lot of cinnamon sugar for one stop near the state line.
Better yet, you can watch them being made right on site. Seeing donuts drop from the machine is weirdly calming.
A Rockford TV station named these the best apple cider donuts in the Stateline Area in 2023. Illinois neighbors, consider this your invitation.
The bakery menu goes beyond donuts. Caramel apples, turnovers, pies, apple cinnamon bread, caramel apple cheesecake, and pumpkin bars all compete for attention.
The orchard grows 24 varieties of apples on about 11 acres. U-pick is available in designated areas.
Local raw honey and apple cider are also for sale. A small gift shop carries Wisconsin-made crafts, plus jams, popcorn, and soup mixes.
The season usually starts just before Labor Day and runs into early November. Current hours are Tuesday through Sunday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Address: 1718 W Walters Rd, Beloit, WI 53511
9. Fergusons Orchards
Any orchard with a Rotten Apple Jail clearly has a sense of humor. Fergusons pairs its donuts with a full day of farm fun.
The quaint country store is where the baked goods live. Apple cider donuts are the star, and local products fill the shelves around them.
Once you’ve got a donut, the farm gets busy fast. A corn maze, wagon rides, and farm animals are all part of fall here.
Kids can try the spinning apple ride. Pedal carts are available for all ages, so grown-ups can join the race.
There’s even a slide into a corn bin and a ropes course. That’s a lot of energy to burn off before a second donut.
Brave visitors can try the haunted house. The farm calls it slightly scary, which feels like the right level for a donut day.
Picking is part of the fun too. You can pick apples and pumpkins, then ride through the orchards on a wagon.
The family runs the whole operation themselves. It’s 100 percent family owned and operated.
Hours are friendly for after-school trips in western Wisconsin. Weekdays run 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Weekend hours start at 9:30 a.m. and also run until 6 p.m. Show up early, grab donuts, and let the day unfold on Balsam Road.
Address: 6470 Balsam Rd, Eau Claire, WI 54701
10. Erickson Orchard & Country Str
Lake Superior gets the final word on this list. Bayfield’s orchard hills sit above the big lake, and Erickson’s adds donuts to the scenery.
Bayfield is a small harbor town with fewer than 1,000 residents. Its hillsides are well known for orchards, which makes donut hunting feel natural here.
Erickson Orchard and Country Store sells baked goods, gifts, and fruit in season. Apple cider donuts lead the bakery lineup.
Fruit wraps are another treat worth a try. Pair one with a donut and call it a balanced breakfast.
Apples come in many varieties picked straight from the trees. Fresh fruit and a long drive north feel like a good match.
The season here starts earlier than you might expect. The store opens on Memorial Day and stays open through the end of apple harvest in October.
That October finish matters for planning. Up north, autumn moves quickly, so a September or early October trip is a smart bet.
Hours are on the early side. Monday through Saturday runs 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Sundays are shorter, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sleepy Sunday drivers should set an alarm for this one.
A northern Wisconsin road trip with lake views and apple trees is hard to beat. Ending it with a donut in hand sounds like the sweetest possible finish.
Address: 86600 Betzold Rd, Bayfield, WI 54814
