The results are in, New Jersey!
In a landslide victory, Demarest Farms has been named — by you — home of the state’s best apple cider donut.
Beating runner-up Windy Brow Farms (who put up a formidable fight in the Final Four) by more than 70%, the Hillsdale spot is undeniably locals’ favorite place to grab a sugar-dusted ring of fall-spiced dough.
So raise a glass of hot cider, Bergen County, for your new claim to fame.
The best apple cider donuts in New Jersey
Demarest Farms has been a staple in the North Jersey community since it was founded in 1886. Known as a “jewel of Bergen County,” the rustic spot is widely regarded for its PYO fields, family-friendly seasonal activities and charming market full of produce and baked goods.
The top-selling item at the longstanding farm, however, is its aforementioned donuts.
According to co-owner Jason DeGise (who co-bought the farm from 90 year-old Elizabeth Demarest after working on it since he was a teenager), the bakery staff makes thousands of apple cider donuts a day.
“There’s nothing better on a cold, crisp fall morning than biting into a hot apple cinnamon donut,” says DeGise.
Especially — might we add — when they’re made with Demarest’s own fresh cider, and served in three varieties (cinnamon sugar, plain and powdered sugar).
Fluffy, cakey treats at Demarest Farms
To many Jersey residents, grabbing a melt-in-your-mouth cider donut is a quintessential autumn endeavor. At farms from Abma’s to Alstede, the deep-fried treats fly off the shelves like KitKats from a trick-or-treat basket. Being the best in the industry, then, requires vendors to make theirs in-house, from scratch and on-the-daily.
And, since Demarest does all of those things, a victory for its fluffy, cakey donuts — it seems — was inevitable.
Demarest Farms is located at 244 Werimus Rd., Hillsdale. Donuts can be bought in its farm store from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.
Kara VanDooijeweert is a food writer for NorthJersey.com and The Record. If you can’t find her in Jersey’s best restaurants, she’s probably off running a race course in the mountains. Catch her on Instagram: @karanicolev & @northjerseyeats, and sign up for her North Jersey Eats newsletter.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Best apple cider donut in NJ: The results of our poll
