The Best Store-Bought Apple Cider Donuts On The Market, Hands Down

Apple cider donuts combine all of the cozy flavors of fall into a single treat. The best ones balance a concentrated apple flavor with subtle warming spices and have a tender, cake-like crumb with a cinnamon sugar coating that adds a bit of crunch. We recently ranked five store-bought apple cider donuts to find out which one offered the freshest flavor and optimal texture. The winner ended up being a fan-favorite from a popular grocery store.

Trader Joe's fan-favorite Apple Cider Donuts won hands-down thanks to their soft crumb, cake-like consistency, and sugary exterior. This pick also had the best flavor; though it was a bit subtle, the spices came through nicely with a light hint of apple undertones. Overall, it tasted the freshest among the options tested, more like a real bakery shop donut than a grocery store offering. These limited-time donuts also offer a great value. At about $5 for a six-pack, the per-donut price ends up being just 83 cents. This is far cheaper than buying six Apple Cider Original Glazed Donuts from Krispy Kreme or a half dozen Apple Cider Donuts from Dunkin' Donuts.

Trader Joe's shoppers eagerly await the day when the store's beloved Apple Cider Donuts return. One Redditor exclaimed, "The yelp I yelped when I saw these in the store last weekend. I actually held them over my head like the Lion King. They are the first harbinger of fall on its way." Another shopper praised their flavor and texture, describing them as "Absolutely delicious. Soft, moist, flavorful, and not overly sweet." One fan raved, "They are fire. I never thought a boxed donut could taste so good," while another called them "the best grocery store cake donuts that you can get."

However, some admit that they are fine for a grocery store donut, but not at all comparable to fresh ones from a bakery: "They're not like the fresh made ones we had in Vermont or anything but for grocery store they're not bad," says one person on Reddit. In another review, a TJ's shopper described them as "meh," going on to say, "Having had hot cider donuts from local farms these looked so close but the fell flat! Not appley enough!" While others have described them as overly dry.

There does seem to be a way to significantly improve their flavor and texture, as many on Reddit recommend: heat the donuts in an air fryer or microwave. One person who tried microwaving them for 15 seconds admitted, "I can't believe I almost slandered the apple cider donuts." Another shopper heated one in the air fryer and said it "Really tasted like a churro and they really were absolutely delicious."