A Glazed & Amused drivable route
Seven stops from Detroit's oldest mills to an orchard east of Cleveland.
Michigan grows more apples than all but two states, about 25 million bushels a year. A good share becomes cider, and wherever there's cider, somebody is frying donuts.
Metro Detroit's mills are old. The oldest on this route dates to 1837, and one still runs on the river that turned it in the 1800s.
The route starts north of Detroit, works south through the mills, crosses into Ohio west of Toledo, and ends east of Cleveland. Call it two days, with a night in Toledo or Cleveland.
Wherever there's cider, somebody is frying donuts.
Time it right
Rolling out the map…
Positions are approximate, town-level.
17985 Armada Center Rd, Armada, MI · since 1946
Gerald and Lovey Blake started the farm in 1946. It's the big-farm end of the cider mill world now: u-pick, a hard cider tasting room since 2013, and a market bakery frying donuts.
Known for: Cider, donuts and a full day out
Written about, not listed. An orchard market first, so it lives on this trail rather than in the listings.
1950 E Avon Rd, Rochester Hills, MI · since 1863
William and Caroline Yates bought the land in 1863 and used a dam on the Clinton River to run a lumber mill. By 1876 they were pressing cider for local farmers. The mill that stands today went up in 1894, and its turbine still runs on the river.
It's one of only two water-powered cider mills left in Michigan. Donuts and cider are made on site every day, and fritters show up on Fridays.
Known for: Water-powered cider and fresh donuts
Written about, not listed. A cider mill first, so it lives on this trail rather than in the listings.
7450 Franklin Rd, Bloomfield Hills, MI · since 1837
Built as a grist mill in 1837 and turned into a cider mill in 1918. The Peltz family bought it in 1966, and third-generation owner Melanee Peltz Radner runs it now.
The donuts use Jack Peltz's recipe, a cinnamon-spice batter from an old German one. You can watch them fry, and see the original 90-ton press.
Known for: Spiced cinnamon cider donuts
Written about, not listed. A cider mill first, so it lives on this trail rather than in the listings.
714 Baseline Rd, Northville, MI · since 1873
Benijah Aldrich Parmenter started it in 1873 with his Civil War mustering-out pay. Five generations of his family ran it, and it turned 150 in 2023.
Watch the press, eat a donut, and head south. This is the last Michigan stop.
Known for: Cider, donuts and a working press
Written about, not listed. A cider mill first, so it lives on this trail rather than in the listings.
7605 Garden Rd, Holland, OH · since 1936
Hugh and Martha MacQueen planted their first apple tree west of Toledo in 1936. The third and fourth generations run it now.
Cider is pressed daily in the orchard's own mill, and the bakery sells what it calls its special cider donuts. Open year-round.
Known for: Cider donuts, year-round
Written about, not listed. An orchard market first, so it lives on this trail rather than in the listings.
19265 Detroit Rd, Rocky River, OH
The one donut shop on the route. Owner Kelly Brewer's shop makes everything from scratch, and the Apple Snap is a cider yeast donut with ginger crumble and rosemary.
Ask if it's on; it comes and goes with the season. Closed Monday and Tuesday.
Known for: Scratch donuts, and a cider yeast donut in season
11414 Caves Rd, Chesterland, OH
The family goes back to mid-1800s settlers in Chester Township. Samuel and Iona Patterson built the farm market on Caves Road in the 1950s, and David and Bill Patterson run it now.
Apple cider donuts and caramel apple donuts, year-round. The finish line.
Known for: Apple cider and caramel apple donuts
Written about, not listed. An orchard market first, so it lives on this trail rather than in the listings.
More cider, farther east. See The Vermont Cider Donut Run.
The mills shut down after Thanksgiving. The donut shop down your street keeps going all winter. Here's where it is.
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