Cold Hollow Cider Mill — Attraction in Waterbury

Cold Hollow Cider Mill is one of THE places to visit if you’re anywhere even remotely close to Stowe, Vermont. I’ve been coming here ever since I was a kid, and I am just as excited now at 25 as I was when I was 7 years old. This place is amazing - it is an old apple cider mill that has been opened up so you can see the whole process of how they turn apples into cider, donuts, jams, and more! They have a wonderful gift shop (biggest in the area by far) with an excellent selection of jams, mustards, sauces, cosmetics, clothing, baked goods, cookware and spices, and so many other things you can’t find anywhere else! Practically everything sold inside is a from a Vermont farmer or producer, and the vast majority of items have very healthy ingredients inside them, so you can feel good getting some treats, and know you’re not screwing over your body by having them.

HOWEVER, the star of the show is their apple cider donuts. They are beyond good, easily the best I’ve ever had in Vermont so far (I’ve tried several), and it’s more of a donut consistency compared to other apple cider donuts that have a consistency more like cake. It’s very reasonably priced - get a half-dozen for $5 to try them! You can have them right out of the bag, but the best way to have them is warmed up in the toaster oven and then dipped in Cold Hollow Cider Mill’s homemade apple cider. You can get a carton of it and it makes the apple flavor so much stronger and the donut much less dry! If it’s your first try, do it that way - you won’t want to have it any other way!

BE SURE to head to the back of the store! They have all their equipment on display (so you can see how they process apples) and most exciting, they have a big tank of apple cider you can try for free! There are some cups and you can pour some for yourself - I highly recommend trying it as well. It’s part of the experience!

This year, I don’t see their apple cider hot dogs. It’s a shame because this was one of their best items. They had freshly-made hot dogs that were cooked with apple cider so they literally tasted like apple cider!! They were awesome!! Unfortunately, they say it might only be a fall-themed thing from now on, and you’ll find them across the street at their bar/tasting room/sandwich shop place. However, you can still try their maple creemee (which I HIGHLY recommend as well - this is the best maple creemee I’ve ever had in Vermont) as well as their maple fudge (actually really good), apple cider sourdough, apple cider slushee (AMAZING), and other maple products!

They have a lot of different freshly-made snacks and sweets. Come hungry and leave happy!! This is one of the best places to visit in Vermont and somewhere I will continue to come to many times each and every vacation up...

Bantering with locals often yields interesting information that you wouldn’t have immediately thought of searching online. Since the move to New England, I have had the tendency to just drive normal distances to Californians, which in this area means traveling easily into various other states, and just randomly chatting up individuals at wherever area I’m in. I always ask the same question to locals - “What do you recommend one thing someone to do in your town?” Whatever they suggest, I just go about without asking further questions (this has worked well for me as I travelled over the last two decades - with obviously some funny stories in between).

An elderly couple at the grocery store who chatted me up about the various fermented vegetables eventually asked if I was from the area. When they found out I was just passing through, they asked if I had visited any of their mainstays. I named a couple restaurants and then asked them the question. They named this establishment and recommended that I at least tried both their cold and hot ciders as well as their legendary cider donuts. That was all I needed to hear to get back into my car and drive two miles to the other side of town.

You are greeted by the wonderful scent wafting from their bakery as you step through their doors. The interior was definitely was way larger than you would have thought while standing outside. They carried so many goods within that you would easily browse for an hour as there was much thought to how they laid it all out in sections. What was most delightful was when I found the cider room and the large apple press in the adjacent room where you could view through a glass pane. Self-serve yourself some amazingly tasty cold cider, stare at people prepare the press to apply tons of pressure to extract all that goodness, and walk yourself to grab a gallon jug of awesome elixir you just partook of…order a cup of hot cider and a cider donut to munch on the way out. Absolutely wonderful experience - again, honest locals will never fail you. It is their pride after all to share what’s so awesome about their town.

I actually really look forward to...

This weekend, my wife and I decided to play tourists and finally visit Cold Hollow Cider Mill in Waterbury Center, VT. A few of my coworkers had been raving about it for weeks, so we figured it was time to see what the hype was all about. From the moment we pulled up and saw the long line out the door, I knew we were in for something special.

The service was friendly and efficient, despite how busy the place was. The staff made us feel welcome right away, even though they were clearly hustling to keep up with the crowd. They took the time to explain the different products and offered samples, which made the experience even more fun.

The ambiance was exactly what you'd hope for at a cider mill—cozy, rustic, and full of charm. The smell of fresh apples and warm cider donuts filled the air, and the décor had that perfect Vermont feel with wooden beams and shelves lined with local goods. It felt like a classic New England fall experience, and even though there were a lot of people, the space was inviting and comfortable.

As for the food, it was amazing. The cider donuts were the highlight—fresh out of the fryer, warm, and perfectly spiced with just the right amount of sugar. We tried both the hot and cold cider, and while I usually lean toward cold drinks, the hot cider was like a warm hug in a cup. We also treated ourselves to a "creemee," Vermont’s famous soft serve. It was smooth, creamy, and the perfect balance of sweet.

One of the coolest things I learned was that Cold Hollow presses over 800,000 pounds of apples every year. That’s a crazy amount of apples! They also make their own apple cider vinegar, which we picked up to try at home.

Overall, Cold Hollow Cider Mill was a fantastic experience. Between the welcoming service, the cozy ambiance, and the incredible food, I can see why my coworkers love this place so much. We’ll definitely be making this a regular stop anytime we’re...