We are fortunate to live in a world with almost endless cider varieties. We are even more fortunate because here in Portland, there are countless sizes, shapes, and flavors of incredible donuts. It’s a font of inspiration for our cider-making crew, but also for YOU because there are infinite cider and donut combinations to try!

Whether you’re looking for a dessert pairing for cider, or just want a fun treat with your drink, finding your own perfect pairings can be an exceedingly fun tasting project. And the gluten-free and vegan options are so abundant in the Pacific Northwest, there really is a combo for everyone. Our prime pointer: sweeter donuts go better with dry ciders, and sweet ciders pair best with donuts that are more spice-forward.

Here are a few of our favorite Portland Cider + donut combos to get you started:

Spiced Cider + Chocolate Donut

Dark, rich, chocolatey donuts need a cider that can hold its own next to the cocoa notes, without becoming overwhelmed.

For example: Pumpkin Spice Cider + Coco Donuts Chocolate Buttermilk Bar

Fruit Cider + Sweet Vanilla

A rich vanilla pastry will compliment the natural sugars in sweeter fruit ciders, creating a dessert-worthy pairing.

For example: Tangerine Dreamsicle Cider + Gluten Free Gem Vanilla Glazed Donut (GF)

Heritage Cider + Spice Donut

The pure taste of heirloom apple ciders get a nice boost from a hit of cinnamon, nutmeg or allspice, combining for an apple-pie-like mouthful.

For example: English Pub Cider + Pip’s Original Donuts Reggie Lee

Light Cider + Filled Donut

A lighter cider will cut through a hefty donut, allowing you to enjoy the textural contrasts and the flavor similarities.

For example: Strawberry Ciderade + NOLA Doughnuts Lemon Poppyseed with Raspberry Jam

Apples All the Way

Sweet, thick apple fritters benefit from a dry cider to cleanse the palate between bites, with nothing to get in the way of the fresh apple flavors.

For example: Kinda Dry Cider + Blue Star Donuts Apple Fritter

Fresh Fruit Fiesta

Sweet fruits, tart fruits, and everything in between—create your own fruit salad pairing with your favorite flavors. Tropical fruits go especially well together!

For example: Peach Berry Cider + Mikiko Mochi Donuts POG

Tannic Cider + Maple Donuts

This pairing is perfect for brunch, and works with any tea-blended cider, like chai or peach tea. Think waffles covered in pure maple syrup, washed down with a bright beverage.

For example: Imperial Peach Tea Cider + Kyra’s Maple Vanilla Sprinkle (GF)

Botanical Cider + Unique Donuts

We can’t forget our favorite pairing! The herbal notes from the Blueberry Bourbon Basil cider pair beautifully with the not-sweet, lightly tart taste of the donut that is the cider’s inspiration. If you can’t get your hand on the iconic donut yourself, look for something not too sweet to balance your botanical-forward cider.

For example: Blueberry Bourbon Basil Cider + Blue Star Donuts Blueberry Bourbon Basil

So…what will your new favorite combo be? Let your imagination run wild, and let us know what you discover!

Perfectly Paired: Cider + Donuts