Autumn in our area often means trips to Apple Hill where the air is fresh, the leaves are crisp, and the apples are plentiful. And while picking pounds of Pink Ladies is an absolute must—along with indulging in apple donuts and pies, of course—there are many more morsels to discover. Here are seven treats to consider trying this season. 

FUDGE YEAH
Made fresh daily in a giant kettle, a trip to Apple Hill isn’t complete without a sweat treat from Fudge Factory Farm. Try their buzzworthy Grand Marnier fudge or opt for the divinity fudge—a cross between nougat and marshmallow and made using Granny Carol’s decades-old recipe. They offer over 75 options in all, with at least 27 to choose from at any given time, so there’s sure to be something for everyone. You may even see a new cookie dough fudge this fall! 2860 High Hill Road, Placerville, 530-644-3492, fudgefactoryfarm.com

TAKE FLIGHT
Fancy some non-alcoholic beverages? Head to Grandpa’s Cellar, where you can sip on a coffee flight, made with small-batch, 24-hour cold brew, for an afternoon pick-me-up. Choose between a “Fall Flight” with pumpkin spice, cinnamon white mocha, salted caramel, and apple, or stay traditional with “Grandpa’s Classic,” which is composed of mocha, s’mores, caramel, and apple pie spice. Can’t do caffeine or want something extra refreshing? Try their lemonade flight; the blueberry lemonade, lavender pea flower lemonade, strawberry ginger lemonade, and spicy peach lemonade are all made fresh daily. 2360 Cable Road, Camino, 909-917-2138, grandpacellar.com.

TASTE THE RAINBOW
Prevent a sugar high (or recover from one) by chowing down on a homemade corn dog at Rainbow Orchards. Their made-from-scratch batter was gifted from Apple Hill Grower Office Manager Norma Brubaker; she got it from the fair in the ’70s and thought it would help business grow. Seeing as these are a close second to their donuts, I’d say it was a good call. The original option contains a chicken frank while the hot link corn dog has both chicken and pork—and it packs a punch! Everything is fresh-dipped-to-order and never frozen. 2569 Larsen Drive, Camino, 530-644-1594, rainboworchards.net

NUTS FOR CHESTNUTS
You’ve probably picked your own apples and berries before, but have you ever headed out to gather your own chestnuts? If not, Smokey Ridge Ranch is about to change that. These large, sweet, meaty nuts can be collected after they’ve fallen from 40-plus-year-old trees in their orchard. While you’re there, explore part of the Pony Express Trail that’s on the property. Pro tip: Before heading out, be sure to check their website or call for updates; the chestnuts might not be ready to harvest until a bit later in September. 2160 Carson Road, Placerville, 530-626-5077, smokeyridgeranch.com

AWESOME BLOSSOMS
Simple and simply divine, the cream cheese apple blossom from Apple Ridge Farms is an Apple Hill (and autumn!) must. Apple cinnamon filling and sweet cream cheese are draped inside puff pastry before getting a light dusting of powdered sugar. Should you want to branch out from the standard apple option, they also offer a cream cheese blossom with raspberry filling, too. Sharing not optional! 1800 Larsen Drive, Camino, 530-647-0613, appleridgefarms.com

HARD (CIDER) TO RESIST
If you fancy a refreshing hard cider and are craving some fun flavors, look no further than North Canyon Cider Company, whose ample offerings are all aged, fermented, and bottled locally in Camino. Reach for a pineapple ginger (one of their popular original varieties); or sample the award-winning tangerine blend, which pairs perfectly with autumn air and apple donuts. Oh, and if you have kiddos or beer lovers in your crew, they also offer Barsotti juice and both Ballast Point and Sierra Nevada brews. Cheers! 3541 North Canyon Road, Camino, 650-520-4349, northcanyoncider.com

LET’S DO BRUNCH
The crème brûlée French toast at Drew Bean Farms is a brunch-time necessity—and guaranteed crowd-pleaser—especially when the holidays roll around and relatives roll in. Promises of cinnamon and butter swirl around the French toast-meets-bread pudding crossover. It’s recommended you heat and eat the treat with vanilla ice cream, but you do you; available in quarter, half, or full sheet pan sizes, for brunches big and small. Special orders can be taken if you call ahead of time, too. 2315 Cable Road, Camino, 530-443-4357, drewbeanfarms.com 

by Caitlin Emmett
Photos courtesy of their respective companies or organizations. Rainbow Orchards photo by Jenn Gleckman. Chestnut photo ©Daria Nipot - stock.adobe.com. Apple Ridge Farms photo courtesy of Apple Ridge Farms.