Rise ‘n Roll Amish Market

they came to my job this week (in the suburbs). I have had their donut holes before, and I was excited they were coming. I bought donut holes and a cinnamon roll. and as good as the donut holes are, the cinnamon roll was even better if you can believe it! not something I should eat regularly, but if they come back to my office, I’ll be buying something!

Yeah, the stuff is indeed good and I miss the downtown store but you can find their products in the lobby of many downtown buildings. They typically setup shop one day out of the month in lots of buildings in the loop. The Apple Fritters are quite good, so is the cashew crunch. I’ve long susptected that these people are not Amish, but rather they capitalize off the Amish mystique. They even go as far as dressing the ladies in Amish Bonnets. Whomever they are, they have a good product. Notice their website makes no reference to Amish at all.

Alas…
Donuts in Chicago… are a barren wasteland. We have been destroyed by Dunkin’. Recently I had an argument with someone about the food scene in Chicago. They pointed out that we have amazing food here, but we lack in the donut department. Especially downtown. (I know DAT and Old Fashioned are amazing, but not really easy access for someone working downtown).
However, I always had the Rise ‘n Roll trump card. This place had some of the best donuts I’ve ever eaten. Anywhere. Ever. for CHEAP! The donuts had a buttery sweetness, coupled with a hint of cinnamon and a lot of caramel. Always fluffy, slightly mushy, and large. And then you had the donut holes… The donut holes condensed this mixture into tiny flavor bombs that erupted in your mouth, filling you with joy. This place was the king of cheap donuts. But… it is gone. I felt compelled to write this in memory of this little gem.
I guess there is always Doughnut Vault… but those darn lines…
Rise ‘n Roll is dead… LONG LIVE RISE ‘n ROLL!!!

I’m embarrassed to admit how long ago I started this review; I’m sad that what is prompting me to finish it is the news that this location closes tomorrow — Friday, ⁷⁄₁.
I love this little shop, which until tomorrow is conveniently located across the street from my office. I’ve never managed to look beyond their sweet offerings, but they sell so much more. Here’s my assessment of the sweets I’ve tried this far:
Snickerdoodles — okey dokey
Chocolate chip cookies — yummy
Ranger cookies — swell
Cowboy cookies — yeehaw!
Chocolate Crinkle cookies — giddy up
Apple fritters — OMFG!
Cinnamon Caramel doughnut holes — yes, yes, yes!
You’ll still be able to find them on the farmer’s market circuit after they close the shop; they’re at Daley Plaza on Thursdays. Or, you can take a drive out to NW Indiana and visit their home base. I’m not sure how much of their in-​store selection is available at the farmer’s markets, but in addition to their sinful sweets, they sell cheeses (including the butter cheese my co-​worker is obsessed with), pre-​made sandwiches, pastas, breads, canned items, granola, nuts and more. They also sell cookie kits; the kits come in a mason jar with all the dry ingredients pre-​measured and a set of baking instructions — a very cute little gift idea.
The staff here has always been so friendly; I will be sad to see them — and their yummy free samples — go.

Their donuts are like Amish crack.
Seriously, they even admitted it to me.
The ones with the cinnamon & powdered sugar mixture. They are glazed underneath… AMAZING.
Eat it fresh or else it’s a no-​go.
Savor each bite.
They beat out ANY other donut place. They’re not full of air — they’re actually heavy in comparison to other donuts!
Try the cashew brittle candy too —
.gosh.

The location — what an interesting juxtaposition. Here is an Amish bakery, run by folks known for their devout and humble lifestyle. And it’s just blocks from our corrupt City Hall and our version of Wall Street, Wacker Drive.
It reminds me of those great small town bakeries. It’s not trendy, gourmet, or even boutique-​y. This is the stuff my grandma would bake. Simple, unpretentious and made with TLC. That is, uh, if she baked.
So what to get?
Hands down the bacon cheddar onion bread. It has a nice subtle smokey flavor. Toast it for breakfast with some Kerrygold Irish Butter and you’re good to go for the day. Or have it with some tomato soup. Yum!
Their chocolate crinkle cookies were really good. Nice and chocolatey and I actually liked them better the next day when it dried out a little more.
Cinnamon caramel donuts and donut holes were also good. They were too sweet for my palate so I couldn’t eat a donut in one sitting. Should’ve had it with a cup coffee because that would’ve been perfect!

The Amish are trying to make me fat.
I’d like to submit the following as evidence…
1) Chocolate covered cashew brittle
2) Every pickled veggie you can think of
3) Chocolate covered mixed nuts
4) Chocolate covered cashew brittle
5) Homemade peanut butter granola bars
6) Blueberry Soda
7) Cinnamon sugar caramel donut holes
8) Chocolate covered cashew brittle
Seriously, I don’t even stand a chance. And, and! It’s only a block from my office! As if all that wasn’t bad enough, they offer a free cup of coffee with your purchase. Why do you hate me, fine Amish people?!?

Chocolate Cashew Crunch — ya gotta get it! First of all, common sense wants to say that an Amish storefront bakery in the middle of downtown Chicago is not possible, but there it is. I walked in and was pleasantly surprised by the fantastic selection of goodies available. There are all sorts of pies, cakes, cookies, sandwiches, jams, and even packs of dried noodles so that you can cook like the Amish at home. They also have discounted goods available, so you can load up on day-​old items that are still tasty (such as the apple crumb bread).
Back to the CCC — this stuff is conceptually like peanut brittle, but much more delicious and without the awkward feeling of biting through a concrete slab. The Chocolate Cashew Crunch is so good that I brought it to the office — and did not share it with anybody (man I am a heartless bastard).

Before I went in, I thought that the staff here just dressed like the Amish, you know, like a uniform. I didn’t know they actually were, in fact, the real deal. Color me embarrassed.
I have a friend who loves the baked goods from here but due to geography doesn’t make it here very often. As I am a sweet gal, I offered to pick up a few things for him since my office is quite close. I guess it wasn’t entirely selfless since I managed to pick up a few things for myself.
It is no exaggeration that the people who work are unequivocally the nicest people around. While I was shopping, a man without legs in a wheelchair who camps out downtown came in to buy some cheese curds and the man who works there gave him some stuff for free and told him to stay warm. It melted my heart.
I bought some peach pie which I took a bite of already and it was delicious, but I managed to eat not one, but three, snickerdoodle cookies, which were easily the best I’ve ever tasted. Soft, chewy, buttery, sweet, and just enough cinnamon.
I’ve tried some other items from here that coworkers have bought and everything is fresh and homemade.
I love that this place is so close to my office. I hate that this place is so close to my office. It’s a double-​edged sword for sure.

God please help me. I am going to need it the next time I make a visit here. I need to practice some extreme levels of self-​control every time I step foot in here.
I could easily spend my net pay every week in this place! The fact that they always have free samples available is what hooks me every time! I should have never sampled their apple fritters. They are the best that I have ever had. I am willing to bet that these are the best that ANYONE has ever had. They don’t get much better than that! Now that I think about it, everything that I have ever bought here has been phenomenal!
The staff here is GREAT: super friendly and super helpful!

OK, people. Calm down. The donuts are good, if you like donuts. The chocolate and pumpkin whoopie pies are good too. But take a look at the ingredients. These baked goods are not «healthier» for you than any other Loop bakery. In fact, the secret ingredient in the whoopie pies — the stuff that makes that white filling so delicious — is SHORTENING. Meaning, hydrogenated oils that clog your arteries and give you heart attacks. So, ladies, we all know you love your lunchtime sweets, but don’t deceive yourselves that these are good for you.
Other stuff is just average. Lots of prepackaged and commercial-​grade stuff that is not particularly tasty, special or healthy.
The staff is very friendly — or «SUPER FRIENDLY» as many have noted — which is a definite plus. And they’re Amish, which lends immediate fetish-​ability.

Thank you, Amish! Thank you for your apple stuffed fritters. Thank you for your soft cookies. Thank you for gooey cinnamon rolls. Thank you for your chocolatey cashew crunch. You make mornings happy again. Even Monday mornings!
I still look good with this extra weight. :)

I died and went to fat girl heaven when I came here.
The lovely staff member, Leah (wearing full-​on Amish attire), asked me to sample one of their glorious cinnamon sugar caramel donut holes. I became hooked instantly. So I bought a container and shared it with my office buddies. I’m glad that the hours that they are open are somewhat limited, otherwise I would be coming here every day!
I can’t wait to come back and try all of the other pastries. They are very fresh!

I stumbled upon this little gem while running some errands today…
Two words: Amish donuts!!! These things are like crack. Move over Munchkins– there’s a new boss in town!
Apparently there is free coffee with any purchase– a very nice touch (but I took a pass on this 90 degree day).
I also picked up a block of bacon cheese. no other descriptors found on the packaging but it looks like little bits of bacon mixed into cheddar. I have high hopes for it!

A hidden gem for sure! I would never expect to find such an adorable source of delicious pastries and various nut brittles right in the loop.
All the pastries are hand made and like everyone else said– the yeast risen donuts are absolutely worth a try! Gooey with caramel but covered in sugar for the ultimate gourmet donut experience. I also bought several packages of peanut brittle and a lovely loaf of multigrain bread– all for unbeatable prices for homemade goods!
And that’s not even the best part, the second you walk in– it’s free samples galore served to you by the nicest staff ever.

Besides providing the public with an astonishing array of wonderful treats, the staff of this store are the NICEST PEOPLE IN THE WORLD.
I have visited their mothership in Middlebury, Indiana, and a woman there told me that they bake everything daily and truck it to Chicago Tuesday through Friday. Wow. Delicious AND fresh, not to mention super-​cheap – you cannot beat it.
Their apple fritters are THE BEST anywhere, period. The yeast-​raised doughnuts are superlative. The crinkle cookies are revelatory. They also have some kind of tasty little devil called a «whoopie pie.»
Beyond bakery items, they carry a bunch of other goodies. For example, the Amish Wedding label of jarred wonders: pickles of various kinds, beets, pickled baby corn (sweet and sour or dilly), applesauce, you name it. I love everything that I’ve tried, but the baby corn are my favorite.
Bulk staples, spices, dried fruits, nuts. Did I mention chocolate-​covered pretzels?
It’s a real shame that, due to their location and hours, I can visit only rarely. Hopefully lots of other folks will keep them in business for me.

I have always had an odd fascination with the Amish, and I love donuts. So when you combine the two, the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. Five stars alone for the best donuts I’ve ever had! I also split a chocolate whoopie pie (the size of a hockey puck and $ 1.25 each), which made me squeal in delight. I was eating it while walking down the street, and I felt the envy in the eyes of passerbys. They also sell jars of pickled vegetables, cinnamon rolls, pies, some produce, cheese, butter, granola, and chocolates too, but I don’t really care because…
These donuts, as Janet E mentioned, are lightly covered in caramel, then heavily dusted with powdered sugar and cinnamon. The caramel is the secret weapon because you don’t see it at first. You take a bite, and it feels as if the sugar and cinnamon melt together, but it’s really the caramel that’s coating your mouth. I brought back some donut holes to share with coworkers (a small square box of ~30 is $ 4; or 6 whole donuts for $ 6), and they all loved it. Next time, I’m going back for a 4“x4″ cinnamon roll!

This place is great! I dont know what it is, but I feel the lot of the food here is simply made and natural. The girl at the counter said not everything in the store is organic, but its as close to organic as you can get.
I sampled their cinnamon sugar donuts. IT WAS OUT OF THIS WORLD DELICIOUS. It is sooooooo addictive! Its called «Yeast Raised Donuts» Its basically donuts covered in a thin layer of caramel sauce covered in melt in your mouth powered cinnamon and sugar. Can you guess that I bought a box? I’m not ready to break up with them yet.

This place is cute and the friendly staff is QUITE generous with the free samples. Plus! There are actually free samples all around the shelves, little containers of sample granola, sample pretzels, etc.
The market is sectioned off basically into baked goods, candies, pasta, cheeses, prepared foods, and butters/​jams. It is exactly like the farmers market stand only indoors, and with more variety.
I’m off of processed sugars for lent (rough!) so I couldn’t partake in any of the delicious looking baked goods, but 2 things: 1) bacon cheese! and 2) mustard.pretzels. Yes and yes.
For those with a sweet tooth: 6 whoopie pies for under $ 6. I’m pretty sure that owns Corner Bakery.

Two important events have transpired since my first visit:
1. Rise n’ Roll has its own sign now! No more Wolf Camera; the store now proudly displays «Rise n’ Roll Amish Market» out front.
2. I learned what «dilly beans» are (pickled green beans — um, yes please!)