Clinton Cider Mill

The real thing. Working cider press and apples right off the tree. Homemade chili that warms you up on rainy fall day. Only problem is that it closes when apple season ends!

This idyllic cider mill defines autumn in Central New York. Set in the heart of small town Clinton, it is a wonderful place to grab a cider, donut, and either relax on their front porch or take a stroll through town. The Hamilton College campus is also nearby.
They have two types of donuts: plain or cinnamon. They have hot or cold cider, and also have pies and a few baked goods for sale. Everything is ridiculously cheap and delicious.
The almost 100 year old mill is visible as soon as you walk in and has the nostalgic smell of old wood. If you’re in the area during the fall, take a few minutes to stop in.

I had went to the Cider Mill for my first time today, and I had a great experience! To start, the building is very quaint and cute. Also, the staff was very kind and friendly. Customer service always makes a difference in my experience! The apple cider, and hot apple cider were amazing! One of my favorites I have had yet! I also decided to try the shrimp and corn chowder and it was phenomenal. I would suggest the cider mill to anyone that wanted a quick snack or a cute place to enjoy apple cider. It’s small but so is everything else in Clinton, so it works well! All in all, I had a great experience here.

Going to the cider mill is an annual fall event for my friends and I. Who doesn’t crave delicious donuts with cider in the middle of fall? (There’s only one correct answer)
Pros:
–Cutest shop ever — when you walk in through the door you will find yourself in front of an apple press. That’s a sight you don’t see often.
–Hot/​cold cider — they’re not pasteurized but my friends and I have braved it and we survived!
–Plain/​cinnamon donuts — these are THE best donuts I ever had (not that it means much…). Btw they just grab the donuts from the tray they were baked on so yeah pretty fresh (not like that wasn’t hinted already)
–Smell — the place smells like fall — cinnamon, apple, etc…
–Lots of parking space.
Cons:
–Open seasonally — but that makes it a fall tradition so this technically can be turned into a pro!

The Cider Mill *is* Clinton. I spent half my childhood here — was bored through most of it — but always beg my friends to bring me back cider when they go visit (my family no longer lives there). My boyfriend can attest to the fact that I am an avid cider sampler wherever we go, I am looking for that special Clinton taste but I have yet to find it. Really, it’s so much better than other cider — worth a drive out of the way to pick some up (and doughnuts of course!).

First of all, let’s set the story straight: there are a few things Central New York does really, really well. Whether we are talking chicken wings, Utica greens, pizza, or donuts and apple cider… it doesn’t really matter. Central New York (to the tune of my wife and I had a waaaaay better bowl of phở in Utica then we did in San Francisco where we now live) can deliver on a # of fronts and some of them will surprise you (phở) and others will be obivous (pizza and wings).
But like everything else in CNY, you’ll get what you ordered from someone asking you how you’re doing and sending you off with a «have a good one.» It’s always the same no matter where you go and it always makes you feel good and close to the place you are about to enjoy. And the Clinton Cider Mill embodies all that is good about Fall.
Step in and there is a device that looks like a huge apple press. Cider mader on site? Check. Cider served hot or cold? Check. Does the place smell like fresh baked donuts? Yep… in fact, the OUTSIDE of the building smells like donuts. Whether you are looking for apples (multiple varieties), apple pie, other types of pies, or other Fall items… they have it. But most importantly, they have this:
An incredible tray of fresh donuts (plain or cinammon sugar) that when the woman who served us went to reach for our donuts… she decided to grab the fresher/​warmer ones that were still warming! And withoout question, the donuts on the original rack would have been more than sufficient. But what we had were warm donuts with a very slight crunch on the outside. Incredible.
When you combine that with warm apple cider… you can’t beat it. So as someone who returns home a couple of times a year, and misses these particular comforts of Fall… there is no doubt that a trip to the Cider Mill will over deliver. Fall is a great season and those cool September, October, November days deserve to be enjoyed with incredible cider and donuts!