From Columbia to Rockland counties, here’s where to get your fill of autumn’s iconic baked good
The signature Dutch crumb apple pie from Apple Pie Bakery Cafe, located on the Hyde Park campus of The Culinary Institute of America.
Provided by Apple Pie Bakery CafeAlthough New York City’s moniker, “The Big Apple,” has nothing to do with the fruit itself (the term coined by a sportswriter in the 1920s), it is a fitting coincidence that New York’s metropolis is situated in a state ripe with apples. And as the green leaves fade and the red, orange and yellow brighten, apples are having their annual season in the spotlight.
Families, couples and friends will crowd the orchards on quests to fill their empty bags, and hobbyist bakers will retreat to their kitchens for their annual pie-making pursuit. Thankfully for the rest of us, bakeries throughout the Hudson Valley will be mixing, rolling and baking their expertise into warm, bubbling apple pies.
Any excuse to get in the car and revel in the fall foliage is probably justified, so why not have that excuse be in the form of a bakery? Here are some of the most favored and trusted apple pie destinations across the Hudson Valley.
Related: Where to go apple picking | Our guide to apple cider doughnuts | Top orchards in the Hudson Valley
Rockland Bakery
Rockland County
The apple pie from Rockland Bakery in Nanuet.
Provided by Rockland Bakery
If you’re looking for credibility in a bakery, Rockland Bakery’s collection of customers includes Yankee Stadium, Citi Field, West Point Academy and Rutgers University. What started as a small retail bakery over 75 years ago has grown into a large-scale distributor satisfying taste buds from Massachusetts to Delaware. They make both a standard apple pie and an apple crumble pie. With community at its core, the bakery has been a longstanding donor to community organizations, schools and events.
94 Demarest Mill Road, Nanuet, NY 10954; 845-623-5800
Annabelle’s Village Bakery
Dutchess County
Some of the pies on offer at Annabelle’s Village Bakery. The bakery also takes custom orders.
Provided by Annabelle’s Village Bakery
Just a few minutes from the Taconic State Parkway, this indulgent pit stop is a detour or destination worthwhile. Annabelle’s Village Bakery churns out some of the best pies around. The owner, Anne O’Doherty, started baking with her grandmother as a child and hasn’t stopped since. Along with sumptuous apple pies, raspberry bars are a fan favorite here, along with quiches including smoked salmon with cream cheese and scallions, and artichoke, spinach and asiago.
7501 N. Broadway, Red Hook, NY 12571; 845-835-6071
Noble Pies
Orange County
The apple pie from Warwick-based Noble Pies.
Provided by Noble Pies
Pairing sustainable practices with local ingredients and handmade baked goods, this bakery’s story starts in 2008 with a painted sign labeled “Turn Back For Pie.” When the financial crisis devastated the Noble family’s horse farm, they recovered by making apple pies and selling them at a picnic table on the side of the road beside that endearing, eye-grabbing sign. The fruit, flower and butter are all locally sourced and contribute to the fresh flavor baked into these pies.
121 NY-94, Warwick, NY 10990; 845-986-7436
Apple Pie Bakery Cafe
Dutchess County
The signature Dutch crumb apple pie from Apple Pie Bakery Cafe, located on the Hyde Park campus of The Culinary Institute of America.
Provided by Apple Pie Bakery Cafe
Straight from the hands of the next generation of bakers, this student-run, faculty-led restaurant is located on the campus of The Culinary Institute of America. Patrons can expect to find freshly cooked lunches, individual desserts, artisan breads, and of course, pies, at the cafe. To turn a dining experience into a behind-the-scenes one, check out the CIA’s public tasting, learning and touring experience on campus. Just make sure to book ahead of time.
1946 Campus Drive, Hyde Park, NY 12538; 845-905-4500
Meredith’s Bread
Ulster County
Meredith’s offers gluten-free tarts in addition to wheat-based baked goods.
Provided by Meredith’s Bread
If they’re not in the store (which they are … every day), they’re likely at one of the 60 farmers markets per week that the team attends during peak season. Meredith’s Bread is rooted in creative and intentional baking that kindles the emotional connection between people and food. Catering to different dietary needs and preferences, customers can enjoy gluten-free, organic and sugar-free goods. The bakery’s mission is to “create delicious and full-bodied products using time-honored practices without the use of chemicals, preservatives or fillers.”
415 Route 28, Kingston, NY 12401; 845-331-4318
Pieconic
Columbia County
The Backyard Apple Pie from Pieconic uses apples from Love Apple Farm in Ghent.
Provided by Pieconic
All Pieconic’s pies start with a visit to a local family-owned farm to scope out the best produce for the filling. The owner’s journey personal and baking journey has traversed the world: from Texas to New York, Mexico to China, South America to the United Arab Emirates. The common denominator? Pie.
15 Dardess Drive, Chatham, NY 12037; 518-938-1066
