If you triangulate a lot of hiking areas – like New Paltz, Hudson Highlands, and northern NJ – my route always steers me towards Daddy’s Donuts [4 Fairlawn Ave, Middletown, NY 10940], even if it adds a bit of driving time to my trip.
There is nothing better than gorging on these delicious donuts after a solid hike, or fueling up on them before one. Online they tout signature donuts such as almond joy and banana pudding – I was already drooling. In store I was not disappointed with the colorful display.
So hard to choose, but we decided on four beauties – each better than the last. 
They were fresh and beautiful even in the middle of the day. A peach crumb donut was better than pie. The bacon was cooked to perfection on top of that maple icing, which had just the right amount of sweetness. Holymoly, the cannoli donut was off the hook – creamy, crisp, and totally delish. Last but not least, they had a rainbow cookie donut which was ridiculously good.
It was so heavy, two people could split it and be satisfied…but we’re gluttons. Dripping with chocolate and jam, this place is the real deal. There are so many other options for donuts and pastries. A few tables make this a comfy place to indulge, or you can take your goodies to go. Either way – I always hop off I-84 to visit Daddy’s.
Good to know:
+In the same town as my favorite Hudson Valley pinball shop Rock Fantasy
They are amazing. Worth the hike! Nearby hiking at Sam’s Point Preserve is the perfect spot for before or after.
I’ve never seen anything like the rainbow cookie donut — but I suspect it would take a lot of hiking for me to burn off the calories in one.