The Red Apple

My son and daughter-​in-​law were just married at Four Winds Winery in Vallecito and decided to have pie instead of wedding cake. The Red Apple was amazing… everyone loved the individual apple pies and they even made a wonderful larger pie with their initials and 2 hearts for them to cut for the traditional photo. We would recommend to anyone! My sister and I even stopped on our way home and bought a strawberry rhubarb pie… just couldn’t pass by without buying!

If you are heading up or down Highway 4, this is a must stop. Yummy pastries and apple cider. Heading up to Bear Valley for a day trip? I’d stop here and grab a bite for breakfast. Staying longer? I’d load up on treats and some cider for the room. On the way down? Grab an apple fritter for the road and some turnovers for desert latter.
Oh, this is cash only. While they have an ATM on site, you might want to bring a few extra bucks if you want to avoid the surcharge.

This is my go to place for yummy turnovers, delicious donuts and silky apple cider.
Still can’t figure out why the owner looks grumpy all the time. If I owned a place that cranked out so much yummy goodness, I’d be happy as a clam counting all those Benjamins in the register each day.
Maybe he’s just a… crab apple? Hahahahahahaha. I crack myself up sometimes.
My favorites are the apple; strawberry-​rhubarb or apricot-​peach turnovers; donuts and wash it all down with some cold cider. Grab a local paper on your way out, to see what fun events are happening in Calico (Calaveras County Yo).
Seriously, any visit to Calico or Alpine counties is incomplete without a stop at this little mom n pop, so swing by and get your apple on. You’ll be glad you did.

I might as well give away my pie tins. I can’t make a pie as good as this place. I am hooked. New on my bucket list is trying every pie they make. I started with apricot because my husband won’t eat it!

This pie place hits all the flavors out of the ball park! Awesome pies with mouth-​watering filling and flakey, light crust. Jams made old style, which are just as good and barrels of apples, you never see in the stores. With loads of amazing apple flavors to try, the owners will gladly let you sample and pick out your bundle. Totally worth the stop!

Best pulled pork sandwich I’ve ever had! Don’t miss out on the apple donuts and cider either. Very friendly service.

What a cute little shop. Picked up a cinnamon apple syrup just tried it for the first time yesterday it it was delicious. We also picked up a mixed berry pie that I’m sure will be delicious. I wish I had gotten more of the items they had for sale, always next time! They only take cash but there is an atm inside.

Red Apple is a tiny stop on the side of the road/​freeway in the Sierra Foothills. It’s unassuming but the name was an eye-​catcher for myself and humongous sweet tooth.
Stopped off to get an apple pie but actually ended up ordering a cider and a strawberry/​rhubarb pastry. The pastry was tart with chunks of fresh rhubarb and fresh strawberries. I inhaled it embarrassingly fast but it was worth my tarnished image. The apple cider was hot, fresh, and tasty on a cold hike through the national park afterwards.
Employees were super friendly and even with a long line it went by fast. Don’t pass it by without a second thought or you’ll miss out.
Note: they only accept cash.

I’m an east coaster and you cannot find apple cider doughnuts anywhere! But we were driving to camping and I saw the sign («apple stand and bakery) — «could it possibly be — the elusive apple cider doughnut is made here??» My bf has been hearing about them for years — fingers crossed we went in.
BINGO — delicious mini apple cider doughnuts in raw sugar. The gal said they are most likely warm between 9 and 11 am on weekend mornings… oh what I would have given to have tasted them warm.
We ordered ½ dozen ($ 3.50) for the four of us but she gave us 8 (what a doll!).

WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO THE PIES??? HELP!
We’ve been coming here for many years enjoying their apple pie as well as the other desserts in the showcase. This year’s apple pie was really disappointing and I need to let this be known. We stopped by shortly before the closing and there were hot apple pies available. What joy, hot apple pie! So we got an apple pie as we have been doing over they years. .. but something happened to the pie.
We got this to the cabin and had the pie after dinner, around 3 hours after picking it up. It wasn’t hot any more but at a nice serving temperature. The crust on top was fine, but the bottom crust was not flaky nor did it have any taste. It was really mushy on the bottom and quite soggy. The apples were in very small slices, but the real issue was the syrupy goop the apples were in. The pie was cut and the sauce just ran out of the pie. The sauce also tasted like it was thickened with corn starch (just a guess) and the pie lacked any true apple pie taste. The apples themselves were tart and just slightly undercooked. It appears that the pies were just heated up for a quick sale.
The pie was a big disappointment and we couldn’t finish it nor did we save the rest. It was an unfortunate waste of $ 15. The pies in the past were much better, it held up when it was cut. Real apple taste. The mixture was tasty, not syrupy and done just right.
So sorry for the negative review. We’ve had their pies in the past. There may be a different baker or a change in the making of the pie. Unfortunately this one was a very big disappointment that won’t be repeated.

The donughts are amazing and the apple cider is great as well. Except the fruit is not picked locally but still very good

My husband and I just moved to Copperopolis from Alameda and are still exploring… This place is fantabulous!!! If you have sugar issues, they have the most AMAZING sugar-​free plum jelly!!!

Celebrated Pi Day (3÷14÷2014) with a stop at the Red Apple for an awesome Pie and it seems everyone else in the county did too. The Red Apple crew never disappoints — All hands on deck turning out all their delicious pies so no one left empty handed on Pi Day. We went with their Cherry Pie. Let it be known we ARE NOT cherry pie fans but the crew promised us it was the best cherry pie bar none. With chatter like that we had to get it. Huge dark cherries, their infamous house made crust and it was still hot to boot. I must say, you were 100% correct Red Apple crew, BEST CHERRY PIE BAR NONE. Thank you for all you do.
I know like me, most of us use our debit cards for everything. red Apple keeps the costs down by being a CASH ONLY business. That being said, they do have an ATM on site for your convenience.

CASH ONLY — Wide variety of fresh apple, apple products and apple baked goods. Have had a delicious apple pie and apple cider donuts. Request warm donuts if available otherwise they are not as tasty.

Worth the stop. We bought a whole apple pie. It was LOADED with apples and very tasty. We also bought donuts which were very good. The day after we heard from a local that their apple strudel is amazing. We will be trying that on the next visit.
Warning-​this is a cash only establishment.

If you are on Route 4, you’ve got to stop by at the Red Apple. It is a really cute store selling freshly baked pies, turnovers and all sorts of goodies. I am in a very happy place when I bite into a warm just-​out-​of-​the-​oven apple turnover as I walk back to my car… Mmm… so yummy! My favorites are their apple crisp and strawberry & rhubarb pie. Pies do sell out, so try to stop by as early as you can. It took us 3 visits to be able to buy their apple pie.
There are many different kinds of apples in small basket size (3 – 5 apples), or in big bags displayed nearly outside. I recently discovered their premixed carrot Muffin mix. It is so cutely packaged in carrot looking cloth bag with instructions. No funny preserves but simple ingredients and the mix is really good. This time I picked up a pumpkin muffin mix to try =)
I hope you will stop by and experience a good home baked fresh goodies and apples!

What, I didn’t write a review about this place when I first came by? Whoops!
If you are on your way to or from Stanislaus National Forest on 4 you should stop by. This is one of those kitschy old school Americana shops. The theme is apples and they have a farmers market type produce stand out front plus the inside store with a wide variety of mementos, sweets, treats, and other food.
I ended up getting some apple cider and an apple dumpling, not the donuts. The apple thing was a bunch of flaky crust wrapped around apple filling with some buttery caramel like oozing deliciousness. The cider was very sweet, I’m glad we got one cup to share. The baked good was delicious and flavorful in addition to being sweet, I could have eaten a dozen.
The only reason they got a 4 instead of a 5 is the service. When my boyfriend and I walked in the lady behind the counter seemed very disinterested in us, like she didn’t care if we came or went. At least when we walked up to the counter and asked questions she was pleasant enough, perhaps we caught her in the middle of something.

Saw the apple cider sign from the road and decided to pop in for some very delicious apple cider. Also got a fresh out of the oven apple turnover with über soft and warm flakey crust! Will visit again for sure.

Red Apple’s got apple everything (as if you couldn’t already tell), but their real key to success lies in one item: their apple donuts. Sugary, sweet, and fresh, you could eat a dozen of these and not even care.
Just don’t attempt to eat them on the way home; the sugar high will make for a long drive through no-​mans’ land.

I always stop at the Red Apple on my way to/​from Calaveras Big Trees. It is almost a biennial ritual for me to stop here (for the spring flowers and fall colors). I usually grab some cider (nicely spiced) and a few of the ready-​to-​bake mixes.
I’d kill for another batch of the walnut apple pancake mix I got here some time back, I’d say the mason jars are the best ones. I just made some blueberry scones from their mix, and they were delish. I can’t wait to try the apple muffins. Some of their pastries are a little off for my tastes, but are always full of apples. Their produce is also really good, can’t get fresher than a fall apple from a few yards away.
Pull over and get some awesome stuff next time you pass the Red Apple on highway 4.