Pumpkin Season is Here!
Cinotti’s Bakery & Italian Market
There are pumpkin products.
And then there is pumpkin season at Cinotti’s.
Last week, we officially welcomed back one of our favorite seasons of the year at Cinotti’s Bakery & Italian Market. The bakery cases are filling with pumpkin, the coffee bar smells like fall, and of course, our famous Pumpkin Donuts have officially returned.
And judging by what happened at this year’s Midnight Pumpkin Donut Premiere, Jacksonville was ready.
We opened the doors at midnight for the first Pumpkin Donuts of the season and absolutely blew our previous sales records out of the water.
If you have been around Cinotti’s for a while, you probably understand why.
Our Pumpkin Donuts have developed a following all their own. Customers wait for them every year. Families have made that first box of Pumpkin Donuts part of their fall traditions. People come from across Jacksonville and beyond for them, and our midnight premiere has become a tradition in its own right.
But there is something we need to clear up.
Pumpkin season at Cinotti’s is about a whole lot more than donuts.
It Starts With Our Secret Spice Mix
You can find pumpkin spice just about everywhere this time of year.
Coffee shops have it. Grocery stores have it. National chains start rolling it out while Florida is still firmly in flip-flop weather.
But the pumpkin flavor you taste at Cinotti’s is different.
That is because our pumpkin products are made using our own secret family spice mixture, the same signature blend that has been part of our bakery’s pumpkin season for years.
We are not going to tell you what is in it.
Nice try.
But we can tell you that the balance of pumpkin and spice is what gives our fall products that unmistakable Cinotti’s flavor.
As a fifth-generation family bakery, recipes matter to us. Some formulas change and evolve over time, while others become part of the family tradition. Our spice mixture falls firmly into the second category.
And this time of year, we put it to work.
The Famous Cinotti’s Pumpkin Donuts
We have to start with the star of the show.
Our Pumpkin Donuts are easily one of the most anticipated things we make all year.
Soft, rich with pumpkin and full of our signature spice, they are the donut customers start asking about long before September arrives.
Every year we hear the same questions.
“When do Pumpkin Donuts start?”
“Can I preorder?”
“Are you doing the midnight premiere?”
The excitement surrounding them is exactly why we continue the tradition.
This year’s midnight premiere took that excitement to another level, setting new sales records and reminding us once again just how much Jacksonville loves these donuts.
We appreciate every single person who stayed up late, came through the doors and helped us kick off another pumpkin season.
But once you have your Pumpkin Donuts, don’t stop there.
Pumpkin Cheesecake
For our cheesecake people, fall means Pumpkin Cheesecake.
Creamy cheesecake meets pumpkin and our signature spice mixture for a dessert that sits somewhere between classic cheesecake and everything you love about a pumpkin dessert.
It is rich enough for the holiday table, but we certainly won’t judge you for grabbing one well before Thanksgiving.
Pumpkin Cakes and Cupcakes
Pumpkin also makes its way into our decorated bakery.
Our Pumpkin Cakes and Pumpkin Cupcakes bring those familiar fall flavors into a dessert that works for birthdays, office celebrations, family dinners or simply because September finally arrived.
The pumpkin and our spice mixture create a warm flavor that pairs beautifully with the rich icings and fillings coming out of our bakery.
Consider these your answer when you need something a little more celebration-worthy than a morning donut.
Although, technically, we believe donuts are perfectly acceptable for celebrations too.
The Harvest Ring
If you haven’t tried our Harvest Ring, this might be the pumpkin product you have been missing.
The Harvest Ring is a pudding-style pumpkin cake made with pumpkin and our secret spice mix.
It is incredibly moist, full of fall flavor and one of those old-fashioned bakery items that doesn’t need a lot of fuss.
This is the kind of cake we love putting on a Sunday table with a pot of coffee nearby.
Slice it.
Share it.
Then quietly go back for another piece before everyone else notices.
Pumpkin Muffins
Sometimes pumpkin season needs to be portable.
That’s where our Pumpkin Muffins come in.
They’re an easy breakfast, afternoon snack or addition to a bakery box for the office. You still get the pumpkin and signature Cinotti’s spice flavor, just in a grab-and-go version.
Pair one with coffee and you have a pretty good argument for calling it breakfast.
Pumpkin Loaves
Our Pumpkin Loaves are traditional quick breads made with pumpkin and, you guessed it, our secret spice mix.
These are the type of simple bakery products that disappear quickly once you cut into them.
A slice works for breakfast.
Another works with afternoon coffee.
And somehow another slice disappears after dinner.
Funny how that happens.
They also make an easy seasonal treat to bring to a neighbor, teacher, office or family gathering.
Pumpkin Pie
Before Pumpkin Donuts became a Jacksonville obsession, there was Pumpkin Pie.
Pumpkin pie has been part of the Cinotti’s bakery tradition for decades, and it remains one of the biggest parts of our fall and Thanksgiving season.
Creamy pumpkin filling, our signature spice mixture and a traditional bakery crust make this one of those desserts we don’t feel the need to reinvent.
Some things are classics for a reason.
And as Thanksgiving approaches, pumpkin pie season only gets busier.
Pumpkin Coffee and Pumpkin Cold Foam Lattes
This year, pumpkin isn’t stopping at the bakery case.
Our coffee bar is joining the season with Pumpkin Coffee and Pumpkin Cold Foam Lattes.
Grab one with a Pumpkin Muffin on your way to work.
Pair one with a slice of Pumpkin Loaf.
Or go all in with a Pumpkin Donut.
We’re not here to tell you how much pumpkin is too much pumpkin.
Frankly, we aren’t convinced there is such a thing.
This Is Pumpkin Season at Cinotti’s
One of the things we love most about being a fifth-generation bakery is watching traditions grow.
Some traditions were handed down to us.
Others were created right here in Jacksonville Beach.
The excitement surrounding our Pumpkin Donuts has become one of those traditions. What started as a seasonal bakery item has grown into midnight premieres, lines at the bakery, boxes headed to offices and homes all over Jacksonville, and customers who start asking us about Pumpkin Donuts while everyone else is still thinking about summer.
This year proved once again just how special that tradition has become.
But we also hope you’ll explore the rest of the pumpkin case while you’re here.
Try Pumpkin Cheesecake.
Bring home a Harvest Ring.
Grab Pumpkin Muffins for breakfast.
Slice into a Pumpkin Loaf.
Order a Pumpkin Cake.
Pick up a Pumpkin Pie.
And absolutely get the Pumpkin Donuts.
Because pumpkin season only comes around once a year at Cinotti’s Bakery & Italian Market.
And apparently, Jacksonville has no intention of taking it quietly.