The Best Donuts in Seattle (According to a Cook)

If you’re looking for the best donuts in Seattle, I’ll tell you right now: this city has great donuts… but terrible donut hours.

I’ve been a professional cook in Seattle for over ten years, and one thing that still blows my mind is how early every donut shop closes. Most places are done by 1 or 2 p.m., which is wild. I don’t want a donut first thing in the morning. I want a donut later. Midnight donut culture should exist here but that’s a separate rant.

Still, Seattle has some really solid donut spots. Some are classics, some are chef-driven, some are grocery-store gems, and some are just straight-up comfort food. This list is based on places I actually eat, memories I have with them, and how they hold up from a cook’s perspective.

Here is the maps of all of my donut visits.

Daily Dozen Donuts – Pike Place Market

If you’ve ever been to Pike Place Market, you’ve probably seen Daily Dozen Donuts even if you didn’t realize it.

They’ve been around since 1978, and there’s a reason they’re still here. These are tiny donuts, made fresh right in front of you, dropped straight into the fryer. They’re incredibly light and airy.

Here’s the move:
Get the plain ones.
No sugar. If you order plain, you usually get them straight off the fryer, and that’s when they’re at their best.

There’s almost always a line, but if you come during the slower season it’s worth it. I haven’t had another donut in Seattle quite like these.

Temple Pastry – Central District

This one really surprised me.

Temple Pastry opened in 2019, and I hadn’t been back in years. Walking in, you can tell immediately this is a chef-driven pastry shop. Fermentation, butter, technique… all of it matters here.

And then there’s the cronut.

I don’t say this lightly, but their chocolate cronut is better than Dominique Ansel’s. It’s flaky, buttery, not greasy, not overly sweet, and incredibly fresh. That freshness matters. They’re not cranking out thousands a day.

If you take one thing from this list, come here and see what they’re making seasonally. This is one of the best donuts in Seattle right now.

Franz Bakery Outlet – Central District

This is not an influencer stop.

This is where Seattle actually shops.

Franz Bakery Outlet has been around since 1906. I used to live nearby, and I’d smell bread baking every night walking home.

The donuts here are simple. Maple bars. Cake donuts. Nothing fancy and that’s the point. You can get a box of donuts, a jug of milk, and walk out spending almost nothing compared to modern donut shops.

Is it trendy? No.
Is it nostalgic, affordable, and solid? Absolutely.

This place fed me when I was just a cook trying to get by. It still holds up.

Top Pot Doughnuts – Downtown Seattle

If you’re from Seattle, you already know Top Pot Doughnuts.

This downtown location is my favorite. Old-school architecture, classic donut shop energy, and a ton of memories for me. When I worked near Jazz Alley and Palace Kitchen, someone from Top Pot would bring boxes of leftover donuts into the alley instead of throwing them away. That was a big deal during service.

Their apple fritters are still the move.
If you want a real donut, this is where you come.

Dahlia Bakery – Downtown Seattle

I used to work here, so I’m biased but also honest.

Dahlia Bakery does a mochi-style donut that has a springy, chewy texture somewhere between cake donut and mochi. Not too sweet, well-balanced, and very polished.

That said, if you’re coming here, don’t skip the pastries. And yes, the coconut cream pie is famous for a reason, even if I made it a thousand times.

This is a solid Seattle bakery that’s worth keeping around.

Mighty-O Donuts – Seattle

Mighty-O Donuts is a local staple, especially if you’re looking for vegan donuts in Seattle.

They’re good. Consistent. Solid flavors. Not reinventing the wheel, but doing it right. Just make sure you get there early like almost every donut shop in this city, they close fast.

Tous Les Jour – Bellevue

This might be one of my personal favorites.

Inside H Mart, you’ll find sugar-coated, filled donuts — red bean, corn cheese, custard — and they’re incredible. No line. Grocery store prices. Fresh product.

The red bean donut brings me straight back to my early kitchen days. It’s lightly sweet, almost chocolatey, and incredibly comforting.

Honestly? I like these more than a lot of standalone donut shops.

Flower Box Donuts

This was one of the highlights.

Flower Box does malasada-adjacent donuts, and the kimchi donut blew my mind. Savory, lightly sweet, almost like an everything bagel meets kimchi pancake situation.

This is one of the few donuts I’d actually eat for breakfast.

The packaging is beautiful, the flavors are thoughtful, and when they hit — they really hit. I still can’t do the early line, but it’s worth it if you can.

Final Thoughts on the Best Donuts in Seattle

Seattle has great donuts.
It just needs to let us eat them later.

From classic spots like Daily Dozen and Top Pot, to chef-driven pastry like Temple Pastry, to grocery store gems hiding in H Mart — these are the places I actually go back to.

If I missed your favorite spot, let me know. And if you want to see what else I’m eating around the city, check out the Seattle’s Best Pizza series next.

Love you. Bye.