Across the country, doughnut shops are coming up with innovative new ways to reinvent this crowd favorite. In Portland, Ore., there's a place that specializes in grown up versions that feature bold glazes and boozy fillings. In New York, old-school mini doughnuts made fresh to order are all the rage with the 15 different kinds of flavored sugars that let you customize your own for a bite. And in San Francisco, a charming little doughnut shop has developed a loyal following thanks to their light, supple doughnut and seasonal, silky cream fillings.

We visit three hot spots of Seattle's food scene beginning with Fran's Chocolates, which pioneered European-style handmade confections when it opened in 1982 and is now a beloved Seattle institution. Dahlia Bakery is one of legendary Seattle restaurateur Tom Douglas's creations and serves up some of the most incredible pie and doughnuts in the city. Finally we'll stop at Crumble & Flake, a tiny bakery taking familiar pastries to daring new directions.

Southern desserts are in a category all to their own, combining big bold flavors with deep tradition. Like at Sublime Doughnuts, where the doughnuts and fritters are made with a sweet potato dough and come in fun shapes with decadent flavor combinations. CamiCakes Creamery turns traditional Southern desserts like red velvet cake and lemon meringue pie into ice cream cake sandwiches. Pie Shop keeps with tradition and preserves the craft of pie making with favorites like Georgia Bourbon Pecan and Pineapple Chess Pie.