You know what mom wants for Mother’s Day? Not an elaborate, expensive brunch with the masses. She wants to eat cinnamon rolls in bed. Or is that just my fantasy? Well, even so, there are ample local opportunities (even Cinnabon started here) for indulging in these delicious morning buns, from those made with fluffy brioche dough to those that are dense and slathered in frosting. Pick up a few for the mamas in your life, or simply treat yourself.

Beardslee Public House
Served in a small plate-size cast iron skillet and skewered with a steak knife, this cinnamon roll ($9.50) is no ordinary pastry. Available during the weekend-only breakfasts served at this cavernous brewhouse, the roll is clearly meant for sharing, as a precursor to hearty savory dishes like eggs Benedict and breakfast poutine. A small piece does the trick; it’s very sweet, with golden raisins, a drizzle of cream cheese frosting and a caramelized sugar crust on the bottom. Bothell, 19116 Beardslee Blvd., No. 201; 425.286.1001

Sea Wolf’s raisin-filled roll

Sea Wolf
The simple raisin is a contentious subject in baked goods, but this industrial-looking bakery with a cult-like following is winning converts with its oversize cinnamon roll ($7) full of the plump dried fruit. The roll here is big enough to share—not that you’ll want to—and made with the same buttery laminated dough used for the bakery’s excellent croissants. Cream cheese frosting is available on the side, but you don’t even need it. Fremont, 3621 Stone Way N; 206.457.4181

Donut Factory
At this colorful North End doughnut shop, the best bite—out of the dozens of doughnuts the shop makes—is from a cream cheese Pershing ($2.50), essentially a cinnamon roll made from the same batter as that of the light-as-air raised doughnut. Even though this roll is covered with a slick of tangy cream cheese frosting, it’s not so heavy you can’t eat a whole one (and maybe wish you had yet another).
Lynnwood, 20815 67th Ave. W, No. 202; 425.361.7923

Coconut frosting tops the bun from Patrick’s Cafe and Bakery

Patrick’s Café and Bakery
Patrick Choy, brother of renowned Hawaiian restaurateur and chef Sam Choy, runs this charming Hawaiian-influenced bakery. Regulars know that the cinnamon rolls—soft and just barely sweet—are the best choice from the pastry case. The classic ($4.50), served with cream cheese frosting, is great, but we can’t get enough of the haupia version ($4.75), which comes topped with a subtle coconut frosting and a smattering of crushed macadamia nuts. White Center, 10003 15th Ave. SW; 206.582.1880

Bakery Nouveau
With three locations to serve the greater Seattle area, this French-style bakery is a fan favorite for many reasons—everything that comes out of the kitchen is phenomenal. The cinnamon roll ($4.75) is no exception, tightly wound with a layer of Vietnamese cinnamon and sugar and then topped with a citrusy cream cheese icing while still warm from the oven. Multiple locations