by Michelle
published February 26, 2014
Jump to Recipe
4.07 (72 ratings)These Polish doughnuts are easy and so delicious! Fill with your favorite fruit preserve and roll in sugar, then serve on Paczki Day (i.e. Fat Tuesday).
I first heard of paczki last year around the beginning of Lent, and noticed them at the grocery store around the same time. I did a little digging and found that they are Polish pastries similar to jelly doughnuts and that they are traditionally made and eaten on Fat Tuesday and Fat Thursday, which I didn’t even know existed!
Apparently, Fat Thursday is a traditional Christian feast marking the last Thursday before Lent.Traditionally, it is a day dedicated to eating, when people meet with friends and family to eat large quantities of sweets, cakes and other meals forbidden during Lent. I couldn’t really find anything that spelled out a discernible difference between Fat Tuesday and Fat Thursday, except that it seems certain regions and religions tend to celebrate one or the other. The concept is definitely the same – indulge as much as possible right before Lent!
Now, back to the paczki… The difference between these and a basic doughnut is that paczki are made with a very rich, sweet yeast dough consisting of eggs, butter and milk.Sort of like a brioche doughnut, only better, if you can imagine!
I made a mental note of paczki last year and definitely wanted to make them when the time rolled around again, and here we are!
Tomorrow is Fat Thursday and Fat Tuesday is just around the corner. Let’s get frying!
When I started to poke around for recipes, I called my grandma (who is 100% Polish) to see if she had a recipe for paczki. Sadly, she did not, but said that her mom used to make them.
Bummed, I started Googling “paczki recipe” and then got smart and revised it to “grandma’s paczki recipe”. I wanted something really authentic and I found more than a handful of recipes originating with someone’s grandma. While all of the ingredients were the same, the quantities and methods varied from recipe to recipe, so I hacked together what I thought sounded delicious and started on my way.
The most traditional paczki recipes call for filling the doughnuts with fruit preserves or prune butter, while others said their grandma never used a filling. Some say they must be rolled in powdered sugar, while others say they had always been rolled in granulated sugar.
I did a batch of each: filled/powdered, filled/granulated, unfilled/powdered, and unfilled/granulated. For the filled ones, I did half raspberry and half apricot preserves.
My husband and I taste tested all of them and both came to the conclusion that the unfilled ones rolled in granulated sugar were the bee’s knees. Jelly doughnuts were never my thing, so I wasn’t surprised that I preferred the unfilled ones. As for the sugar coating, both tasted good, but I love the crunch of granulated sugar on the outside of a doughnut. So hard to beat it!
If you’re planning to celebrate Fat Thursday tomorrow, or Fat Tuesday next week, you neeeeeed to make paczki part of your menu!
One year ago: Sesame Chicken and Macadmia Nut, Coconut & White Chocolate Blondies
Two years ago: Beer Battered Cod and Capirotada (Mexican Bread Pudding)
Three years ago: Grilled Fish Tacos and Fig, Date and Almond Granola Bars
Yield: 20 to 24 paczki
Prep Time: 2 hrs
Cook Time: 20 mins
restinng time: 10 mins
Total Time: 2 hrs 30 mins
Traditional Polish paczki - yeasted doughnuts filled with fruit preserves and rolled in sugar, popular on Fat Thursday and Fat Tuesday.
4.07 (72 ratings)
Ingredients
- 2 cups (480 ml) whole milk, warmed to 110 degrees F
- 4½ teaspoons (4.5 teaspoons) active dry yeast, 2 packages
- ¾ cup (149 g) + 1 pinch granulated sugar, divided
- 5 to 6 cups (709 to 850 g) all-purpose flour, divided
- 1 egg
- 4 egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1¼ teaspoons (1.25 teaspoons) salt
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- Peanut oil, canola oil or lard, for frying
- Fruit preserves, for filling
- Powdered and granulated sugars, for coating
Instructions
Pour warm milk into bowl of a stand mixer. Stir in the yeast and a pinch of granulated sugar. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes, or until it has become bubbly.
Add 2 cups of flour to the mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until a smooth batter forms. Cover with plastic wrap and set in a warm spot for 30 minutes. The mixture should have risen and be very bubbly.
In a medium bowl, whisk the egg and egg yolks until pale yellow and frothy, about 3 minutes. Add the sugar, vanilla extract and salt, and whisk until combined and smooth.
Attach the dough hook to the mixer, add the egg mixture to the dough and mix on medium-low speed until mostly combined. Add the melted butter and mix to combine. Gradually add 3 more cups of flour to the mixture and continue to knead until a very soft dough comes together. (It will not clean the sides of the bowl or form a ball; it will be rather slack and a bit sticky.) If necessary, add up to another 1 cup of flour, a spoonful at a time, until the dough forms.
Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and set in a warm spot until it has doubled in size.
Remove the dough from the bowl and turn out onto a floured work surface. With your fingers, push down the dough into an even layer. Sprinkle flour on the dough and roll it out to ½-inch thickness. If the dough doesn't hold its shape and springs back, cover with a damp towel and let rest for a few minutes and try again.
Use a 3-inch biscuit cutter to cut out rounds of dough. Transfer the dough rounds to parchment-lined baking sheets. Gather scraps of dough and again roll out and cut until you have used up all of the dough. Cover the baking sheets loosely with plastic wrap and place in a warm, draft-free spot until almost doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat at least 1½ inches of oil in a heavy-bottomed pot or deep skillet (I used a 12-inch cast iron skillet) over medium heat to 350 degrees F. Carefully lower about six paczki into the oil at a time (be sure not to over-crowd the pan) and fry until the bottom is golden brown. Carefully turn them over and continue to fry until the other side is golden brown. Use a spider strainer or slotted spoon to remove them to a paper towel-lined baking sheet to drain. Allow the oil to come back to temperature, then repeat until all of the paczki have been fried.
Allow the paczki to cool until you are able to handle them easily. Using a filling tip, pipe fruit preserves into the sides of the paczki, then roll in sugar. The paczki are best the same day they are made, but can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Notes
Nutritional values are based on one serving
Calories: 235kcal, Carbohydrates: 36g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 55mg, Sodium: 163mg, Potassium: 100mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 10g, Vitamin A: 175IU, Vitamin C: 0.2mg, Calcium: 40mg, Iron: 1.7mg
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
Author: Michelle
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American, Polish
Originally published February 26, 2014 — (last updated January 4, 2021)
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Georgette — Reply
Have made paczki for years, thought I’d try this recipe. Best paczki ever! This is definitely a recipe that I’ll be making again!
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Eliza — Reply
I’ve made this recipe for years now as my husband is half Polish. My favorite is lemon curd filling rolled in granulated sugar. So good but like all fried foods it does not age well. I use about only half the recipe and share with friends. Also I use more flour then stated as I always seem to be making this in the winter and I live in a wet climate. Highly recommend!
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Melody — Reply
Can these be baked instead of fried?
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Kris Marie — Reply
First time making these, started at 10 AM this morning and just finished them. A lot of work but pretty darn tasty. Made a pudding icing for the cream filled and did the other half with jellies. I have such trouble getting the jelly piped into the donuts. Used both powered sugar for the cream filled and granulated sugar for the jelly filled, also had trouble getting the granulated sugar to stick to the outside. Hopefully my husband will love these!
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Shellee Niznik — Reply
These were delicious! Important to keep the oil the right temp. But easy to make of you have a few hours. I’ll make a again!
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Rhonda — Reply
I have a stupid question:( Why do you have to bring the skillet/oil to room temp before frying a second batch?
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Louise K. — Reply
Hi Rhonda— it does not mean room temp, it means frying temp (350). When you fry anything the temperature will lower when the food is placed in the oil. It is best to wait until the temperature rises back up before frying the next batch.
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Linda — Reply
I have used safari for years….habit I guess.
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Sandy — Reply
Do you have a recipe for custard filling?
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Michelle — Reply
Oooh yes! I recommend the filling from these doughnuts: https://www.browneyedbaker.com/vanilla-cream-filled-doughnuts/
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Irene Mary Renaud — Reply
Does it really need that much sugar in the donut itself? I have been tempted to make these all week but hesitate due to being a diabetic. I made some years ago without regular sugar, for my mom (also diabetic)
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Michelle — Reply
Hi Irene, You can reduce the sugar a bit if you’d like.
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Marieke A — Reply
These are amazing! And foolproof. My dough was a bit too wet, but I managed to fix it. Great taste and easy bake!
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B. Koehler — Reply
I made these today with apricot filling! Fantastic! Thanks for sharing.
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Michele — Reply
I made a 1/2 recipe to fit in my bread machine, they were easy and awesome! I used a 1/2 recipe of your vanilla cream for some of the pączki, prune, poppy seed and raspberry jam for the others, we prefer a light glaze on ours over powdered or granulated sugar. . I shared the pączki with our friends and neighbours, I have been told I need to make more for Fat Tuesday, thanks for a great recipe!
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Rosa — Reply
Can these be baked instead?
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Michelle — Reply
Hi Rosa, I’ve never tried baking these.
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BAHAREH LARIBI — Reply
Great recipe I’ve made it and all family loved the taste:)
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Patricia — Reply
I come from a Polish background, and I have to tell you that these pączki look AMAZING. I’m definitely going to give them a try. I did once before, many years ago with my parents, without much luck. They came out like lead balls, and we had to throw the whole batch away. :( They came out too dark on the outside and downright raw on the inside. Perhaps the oil was too hot? Or not hot enough? Maybe they were just too dense. Hopefully, a try with this recipe will be much more successful!
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Jacquelyn Jackson — Reply
There is no such thing as fat Thursday! It’s Maundy Thursday. 😊
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Hezia — Reply
Jacquelyn, try googling. Pączki are Polish and in Poland, it’s Fat Thursday.
Just because you’ve not heard of it doesn’t mean it’s not a thing.-
Patricia —
That’s right, Hezia! And it doesn’t land anywhere near “Maundy Thursday” or as we American Catholics like to say, “Holy Thursday.” Instead, it’s the Thursday before Ash Wednesday. So clearly, not the same thing!
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Maria — Reply
My mother is German Catholic & always referred to it as Fat Tuesday. We always had jelly donuts. Sit was a tradition in her house growing up.
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Linda — Reply
Can you cook them in a air fryer?
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Tracy — Reply
Wondering myself. Did you try it?
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Zoe — Reply
I wish I could give this a bigger star than 5! Best desserts ever!
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Kristen B — Reply
Just made paczki with my Polish Babcie this weekend. Recipe was very similar to yours, one difference was that hers called for a tablespoon of whiskey (or rum or vodka). She said that was to absorb some of the grease. They turned out perfectly!
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Doreen Benedict — Reply
Help. I cant get my yeast to rise. 3 different attempts. What am I doing wrong?
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Barbara Kreamer — Reply
The yeast must have expired.
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Lisa Sayles — Reply
Do I actually need dough hooks for my stand mixer? Mine didn’t come with any and the ones that I have from a previous mixer are not c0mpatible.
Thank you for your help. I love your website! My apple turnovers were a hit.
Thanks for your help.-
Michelle — Reply
Hi Lisa, You can just knead by hand!
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Dorothy Christensen — Reply
Of all you wonderful bakers out there, has one of you tried this in an air fryer?
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Tracy — Reply
Wondering myself. Did you try it?
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Jessica — Reply
These look wonderful! I don’t hold high hopes of them turning out because I’m terrible at frying anything 😅 but I’ve always wanted to try making doughnuts!
Sadly, I’m a bit snowed in at the moment and only have 2%. Will that mess with the recipe too much or could it work? I also have powdered buttermilk, but I don’t know if that could do me any good either. Lol
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Liv — Reply
Even though both Fat Tuesday and Tłusty Czwartek are still awhile away, I was craving pączki and had some (rare) free time on my hands. This recipe was absolutely lovely! The pączki turned out very light and fluffy, and so soft. I went less traditional with my filling, freestyling a simple chocolate filling from condensed milk, chocolate chips, a dash of salt and a little vanilla. The whole family loves them! I would definitely recommend this recipe to anyone.
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Mary — Reply
I’ve been making these for Fat Tuesday for the past few years. My Mother use to make them and so did my Babcia. This recipe taste just like my Mom’s.
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Arleen Stemmer — Reply
Do you think these can be made in an air fryer? Wadda
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Michelle — Reply
Hi Arleen, I’ve never used an air fryer, so I can’t say for sure!
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Malgorzata — Reply
It nice. Best from Poland.
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Kelly Jesch — Reply
These turn out fabulously. Added 10 degrees for altitude tonthe frying oil. Other than that, yum!!!
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Vanessa — Reply
Wonderful. My husband NEVER has food requests… EVER. To my surprise he asked if I could make him donuts a couple weeks ago. WOW, ok, u got it, sounds easy enough. Yea, 2 recipes later n no donuts for my hunny. Total wifey fail lol.
Well, i found this recipe yesterday n decided to give it another try, donut redemption lol. It was more than pleasing to share these with him and see the big smile on his face. So yummy. Ty so much for sharing! -
Ken Alford — Reply
Great recipe. Looks delicious. Thanks.
Am I the only non-Polish reader?
So….how do you PRONOUNCE paczki ?-
Michelle — Reply
It’s pronounced “PUNCH-kee”
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JERRY WILSLKI — Reply
IT WILLNOT PRINT!
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Judy Nelson — Reply
I just made this recipe yesterday! Wow! So good! I didn’t fill them, just rolled in cinnamon sugar, but will fill next time I make them.
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Deb Foster — Reply
Being 100% Polish as your Grandma as we know them to be “Babci’s”, never are they filled as yes, they would simply be similar to jelly donuts! I am very impressed that you had the determination to undertake the task as it is a lot of work! Be certain to have your 100% “Babci” share ALL her Polish recipes as you will not be disappointed! My dear Mom is 92 & continues to grace us with her culinary talent & efforts!
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Janet Williams — Reply
My Polish grandmother used to make these and never used a biscuit cutter. Instead she would take a small amount of dough and roll it into a ball and keep on pinching the ends/sides together until smooth. Then let rise until doubled and fry. She never put in a filling – instead we would just dip the Paczki into a bowl of regular sugar and eat. SOOO YUMMY.
That is the way that I do it today.-
Joyce — Reply
Growing up in a Polish community we had pavilion parties at church. If you didn’t grow up making them then you might have used a biscuit cutter. Most ladies cut off a piece of dough and wrapped it around a homemade filling-prune, apricot etc Much richer and thicker than jam. Then the dough was pinched tight and put on a pan to rise before frying. Most rolled in granulated sugar while warm. My mother cheated a little by wrapping the dough around a chunk of dark chocolate! When warmed before serving the chocolate would be melted and delicious
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Ula — Reply
So lovely to find something from “my neck of the woods” ;) You described it all just perfectly. If I can add one thing – very traditional way of making Polish paczki is adding a rose jam as a filling (at least in the area I’m from). Although very popular and desired in Poland not everyone would be into it outside of my home country. Most of my North American friends are rather unimpressed with those but will absolutely indulge in the paczki with plum jam filling.
Ok, this is my first comment but I love your blog and am following your cooking and baking encounters for years.
Greetings from Toronto! -
Shari Horner — Reply
Trying the recipe today. Sounds absolutely delicious.
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Cynthia — Reply
110 degrees Fahrenheit seems more hot then warm to me? Is it very necessary to heat the milk up that much?
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Michelle — Reply
Hi Cynthia, Yes, most recommendations are for temperatures of 110 to 115 degrees F in order to activate the yeast properly.
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Rhea — Reply
Can’t wait to try the receipt.
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laura — Reply
wow this recipi is amasing i made these with my 4 year old boy jerome and he dosent really like sweet things but he loved this recipie im baker to and its offen quite hard to find good donut recipie thanks this one is shure a keeper
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PB — Reply
This looks amazing! How long did you fry them for on each side? Thanks in advance!
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Michelle — Reply
Only 1 or 2 minutes; the time may vary based on how hot the oil stays, so definitely go by look and not the clock!
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Jessica F — Reply
These were the STAR of our Mardi Gras party! So light and delicious! People could not get enough of them! Worth the time and effort!!
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KitKat — Reply
I was so excited to find this recipe and couldn’t wait o try it! That was until I started actually reading the directions…sounds very difficult! I’m not sure if I am gonna make an attempt at it or not…..What do you think? Is it a lot of work or just sounds harder than it really is?
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Jessica F — Reply
It is a lot of work, but so worth it! You will not get store-bought paczkis this light, fluffy and delicious!
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Michelle — Reply
I obviously think they’re doable since I shared the recipe (and a video); it’s pretty straightforward, just takes a bit of time.
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Laudine S — Reply
I just attempted these and was very disappointed, they did not puff up when fried. Just left with flat fried dough😩
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KissAnime — Reply
this looks incredible!!
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judy driscoll — Reply
can u use sub sugar like truvia to make them with. i use it in a lot of recipes
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Michelle — Reply
Hi Judy, I have never used Truvia, so I can’t say for sure how it might affect the dough or interact with the yeast.
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Bridgette — Reply
Can a let the dough rise overnight or even each donut cut out rise overnight in the fridge? Will I get the same results?
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Michelle — Reply
Hi Bridgette, I haven’t tried it, but I think that should work okay.
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irene c. lao — Reply
awesome!! i’ve been wanting to make this. must try!!
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Nancy — Reply
Hi I just made these but I only want to make half the amount today. Can I refrigerate the dough for a couple days and make the rest then? Thank You!!!
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Michelle — Reply
Hi Nancy, I have not done that, but I would probably try to make them all within 24-48 hours.
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Theresa — Reply
Hey folks,
I saw this recipe on facebook and I just want to add some more cultural background :)
I’m from Germany and your packzi look very like the german “berlin pancake” and in there region were i come from we celebrate something called ‘fasnacht’ and its the week before asher wednesday. It actually starts on a thursday, we call it ‘dirty thursday’ and the people celebrated the week before they strictly fasted.
They also used the fat and eggs before the food tainted.
I think it is quite funny how similiar the cultures went, isn’t it?-
Phenry — Reply
Very interesting! Thanks for the background!
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Sara Grezlik — Reply
Just thought I’d let you know I used your recipe as a boucing off recipe for my blog. I gave you lots of credit and I turned them into GIRL SCOUT COOKIE FLAVORED PACZKI! Thanks for a wonderful recipe :) I enjoyed all the calories!
https://saragrezlik.wixsite.com/talesofmychaos/single-post/2018/02/06/FAT-EVERYDAY
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Michelle — Reply
Love your Girl Scout cookie spin! DELICIOUS!
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Carrie — Reply
I making these right now but I just realize that you do not kneed the dough???
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Michelle — Reply
Hi Carrie, Yes, the dough is kneaded in the mixer (step #4).
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Careie —
Omgosh that counts?!!! That’s amazing lol who would ever do it By hand by choice. (Unless you don’t have a mixer of course). How long do you let that mix/kneed? I know you show it in the video but I couldn’t really tell if yours looked the same as mine in the video? Also, (sorry) mine where extremely crazy sticky! Is that because I didn’t let it mix long enough? They turned out but I had to douse it with flour in the rolling out section to get it to work. They where very tasty though!!! Well until I put the store bought jam in it and ruined it. By there self was way better! Any pointers on what I could be doing wrong, I’d really appreciate. No way was it supposed to be that sticky lol I followed the directions but I think I didn’t do certain things long enough maybe??? Thank you!
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Tink Martin —
The video above differs from the recipe. In the video, only the whisk is used. When you read the recipe, there is a point where you apparently switch over to the dough hook.
That was really confusing to me. There are some other differences, as well.
I’ve just started heating up my milk to make these, and I don’t know whether to trust the video or the written instructions. LOL!
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Laura Strnad — Reply
These sound wonderful! I am always going to the grocery store and buying 4 in a package for 5 bucks. This way I could save the money and have more than 4 of them. I love paczkis!
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Fanzillah — Reply
Excellent recipe. Soft and tasty. Yielded about 40 doughnuts and not 20 to 24, no complaints here. I chose to bake mine at 190•C for 10 mins. made my own lemon filling and it was divine. Thanks for the recipe
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Margo — Reply
Well, your paczki look authentic enough….My first husband’s grandmother was from Lithuania (before it was part of Russia & her first husband was 100% Polish and I remember her making these doughnuts but I was like you, I loved them without filling the best. They had a huge farm, she had a walk in freezer for her fresh fruit and vegetables and meat like you would not believe! that sucker was 10’x10′ and oh the beautiful fruits she gave me every single weekend keep me baking 7 days a week because I had not freezer!
You are so awesome with your blog! Love it and kiss the babies for me! -
QL7 — Reply
Hello fellow Yinzer!
This looks to be very close to my Polish M-I-L’s recipe, but she used whiskey in the dough NOT vanilla. Oh, yea. “Smacznego!” -
Stephen R — Reply
This recipe is great. I’ve tried several recipes in the past. Most recently, I made a batch last year for Fat Tuesday but didn’t have my oil temperature right and they were not cooked on the inside. This year I was determined to make paçzki correctly. After looking at several recipes I used this one.
They turned out great. I followed the recipe exactly save one change – I used a shot of pear brandy instead of vanilla. Lots of other recipes recommend vodka or brandy or other liqueur. I also found I needed a lot of butter to coat the fried donuts so sugar would stick, so I would be sure to have extra on hand.
I did not roll my scraps out. I was only make donuts for a small number of people and realize that rolling out scraps will result in a slightly denser batch, too. Without using scraps, I got 18 donuts using 3 inch biscuit cutters.The rose perfectly and then fried nicely at the recommend temperature and times.
I will definitely keep this recipe as my go to for paçzki and will share with others. I’m glad I found one that worked perfectly the first time and seems like it will be reliable in the future.
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Elizabeth — Reply
Made this tonight with homemade lemon curd. So good!
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Kristin — Reply
I’ve tried this recipe twice. While the taste is good, I’m having a heck of a time getting them to rise. I’ve followed this recipe to a T. The first time I thought, maybe I didn’t put the correct amount of yeast. But the second time I’m having the same issue. Any advice?
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Michelle — Reply
Hi Kristin, If you’re sure that the yeast measurement is correct, I would ensure that your milk is the correct temperature. Using an instant digital thermometer is the best way – it needs to be warm enough to activate the yeast, but not so hot that it kills it. Also make sure you are letting the dough rise in a warm, draft-free area.
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Ann — Reply
Made these last night for Fat Thursday! My boyfriend is from Poland and was craving some Paczki. We was quite pleased with the results, but felt it wasn’t the same as the ones from Poland. Everything turned out yummy. Too yummy! I ate about four! Had to send these off with the BF so he could give away the rest so I wouldn’t eat them all. The only thing I had to modify was the temperature of the oil. The paczki were browning too quickly at 350 F so I had to fry at 325 F. Other than that, I really like the recipe. Easy to follow and made my first experience making paczki a success. =D Thank you!
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Jennifer — Reply
I’ve never tried these, but they look amazing. I’m from the Mississippi Gulf Coast and we always had Pusharatas around this time of year–it’s a Croatian fritter that is filled with fruit, spices, and sometimes nuts, fried, and then a covered in a nice sugar glaze. This recipe make me remember fondly those Pusharatas and wish I had some right now!! Thanks for sharing this recipe!
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Daniela — Reply
In Poland there isn’t Fat Tuesday there is FAST Tuesday we called Sledzik (herring day ; herring used to be so cheap that poor people ate them v today is so expensive especially Matjas).
We serve all kinds of dishes made of herring and serve with vodka it’s the preparation for fasting. -
Tammy J Semmler — Reply
Loved them!! Can I put the dough to double overnight in the fridge, roll out and cut with circle cutter in the am, let them rise and then fry ? Just want to be as fresh as possible for bake sale. I dont want to make everything day of , or everything day before. Thank you for yummies!!
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Michelle — Reply
Hi Tammy, I’ve never split up making these, but if you were to use an overnight chill, I would probably do so after it has rose already, or after you cut out the rounds. The refrigerator will stunt the rise, which is fine in some recipes, but I don’t think it would work with this one.
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Michaellanne Brown — Reply
So first off….wow!! I made these last night (my first time!) and they were incredible!! I was wondering if you have ever baked these instead of frying. I’d like to try that next time but not sure how it would come out or how to do it. Thanks!
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Michelle — Reply
Hi Michaellanne, I’m so thrilled that you loved these! I’ve never tried baking them, though.
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Jennifer Beeson Davis — Reply
Did you ever try to bake them?? If you did how did they turn out?
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Terry M — Reply
100% Polish grandmother and you didn’t hear of them before? My mother is 100% Polish and it is a family tradition. I make my brother buy me one at least once before lent, last year he failed his mission, I will not let him live it down. Especially since I make his b-day cake every year. Have you tried custard or cream? My 100% Puerto Rican husband loves the custard and lemon ones while I am more of a cream (like doughnut cream) girl.
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Jen — Reply
I don’t have yeast on hand, any chance I can use self rising flour?
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Michelle — Reply
Hi Jen, Unfortunately not, you need yeast.
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Kate Eggleston — Reply
Thank you so much for the beautiful background story for the Paczki recipe. We always celebrated Fat Tuesday, didn’t know about Fat Thursday.
My mom made these for everyone and made big batches for family, friends and many different celebrations with loved ones. She died before I could get her recipe (one she kept in her head and would “feel” the readiness of her dough. We always had them plain with granulated sugar. I don’t remember anyone taking just one!
Thank you so much! -
Kimberly — Reply
My Busia made the best Paczki & Polish coffee cake! We tried several times to write down her recipes as we baked with her over the years. Unfortunately, she did everything by feel & we never figured out the recipes! Different every time & never as good as hers! I miss her & her baking!
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sandra — Reply
The last picture you have of the paczek, before you have the actual recipe, convinced me that yours was the recipe to try. They look exactly like the ones in Poland! A lot of the time, the paczki made in the US are very bready and tough, but yours look appropriately light and fluffy.
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Beth — Reply
I’m so glad you had this recipe available. I moved away from Amish country this past summer, and I realized that Fasnacht day was coming, and I wouldn’t have any! This recipe made me a great substitute! I did forget to add the sugar to the dough, but rolling them in granulated sugar (and a bit of cinnamon) was just right.
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Kates Daughter — Reply
Lovely recipe. For those who found it a challenge, if you’ve not worked with yeast before, this wouldn’t be the recipe to start with. The 110 degree milk should not have killed the yeast. Using a wooden spoon to beat the mixture until it is smooth, it exactly what it takes to get a nice yeast batter (for nearly any yeast dough) started. Varying amounts of flour is a hallmark of baking. So much depends upon the age of the flour, the humidity in the air, and of course, elevation.
My Polish Aunt would have stuck with the traditional rose petal jam, but that can be tricky to find in the USA. She also would have been fine with the unfilled paczki. Paczki is the plural by the way, where paczek is the singular. However, often paczki is used interchangeably, both plural and singular (rather like deer).
Thank you for a fun read, and special thanks to all the comments!!
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Amber Estep — Reply
Paczki Day is like a holiday in Michigan (much like Mardi Gras to New Orleans, just not as grand of a scale, seriously though Google Paczki and check out all of the Michigan and Detroit references). It is often an hour or longer wait in line and many people place orders early (by the dozen). And don’t anyone dare call them just another donut.
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jenna b — Reply
We love Paczkis but have never tried making them at our house until today. They were a huge hit and delicious. Tried several different varieties including your suggestions and We also drizzled a few with melting chocolate…so good. This will be my go to recipe from now on. Thanks! And happy Lent/Paczki day, etc
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Katarzyna — Reply
This recipe did not work for me. I try to stick to real Polish ones, got lazy with conversion and decided to give this one a shot ( based on good reviews ) First of all, milk at 110 F killed my yeast. Tried the second time with warm, not hot milk and got some bubbling, ( also different yeast) The dough required not 6 but 7 plus cups of flour to even have pliable ( not drippy) consistency. It was not soft and fluffy at all. I tried frying one paczek, but it came out looking and tasting like dense, sweet bagel. All my work ended up in the trash. Next time I m sticking to traditional, real Polish recipes.
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David — Reply
I made them last year. My mother-in-law almost cried. She said they were just like her (polish) grandmothers. I’m making them again this year.
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G — Reply
Hi there,
I just made these tonight and they are AMAZING!!
Sprinkled them in regular sugar and they were a hit!
Thank you for your amazing recipes! ❤️❤️❤️❤️ -
Kriss — Reply
Traditional paczki are made with rum or brandy, but other than that this recipe looks pretty good :-)
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Marissa — Reply
I think if you use a more European spread or Jelly the doughnut will be better. I love a jelly-filled doughnut and make these all the time, but the American jelly-filled I hate because it’s sooooo sweet. I like to use a homemade raspberry or lingonberry. I’m planning on trying a strawberry one made by a local woman.
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Bryan — Reply
Gave this recipe a try, thanks for the inspiration. Here’s my review : http://bryanhartman.weebly.com/home/fat-tuesday
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Shery — Reply
Do you have to use whole mile, or is 2% ok. I want to be correct. I’ll buy whole milk if it makes it better.
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Kathy — Reply
I am originally from Pittsburgh but have lived in Cleveland, Ohio for years. We always had Paczki’s before Lent. In Cleveland Fat Tuesday is really big and so are the Paczki’s. From Giant Eagle to every bakery in the Cleveland area.
They are delicious! Enjoy Fat Tuesday!
I used the Brown Eyed Baker recipe for the Paczki’s tonight and they came out very good. I used to call all my babies Paczki’s when they were infants and were so cute and squeezable. -
Christine — Reply
Made them filled with Nutella and with cherry preserves. They came out wonderfully!!!
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Callie — Reply
Made these for my roommate’s birthday this evening and they were incredible! Yeast always makes me nervous, but they were just perfect and well worth the effort. I used high quality jam and spiked it with bourbon, something I could not recommend too strongly. Thank you for this fabulous recipe!!!
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Heather — Reply
Made this EXACTLY as above and they looked great and tasted great..on the outside edges but unfortunately the inside was still all raw doughy :( I made sure the dough was brown before I flipped and all that. I made sure the oil stayed at 350 and I didn’t crowd the pan or anything! Any ideas of what went wrong?
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Muhammad from Maldives — Reply
Hi, would it be ok to add in a potato or two to this recipe…i’ve made yeast doughnuts with and without potatoes, the difference is the light and fluffiness it brings..do you use potatoes in your recipes? Thanks for the Recipe.
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Michelle — Reply
I have not used potatoes; if you did, I couldn’t tell you how it might affect the recipe.
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Gail — Reply
Do you have any suggestions for high altitude cooking? I live in Colorado Springs with an altitude above 6000 feet. Thanks!
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Michelle — Reply
Hi Gail, I don’t have anything for this specific recipe, but I do have some general tips here: https://www.browneyedbaker.com/high-altitude-baking/
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May — Reply
Hi,
my question is ” can I make this dough in a bread maker” for these sweet little Polish buns?-
Michelle — Reply
Hi May, I’ve never used a bread machine, so I wouldn’t be able to say if there are any adaptations that need to be made.
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May —
Hi Michelle, I had asked about making the dough in a bread machine,well I went ahead and made it in the bread machine,turned out great,the Paczki were great!
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Grace — Reply
How long does it take all together? Including rising time and all?? Btw. I love your recipes and these paczkis look absolutely bomb diggity!!
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Michelle — Reply
Hi Grace, 2 hours 30 minutes (at the top of the recipe, you can find this under ‘total time’).
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Carrie —
Hi! I’m obsessed with your site as well! I have been looking at soooooo many recipes but I trust your judgement the most. How long do I need to let the dough rise? I know you said total time but how long do I need to let it rise? What happens if I leave the house during this time to get something down while I wait and I go over that time? Is that ok?
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Michelle —
Hi Carrie, The dough needs to double in size, which will take usually between 1 and 2 hours (depending on the temperature and humidity level of your house). If you go over the time by a little it’s fine, but it’s possible that the dough could overflow the bowl if left way too long.
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Kasia — Reply
Hi!
I am Polish and I very like your recipe for pączki :) We have Fat Thursday before the Ash Wednesday. It is very old tradition. Greetings from Poland!
(I am sorry for my English,it isn’t very good)
Smacznego! -
Heidelind — Reply
I’ve been mentally gearing up to make these for at least a month. Today was the day. And they are absolutely amazing! Brought some to my neighbors next door. The lady of the house took a sniff and gave me a big hug:) this is how I compensate for my dogs breaking yard boundaries….
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Harry — Reply
Hi,
Just love your recipes! I regularly make something from here. Ive made these 3 times already! Im wondering if maybe you can stop these somewhere in the process of making them and pop them in the fridge to finish off the next day? As you say, their best fresh, but its quite a lengthy recipe. Maybe leave them to rise overnight and just fry them off the next morning?-
Michelle — Reply
Hi Harry, So glad you enjoy the recipes! I have not tried splitting this up, but you may be able to refrigerate for a slow rise before frying. If you try it, let me know how it goes!
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Dominika — Reply
hey! I’m 100% Polish and this is just an essential recipe in every house in Poland. I’ve got just one tip for you! you should add one tablespoon of grain alcohol or vodka to the dough. Paczki will be frying quicker and absorb less fat from frying ;)
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KathyB — Reply
Would you reduce liquid elsewhere? Also, I heard adding lemon zest is quite common.
:)
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Carrie — Reply
At what stage would you put this in?
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Ruth — Reply
I have been making panczki for years – before they were cool! I use my Polish grandma’s recipe very similar to yours. We have always rolled them in granulated sugar and eaten them us filled. My kids call the ones at the grocery store “fake panczki!”
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Arielle — Reply
My Polish grandma always made her paczkis unfilled and rolled in granulated sugar. To this day I still prefer it that way to the filled ones with powdered sugar or thin icing.
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Michelle — Reply
Oh these were so good. I made a sour jam. And I shamefully ate three of them.
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Anne — Reply
I just want to say how much I love your blog and to thank you for helping me stretch my wings as a cook. Over the weekend I made your Italian wedding soup recipe and yesterday I made a batch of paczki, both are foods I love but always assumed were beyond my skill. Where I live pazcki day is a big deal and I’ve had just about every kind from every kind of place but yours were amazing! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
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Michelle — Reply
Hi Anne, You are so sweet, thank you for taking the time to comment. I’m so happy to hear you’ve been enjoying the recipes! :)
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Laurie —
Hi Michelle,
I made Paczki for the first time last weekend. They are delicious and I will never buy them at Giant Eagle again. Thank you for researching and trying recipes and giving us the best one.
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Vedika @ Hot Chocolate Hits — Reply
Hey! This is so cool! I’m from India but I live in Poland- and we have a true abundance of fluffy, jam-injected Pączkis! It’s so exciting to see someone foreign make them because I feel like a lot of people don’t know how awesome Polish food is :)
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Jeannine — Reply
I an a native Chicagoan….with (like most people in Chicago) tons of Polish friends. Eating Paczki was a normal part of my life that I looked forward to in the run up to the Lenten season until I moved to the south (Memphis) where no one here seems to have ever heard of them. I am seriously craving this this year and may take a crack at this recipe tonight!
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Sheila — Reply
to re-heat: My Mom would put these in a paperbag and put them in the oven on a low temperature the next day. Tastes fresh again!!! Better than the microwave….
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angelika cunko — Reply
i am from berlin germany we call them pfannkuchen and eat them also on new years eve .
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Barbara — Reply
Hi Michelle, I attempted to make these today. The problem I had is after I cut them and let them rise again. As soon as I tried to pick them up (they were very sticky), they deflated and what I ended up with was free form fried dough that were flat and hard to fill. How do you remove them neatly from the parchment paper to drop in the oil?
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Michelle — Reply
Hi Barbara, Almost all of them came right up easily (I was very gentle when I picked them up). A few of them stuck, and I just floured my fingers and they came up just fine. I hope that helps!
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Anita — Reply
if anyone of you will be visiting Warsaw, I recommend to buy few donoughts in the bakery on Chmielna street. My most favourite donoughts with rose filling.. OMG moist, warm and just melting in your mouth. on Fat thursday Polish also make faworki, it is quite simple and also fried recepie but very crunchy comparing to donoughts. you can find recepie and translate it with google translator.
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Tracy | Pale Yellow — Reply
I grew up eating paczkis in MIchigan, they are not as popular on the East Coast; love them!
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Malwina — Reply
Wow I was surprised when I saw pączki recipe on your blog. :)
I’m from Poland and yes, we have Fat Thursday. There are always plenty of queues for pączki – calssic with rose jam inside. But there are a lot of variations: with toffi, vanilla pudding, blueberries or advocaat. But classic are the best!
We deep fry FAWORKI ( or chrust) too. If you don’t know them, you should check it. There are crispy things sprinkled with caster sugar.
After Fat Thursday we have something like Fat Tuesday. We eat pączki and sometimes children go from home to home, singing and collecting sweets or money (like on Halloween). :)Best wishes from Poland, love your blog.
Malwina -
Lissa — Reply
I’m glad to hear you say you like the unfilled best! I grew up in a polish church (in Michigan) and they’ve been making a non-filled paczki recipe for decades now. It originally came from someone’s family in the parish They cover theirs in powdered sugar. Pop those babies in The microwave for a few seconds and it’s glorious!
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Rachel — Reply
Was recently in Warsaw where I sampled many different paczki! The traditional ones are filled with rose jam, and sometimes topped with candied orange rind; it’s so wonderfully fragrant! They were also glazed and not rolled in granulated or powdered sugar!
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Tanya Thomas — Reply
Hi…
I am amazed at your talent! My daughter is moving her bakery (in Nevada) to a location that will allow her to have a fryer. Can you tell me what kind of donut maker you have. Thanks so much for all your wonderful posts!
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Michelle — Reply
Hi Tanya, I’m not sure what you mean by donut maker? I just cut them out with a round biscuit cutter and fried them in my 12″ cast iron skillet. I hope that helps!
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Carrie Jones — Reply
I am dying right now. This makes me realize I need to get back in the kitchen baking again.
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Jaclyn — Reply
I have GOT to try these! I’m obsessed with doughnuts but I’ve never made this kind. They look perfect!
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Lily (A Rhubarb Rhapsody) — Reply
I too had never heard of paczki. They sound and look lovely. I love the readers suggestions of rose petal jam.
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Bernadette — Reply
I did some digging and I asked my boyfriend’s mom about Paczki and many many years ago when she was a little girl Pączki were rolled in sugar as you said. They also made Paczki without any filling. But now is as I said in my previous comment. So your recipe and explanation is very very true :)
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Mi — Reply
Hi,
I’m Polish and I love pączki. Yours looks very nice. I would taste them. We celebrate Fat Thursday (nothing but Fat Thursday, not Fat Tuesday, Friday etc.) eating lots of pączkis and faworki (angel wings) – you could try to make them too :-)
P.S. The most popular filling for pączki is jam made from rose petals. Together with fluffy pączek it’s heavenly good! But we use also vanilla pudding, strawberry jam or soft chocolate. -
Lisa @ Simple Pairings — Reply
These look incredible! Doughnuts are totally my weakness, which is why your beautiful homemade ones look like heaven to me. Your photographs are gorgeous!! :)
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Becca @ Crumbs — Reply
Oh wow these look so good! I love that you tried out all the different combinations!
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Betsy | JavaCupcake.com — Reply
I’m heading to Poland again this summer…. I’ll have to look for these in a bakery. They look YUM!
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Natasha — Reply
The ones filled with jam and rolled in powdered sugar look just like the ones in all the bakeries in poland. Yum! And traditionally (according to Mum), it was always rose petal jam :-)
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Bob Batz Jr. — Reply
What a great and timely post — well done. :)
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Michelle — Reply
Thanks, Bob!
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Ela — Reply
Which do you prefer to use when baking bread, active dry yeast or instant yeast? Thanks.
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Michelle — Reply
Hi Ela, It all depends on the recipe, really. I’ve used both.
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Bernadette — Reply
I was never ever expect to see recipe for Pączki on your blog! So great to see this here. I love your blog because I can find here real recipes for American sweets and I found here very good recipe for Pączki.
Traditional Polish Pączki look exactly like yours but they are not roll in sugar. They should look like this http://www.mojewypieki.com/przepis/paczki-przepis-iv and they have to be always filled with rose jam.
About Fat Tuesday – does not exist. We have Fat Thursday and the last day of the Carnival we call Ostatki – Shrovetide (the last day when we can eat Pączki and other fat sweets).
But everyday in our bakery’s we can buy Pączki. I actually eat Pączki from time to time as my second breakfast at work and I’m not alone in this. But we only make them at home during the Carnival and especially for Fat Thursday. In my Town – Cracow we have also on this day a competitions: which bakery this year sold the best Pączki. This is like the best award for bakery in me town :) -
Milena — Reply
In my family pączki without filling are called “beznadziejne” (meaning terrible or useless) because filling in Polish is “nadzienie” and “bez” means without. Yours look great, though, only store bought pączek would be filled by a pipe. In my family the most popular filling is sour cherry jam.
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Caroline {TheBarbeeHousewife} — Reply
I have never heard of paczki before, but now I want some. I may need to make these for Fat Tuesday &/or Thursday! I have never heard of Thursday either!
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Judy — Reply
How can you tell when dough has doubled?
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Michelle — Reply
Hi Judy, I actually use a straight-sided container (this one: http://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop/items/flour-bucket-small), put the dough is, measure how high up the side the dough is, then double it and place a piece of tape on that doubled mark. When the dough gets to that mark, it’s doubled :) For instance, if I use a ruler when I put the dough in the container and see that it comes 3 inches up, then I place a piece of tape 6 inches up. There are also some dough-rising containers with marks.
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Monika — Reply
This looks completely delicious… How much oil did you use for frying?
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Michelle — Reply
Hi Monika, I recommend filling the pot or pan with 1½ to 2 inches of oil.
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Monika —
Awesome; thanks for the follow up!
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Elizabeth — Reply
I can’t wait to try these as my husband is Polish & would love them! I had a couple questions though: I know you said you could use a few different kinds of oil, but which did you use & recommend? Also, how much oil should I put in the skillet/pot? Do you want the paczki submerged or just half in? Thanks so much!
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Michelle — Reply
Hi Elizabeth, I used peanut oil (I still have a ton left from our deep-fried turkey at Thanksgiving). The paczki only need to be half in the oil. I would add about 2 inches of oil to your skillet or pot (if using a skillet, be sure it has high sides).
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Elizabeth —
Michelle, I’ve been meaning to come back and thank you for your response. :) I haven’t made these yet, but was planning to tomorrow. One other question if you have a sec, when you put these or any type of bread that needs to rise in a “warm” spot in your house, where do you put them, and what’s considered warm? I don’t have a warmer, and am always at a loss as to where to warm things. Thanks so much!!
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Michelle —
Hi Elizabeth, I would put them in an oven (that’s not turned on) and turn on the light. That will keep it free of drafts and give it a little ambient heat. Enjoy the paczki!
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Elizabeth —
You’re awesome for getting back to me so quickly! And thank you, I’m so glad to know that little trick about a warm spot :) Have a wonderful weekend with those 2 Goldens of yours!
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Melissa — Reply
When I used to work the bakery at Wal-mart making doughnuts, there was a version of these that I loved. I can’t wait to give these a try!
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kate — Reply
I haven’t had a good one since I left Buffalo, so I will have to try these! I prefer the granulated sugar coating with a raspberry filling. Like Kittentoes up there, I’d LOVE a fastnacht recipe as well.
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annie — Reply
Michelle,
Thank you for finding and figuring out the recipe for these fabulous donuts. We’ve eaten bought donuts from a Polish bakery here in town, but I’ve never made them from scratch. Their donuts are rolled in granulated sugar and taste so good. You do all the hard work for us, Michelle. -
Lorrie — Reply
Have you ever had King Cake?
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lynne — Reply
There is a recipe for King Cake on her site – look in the archives.
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Lynne — Reply
Oops, sorry, meant index, not archive:
https://www.browneyedbaker.com/2011/03/08/traditional-mardi-gras-king-cake/ -
Michelle — Reply
Hi Lorrie, Yes, and I have a recipe on the site for one: https://www.browneyedbaker.com/2011/03/08/traditional-mardi-gras-king-cake/
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Tricia @ Saving room for dessert — Reply
These sound wonderful and I love the background – very interesting. Never had one but could eat one now!
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Shery — Reply
I feel the same way, Tricia. I never had one either, but I’m making them tomorrow.
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Katrina @ WVS — Reply
Whoa, these donuts are FAB!! I love the recipe!
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Laura Dembowski — Reply
Paczki are very traditional here in the Detroit area. Last year I got some at the supposedly best bakery around and was so disappointed. I am really excited to try this recipe because I really want the paczki I have always dreamed about!
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Laurie — Reply
Thanks for posting the recipe Michelle. I am planning on making pączki this weekend. Though 100% Polish, I don’t remember growing up with them but since moving to Pittsburgh, have bought them in the grocery store. I knew homemade would taste so much better. I love the method you used for your recipe. I did the same for Placek. I collected and compared different recipes, looking for what would make it most authentic to my heritage.
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Darlene — Reply
I know you said you’re not a fan of filled donuts, but try making these with a custard filling or an apple pie filling. When I have them with either of those fillings it’s like heaven.
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Kasia — Reply
I think the best ones are filled with rose jam. You have to taste it. I can’t wait for tomorrow’s Fat Thursday!
Greetings from Poland :) -
Peggy Ann — Reply
I just discovered them this year! At my local Giant Eagle. I live just north of Pittsburgh! I have not attempted to make them yet but I am addicted to them now. I had ones with cream cheese filling! Thanks for the recipe. I love your recipes best, they never fail!
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Amanda — Reply
I grew up in southwest Michigan, and my grandma made paczki. Hers were rolled in granulated sugar, and had raisins in them. I think her recipe came from my grandpa’s mother, who was a German immigrant from the Volga River area in Russia (confusing, I know!). I now live in Atlanta, which suffers from a severe lack of paczki. Thank you for the great recipe!
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marcie — Reply
Wow…a jelly filled brioche-style donut? That’s living! That would be a great way to celebrate the end of Lent. These look delicious!
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Susan S — Reply
Quick question regarding the eggs – if I wanted to half this recipe, what would be the best way to handle the eggs? Should I use one whole egg and two egg yolks? Thanks! Look delicious!!
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Michelle — Reply
Hi Susan, Yes, I would use 1 whole egg and 2 egg yolks. You might need a tad more flour, so just adjust as necessary.
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Joan — Reply
A bakery near us makes these at this time of year but they fill them with REAL whipped cream! Some with just the cream, some with fruit filling and cream, some with just the fruit filling. So naughty!
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morri — Reply
I admit that I have never, ever, in my entire life, heard of anyone either rolling pączki in granulated sugar or making them completely unfilled. Sure, there are two rival camps: the people who fill their pączki with preserve before frying (that will be me) and people who use a filling tip or a syringe to fill the pastries after they are fried. The latter claim that preserve-filled pączki will never fry properly, but in my opinion, they just need to work on their frying skills ;) And rolling pączki in granulated sugar seems like sacrilege to me. They should be covered in either icing sugar or simple, thin icing. I have never seen anyone use anything else. But, hey, anything goes, it’s always best to let your taste buds be the judge. Other than that, the recipe looks very authentic. I’m glad you enjoyed this beloved Polish sweet!
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Ilona — Reply
I agree – thin icing is a must! :) My mom always fills pączki before frying (as my grandmother did). And we use prune butter or self-made cherries preserve. So happy to find one of my best sweet in one of my favourites blogs! :) Greetings from Poznań, Poland :)
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Rory —
I agree with the above icing comments! I’m from America, but I lived in Poland for two and a half years in eight different cities all over the country, and in all my time there I don’t think I ever had one that was covered in anything but a simple icing. They’re perfect that way! But like someone else said, anything goes, right? :) Oh, and I also don’t think I ever had one that wasn’t filled with something. Looks like a great recipe though! Can’t wait to try it! And one a side note, Ilona – of all the places I lived, I lived in Poznań for 6 months and it is by far my favorite! :)
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Ilona —
So happy to hear that! :)
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Anula — Reply
Actually, Fat Thursday is more like a tradition now, since there are not so many people that apply the rules of the Lent ;) even atheists eat pączki on Fat Thursday. There’s no such thing as Fat Tuesday though. I guess, by this you meant Shrovetide, which in Poland is something like Mardi Gras.. We organize big parties and this way celebrate last day of the Carnival. In Polish it is called Ostatki and on this day our ancestors used to eat pączki and other leftovers from Fat Thursday :) In Poland, very popular are also faworki, kind of crust formed in special shape and fried. I have trouble with describing them, so this link should help: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angel_wings :)
I hope I helped to clear some things up ;) I have to say I love your website and this delicious recipies! Greetings from Poland :)-
Anula — Reply
I forgot to mention, that traditionally pączki are made with rose petal jam, but nowadays they are served with any filling you want. But always with filling :)
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Linda — Reply
The doughnuts (Paczki) look lovely! In the part of Texas I came from they were filled with chocolate and vanilla cream, not authentic, but Yummy!
By the way, my cooking needed some help and a friend directed me to your site, my husband and kiddos thank you. My four year old even says ,”Is that the Brown Eyed Baker site?”. -
Liz @ Tip Top Shape — Reply
I will be celebrating BOTH Fat Tuesday and Fat Thursday. That’s just too good of an opportunity to pass up! These look delicious. I feel like a bad Polish person for never having actually made my own paczki. I have no excuses now that I have this recipe!
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Lori — Reply
The Germans make a similiar “donut”. My family’s recipe is unfilled and rolled in cinnamon sugar. Thanks for posting.
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Maria in NJ ~Dolcelicious Bake Shoppe — Reply
Lovely recipe Michelle! can you tell us the yield on this though! Just love your blog honey…Come to Cookie Con!
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Michelle — Reply
Hi Maria, The yield is up in the recipe, but 20 to 24 doughnuts.
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Maria in NJ ~Dolcelicious Bake Shoppe —
how did I miss that, I guess i was looking in the instructions for it…thank you Michelle!
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Laura @ Lauras Baking Talent — Reply
This is really big throughout lower Michigan. I grew up with the tradition of getting paczki on Fat Tuesday. Now they show up at work. Some try to be good and just eat half of one…but most of us love indulging for one day :)
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Cheryl s — Reply
Sound super yummy! I believe fat Tuesday is celebrated just before ash Wednesday. I had never heard about fat Thursday.
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Cheryl S — Reply
Fat Tuesday is Mardi Gras. The last celenration before Lent begins. Catholic roots.
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Andrea — Reply
Once again, just as I start thinking about going on a diet, you post a recipe I want to try. Shame on you!!! But seriously, will be giving these a go tomorrow as “Fat Tuesday” or Mardi Gras or Shrove Tuesday (as it’s known in the UK) is when traditionally you have pancakes (and not the American style thick pancakes, but rather the French style crepes). After that Lent starts, when you are supposed to give up some decadent treat until Easter (that never happens in my house, despite my good intentions). Will report back once made.
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Joanna — Reply
Hi! I’m Joanna and I’m from Poland! It was really nice to me read on your blog about our Polish tradition :) I don’t know a person who doesn’t celebrate Tłusty czwartek – Fat Friday. Everyone should eat pączek that day. I think yours paczki look relly nice! :) I made them on my own every year and more than ones ;) In my family we eat paczki from New Years Eve to Ash Wednesday. I read your blog really often and I thank you so much you wrote this post! Greetings from Zduńska Wola – Poland and I wish you soo sweet Fat Thursday! :D
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Averie @ Averie Cooks — Reply
My little old Polish grandmother used to make donuts that looked VERY similar to these, and I remember gorging on them as a child. She never called them packzi and we always just called them donuts, but the way you describe the dough as a really sweet yeast dough almost like a brioche donut, YES! That’s my childhood memory of them. Most of the time she did not fill them but just rolled them in sugar. There’s no written recipe in our family for anything like this because my grandmother, like all good polish cooks and grandmothers, never wrote a thing down and stored it all in her head. Sigh. So thank you for this post! Pinned!
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Debra — Reply
I have a friend in Poland, and have asked the Tuesday vs Thursday question of him. I’ll let you know his reply :)
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Debra — Reply
My Polish born and raised friend does not know Fat Tuesday, only Fat Thursday. Sounds like it is the same thing, just on a different day. Wonder how that happened? Thanks for the recipe for these little gems. I look forward to making them.
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Arielle —
I think in America to correspond better with Mardi Gras it became Fat Tuesday. In Chicago, where my Polish family is from, many Poles celebrate both Thursday and Tuesday in keeping with tradition, but also embracing new customs.
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Ola —
I’m a Pole and we do not celebrate Fat Tuesday, only Thursday
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Hanna Lampi — Reply
Looks delicious! We have similar doughnuts in Finland and the challenge we have when eating the granulated sugar coated ones is not to lick your lips while eating :) Harder than you think!
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Veronica — Reply
this is so crazy. just tonight i decided i wanted to try my hand at making donuts and set out to find a recipe. i have never made anything bad from you so i tried here first and this is what i see? perfect timing!
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Diane White — Reply
I first had these a few years ago at Oakmont Bakery. They always have several kinds of filled ones.
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kittentoes — Reply
I really need you to do a fastnacht recipe. Potato, of course.
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AndreaL — Reply
Oooohh yeah! :) Fastnachts are always we have on Fat Tuesdays. After eating one (or sometimes more in my case), you can understand why they call it Fat Tuesday ;)
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