Homemade Paczki (Polish Doughnuts)
Paczki are traditional Polish doughnuts that are made from a rich brioche-style dough, filled with your favorite fruit preserves and rolled in sugar. These are served on Paczki Day (i.e. Fat Tuesday) here in the U.S. and on Fat Thursday in other parts of the world!
I first heard of pฤ czki nearly a dozen years ago, when I noticed them at the grocery store right before Lent. I did a little digging and found that they are Polish pastries similar to jelly donuts. They are traditionally made and eaten on Fat Tuesday and Fat Thursday (I had never heard of Fat Thursday before researching these!).
As it turns out, Fat Thursday (called Tลusty Czwartek in Poland) is a Christian feast marking the last Thursday before Ash Wednesday. Traditionally, it is a day dedicated to gathering with friends and family to eat large quantities of sweets, cakes, and other meals often given up during Lent. I couldnโt find anything that spelled out a discernible difference between Fat Tuesday and Fat Thursday, except that certain regions and religions tend to celebrate one or the other. The concept is definitely the same โ indulge as much as possible right before Lent!
Now, back to the paczkiโฆ The difference between these and a basic doughnut is that paczki is 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!
When I started to poke around for recipes, I called my grandma (whose father was from Poland) to see if she had a recipe for paczki. Sadly, she did not but said that her mom used to make them.
So, I started Googling โpaczki recipeโ and then revised it to โgrandmaโs paczki recipeโ. I wanted something authentic, and I found more than a handful of recipes that originated with someoneโs grandma. While all the ingredients were the same, the quantities and methods varied from recipe to recipe, so I pieced together what I thought sounded delicious and started on my way.
The most traditional paczki recipes call for filling the doughnuts with fruit preserves, jam, 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 have always been rolled in granulated sugar. If you don’t prefer either, go your own way and do a simple glaze!
So, I did a test batch of each: filled/powdered, filled/granulated, unfilled/powdered, and unfilled/granulated. For the filled ones, I did half raspberry and half apricot preserves for the initial testing.
My husband and I taste-tested all of them, and both came to the conclusion that the unfilled ones rolled in granulated sugar were hands down our favorite. Jelly doughnuts were never my thing, so I wasnโt 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!
How Paczki Are Made
These doughnuts start by making a brioche-style yeasted dough that includes milk, butter, an egg, and egg yolks. Once the dough is made, it is placed in a bowl in a draft-free area until it doubles in size.
Once doubled in size, the dough is turned out onto a floured surface (I love my silicone dough mat for jobs like this!) and rolled a ยฝ-inch thick. Then, use a 3-inch round biscuit cutter or cookie cutter to cut out rounds of dough. Transfer those rounds to parchment-lined baking sheets. Gather scraps and re-roll to use up all of the dough. Cover those baking sheets loosely with plastic wrap and allow to rest until nearly doubled in size (about 30 minutes).
While the doughnuts are rising, begin heating the oil. You can use peanut oil, vegetable oil, lard, or any other oil or fat you prefer for frying. Heat at least 1ยฝ inches of oil, using a large cast iron skillet or Dutch oven, until the oil reaches 350 degrees F (use a thermometer for accuracy).
Lower about five or six paczki at a time into the oil (do not crowd the pan), and deep-fry until the bottom is golden brown, then carefully flip over and fry until the other side is golden brown. Remove to a baking sheet covered with a double layer of paper towels to drain. Let the oil come back to temperature and continue frying the remaining doughnuts.
Once the paczki can be handled comfortably, use a piping tip to fill the doughnuts, if desired, then roll in sugar or glaze them as desired.
More Filling Ideas
While you can leave these unfilled, if you prefer a filled doughnut, use your favorite filling! Here are some ideas to get you started:
- Fruit preserves
- Strawberry jam, raspberry jam, or plum jam
- Prune butter
- Lemon curd
- Bavarian cream
- Pastry cream (the recipe linked there is for vanilla pastry cream, but it includes a note on how to make it chocolate, too!)
Storage Instructions
Paczki are definitely best eaten the same day that they are made.
However, if you have leftovers, you can store them in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
Watch How to Make Paczki:
More Homemade Doughnut Recipes
- Copycat Krispy Kreme Doughnuts
- Vanilla Cream-Filled Doughnuts
- Apple Fritter Doughnuts
- New Orleans Beignets
- Buttermilk Doughnuts
If you make this paczki recipe and love it, remember to stop back and give the recipe a 5-star rating โ it helps others find the recipe! โค๏ธ๏ธ
Paczki (Polish Doughnuts)
Ingredients
- 2 cups (480 ml) whole milk, warmed to 110 degrees F
- 4ยฝ teaspoons (4.5 teaspoons) active dry yeast, 2 packages
- ยพ 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
- 1ยผ 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 ยฝ-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 1ยฝ 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
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
Photography by Dee Frances
This recipe was originally published on February 26, 2014.
Try stuffing with jelly, preserves, jam, Nutella and instead of sugar, spread extra crunchy peanut butter on the top.ย
Older donuts can be nuked for 16 seconds and brought back to life
I have been making this recipe for the past 6 years. It is the Best! Only changes I have made are doubling the amount of butter and vanilla. I fill with Smucker’s strawberry simply fruit and roll in granulated sugar. My family loves them!!
These homemade paczki look absolutely delicious! The fluffy, perfectly fried dough and the sweet, rich filling are everything youโd hope for in this classic treat. I love how theyโre so indulgent yet seem surprisingly easy to make at home. Whether filled with jam, cream, or anything in between, they look like the perfect way to celebrate or satisfy a sweet craving. Thanks for sharing this recipeโI canโt wait to try making them for myself!
My Hungarian grandmother made this type of recipe every Christmas and rolled the deep fried โdonutsโ in powdered sugar. ย My problem is the greasy aftertaste after frying. ย I keep the oil at 350 throughout and put them on a rack over parchment lined lipped baking sheet. ย What is the problem would you say?ย
I would be sure you aren’t frying for too long, and that the oil is at the correct temperature when you drop them. If you are frying in batches, you need to let it come back up to the correct temperature for subsequent batches; it will naturally drop while frying. I hope that helps!
Hi. ย I do them in batches and know to bring the oil back to temperature. I also use a temp controlled fryer. ย I’m going to make your recipe tomorrow and will let you know results!
These are FABULOUS! I don’t know how else to describe them but they are just so tasty and delicious. I didn’t add preserves (bc I was lazy) but just sprinkled powdered sugar on top and its was the perfect amount of sweet. I made them as a first impression snack for my boyfriends friends and they lovedddd them hahaha so definitely adding to the impressions list :) thank you for sharing a wonderful recipe.
This is the best recipe I’ve found for paczki…and I have experimented a LOT. I am lucky to live in an area with lots of Polish immigrants and their descendants. Hearing them say “this tastes like home!! this tastes like grandmas!!” is unbelievable. The moaning, the groaning…haha.
Like a lot of the comments already say, I hear that a traditional paczek (singular paczki) is traditionally rolled in granulated sugar, sometimes without filling, and a lot of them do not use a biscuit cutter but rather just pull off pieces of dough and roll them before the last rise. I have tried both methods and since a good yeast will get the paczki to rise like fat little balls anyway (a typical American filled donut is much flatter) I don’t think it matters much but the biscuit cutter method sure makes them uniform. I personally like the rustic look, but if you use a biscuit cutter (and really make sure your rolled dough is level!) it is fun to have people ask where you bough them! :)
Have made these the past few years for Fat Tuesday! Best thing ever!
Can you bake these instead of deep fried
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!
Iโve 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!
Can these be baked instead of fried?
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!ย
These were delicious! Important to keep the oil the right temp. But easy to make of you have a few hours. Iโll make a again!ย
I have a stupid question:( Why do you have to bring the skillet/oil to room temp before frying a second batch?
Hi Rhondaโ 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 ย back up before frying the next batch.ย
I have used safari for years….habit I guess.
Do you have a recipe for custard filling?
Oooh yes! I recommend the filling from these doughnuts: https://www.browneyedbaker.com/vanilla-cream-filled-doughnuts/
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)
Hi Irene, You can reduce the sugar a bit if you’d like.
These are amazing! And foolproof. My dough was a bit too wet, but I managed to fix it. Great taste and easy bake!
I made these today with apricot filling! Fantastic! Thanks for sharing.
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 pฤ czki, prune, poppy seed and raspberry jam for the others, we prefer a light glaze on ours over powdered or granulated sugar. . I shared the pฤ czki with our friends and neighbours, I have been told I need to make more for Fat Tuesday, thanks for a great recipe!
Can these be baked instead?
Hi Rosa, I’ve never tried baking these.
Hi,
Yes, they can be baked instead. After cutting them transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet, let rise like in the original recipe. Heat oven…now this depends on your oven, as mine is a convection oven(325) yours probably 350 for 8-10 minutes. Just keep an eye on your first batch-until they are brown & toothpick comes out clean.
Good luck!
Great recipe I’ve made it and all family loved the taste:)
I come from a Polish background, and I have to tell you that these pฤ czki 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!
There is no such thing as fat Thursday! It’s Maundy Thursday. ๐
Jacquelyn, try googling. Pฤ czki 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.
https://theculturetrip.com/europe/poland/articles/what-is-polands-fat-thursday-everything-you-need-to-know-about-tlusty-czwartek/
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!
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.
Exactly as Hezia has noted. Fat Thursday is observed in many American cities where there is a large population of Polish people such as Chicago. I personally enjoy paczki more on Fat Thursday than Fat Tuesday.
Can you cook them in a air fryer?
Wondering myself. ย Did you try it?
I wish I could give this a bigger star than 5! Best desserts ever!
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!
Help. I cant get my yeast to rise. 3 different attempts. What am I doing wrong?
The yeast must have expired.
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.
Hi Lisa, You can just knead by hand!
Of all you wonderful bakers out there, has one of you tried this in an air fryer?
Wondering myself. ย Did you try it?
These look wonderful! I don’t hold high hopes of them turning out because I’m terrible at frying anything ๐ 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
Even though both Fat Tuesday and Tลusty Czwartek are still awhile away, I was craving pฤ czki and had some (rare) free time on my hands. This recipe was absolutely lovely! The pฤ czki 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.
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.
Do you think these can be made in an air fryer? Wadda
Hi Arleen, I’ve never used an air fryer, so I can’t say for sure!
It nice. Best from Poland.
These turn out fabulously. ย Added 10 degrees for altitude tonthe frying oil. Other than that, yum!!!
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!
Great recipe. Looks delicious. Thanks.
Am I the only non-Polish reader?
So….how do you PRONOUNCE paczki ?
It’s pronounced “PUNCH-kee”
IT WILLNOT PRINT!
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.
Being 100% Polish as your Grandma as we know them to be โBabciโsโ, ย never are they filled as yes, they would simply be similar to jelly donuts! ย I am very impressed that you had the determination to undertake the task as it is a lot of work! ย Be certain to have your 100% โBabciโ share ALL her Polish recipes as you will not be disappointed! ย My dear Mom is 92 & continues to grace us with her culinary talent & efforts!
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.
Growing up in a Polish community we had pavilion parties at church. If you didnโt 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 ย 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! ย When warmed before serving the chocolate would be melted and deliciousย
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!
Trying the recipe today. Sounds absolutely delicious.
110 degrees Fahrenheit seems more hot then warm to me? Is it very necessary to heat the milk up that much?
Hi Cynthia, Yes, most recommendations are for temperatures of 110 to 115 degrees F in order to activate the yeast properly.
Can’t wait to try the receipt.
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
This looks amazing! How long did you fry them for on each side? Thanks in advance!
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!
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!!
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?
It is a lot of work, but so worth it! You will not get store-bought paczkis this light, fluffy and delicious!
I obviously think they’re doable since I shared the recipe (and a video); it’s pretty straightforward, just takes a bit of time.
I just attempted these and was very disappointed, they did not puff up when fried. ย Just left with flat fried dough๐ฉ
this looks incredible!!
can u use sub sugar like truvia to make them with. i use it in a lot of recipes
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.
Can a let the dough rise overnight or even each donut cut out rise overnight in the fridge? Will I get the same results?
Hi Bridgette, I haven’t tried it, but I think that should work okay.
awesome!! i’ve been wanting to make this. must try!!
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!!!
Hi Nancy, I have not done that, but I would probably try to make them all within 24-48 hours.
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?
Very interesting! Thanks for the background!
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
Love your Girl Scout cookie spin! DELICIOUS!
ย I making these right now but I just realize that you do not kneed the dough???
Hi Carrie, Yes, the dough is kneaded in the mixer (step #4).
Omgosh that counts?!!! ย Thatโs amazing lol who would ever do it By hand by choice. (Unless you donโt have a mixer of course). How long do you let that mix/kneed? I know you show it in the video but I couldnโt really tell if yours looked the same as mine in the video? Also, (sorry) mine where extremely crazy sticky! Is that because I didnโt 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, ย Iโd really appreciate. No way was it supposed to be that sticky lol I followed the directions but I think I didnโt do certain things long enough maybe??? Thank you!ย
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!
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!
Excellent recipe. Soft and tasty. Yielded about 40 doughnuts and not 20 to 24, no complaints here. I chose to bake mine at 190โขC for 10 mins. made my own lemon filling and it was divine. Thanks for the recipe
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!
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!”
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 paรงzki correctly. After looking at several recipes I used this one.ย
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.ย The rose perfectly and then fried nicely at the recommend temperature and times.
I will definitely keep this recipe as my go to for paรงzki 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.
Made this tonight with homemade lemon curd. So good!
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?ย
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.
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!
I’ve never tried these, but they look amazing. ย 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, ย 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!
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.
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!!
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.
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!
Hi Michaellanne, I’m so thrilled that you loved these! I’ve never tried baking them, though.
Did you ever try to bake them?? If you did how did they turn out?
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.
I don’t have yeast on hand, any chance I can use self rising flour?
Hi Jen, Unfortunately not, you need yeast.
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!
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!
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.
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.
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!!
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.
Thanks for sharing!
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
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.
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.
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! โค๏ธโค๏ธโค๏ธโค๏ธ
Traditional paczki are made with rum or brandy, but other than that this recipe looks pretty good :-)
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.
Gave this recipe a try, thanks for the inspiration. Here’s my review : http://bryanhartman.weebly.com/home/fat-tuesday
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.
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.
Made them filled with Nutella and with cherry preserves. They came out wonderfully!!!
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!!!
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?
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.
I have not used potatoes; if you did, I couldn’t tell you how it might affect the recipe.
Do you have any suggestions for high altitude cooking? I live in Colorado Springs with an altitude above 6000 feet. Thanks!
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/
Hi,
my question is ” can I make this dough in a bread maker” for these sweet little Polish buns?
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.
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!
How long does it take all together? Including rising time and all?? Btw. I love your recipes and these paczkis look absolutely bomb diggity!!
Hi Grace, 2 hours 30 minutes (at the top of the recipe, you can find this under ‘total time’).
Hi! Iโm 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?ย
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.
Hi!
I am Polish and I very like your recipe for pฤ czki :) 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!
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….
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?
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!
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 ;)
Would you reduce liquid elsewhere? Also, I heard adding lemon zest is quite common.
:)
At what stage would you put this in?
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!”
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.
Oh these were so good. I made a sour jam. And I shamefully ate three of them.
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!
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! :)
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.
Hey! This is so cool! I’m from India but I live in Poland- and we have a true abundance of fluffy, jam-injected Pฤ czkis! 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 :)
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!
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….
i am from berlin germany we call them pfannkuchen and eat them also on new years eve .
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?
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!
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.
I grew up eating paczkis in MIchigan, they are not as popular on the East Coast; love them!
Wow I was surprised when I saw pฤ czki recipe on your blog. :)
I’m from Poland and yes, we have Fat Thursday. There are always plenty of queues for pฤ czki – 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 pฤ czki 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
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!
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!
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!
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!
I am dying right now. This makes me realize I need to get back in the kitchen baking again.
I have GOT to try these! I’m obsessed with doughnuts but I’ve never made this kind. They look perfect!
I too had never heard of paczki. They sound and look lovely. I love the readers suggestions of rose petal jam.
I did some digging and I asked my boyfriend’s mom about Paczki and many many years ago when she was a little girl Pฤ czki 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 :)
Hi,
I’m Polish and I love pฤ czki. Yours looks very nice. I would taste them. We celebrate Fat Thursday (nothing but Fat Thursday, not Fat Tuesday, Friday etc.) eating lots of pฤ czkis and faworki (angel wings) – you could try to make them too :-)
P.S. The most popular filling for pฤ czki is jam made from rose petals. Together with fluffy pฤ czek it’s heavenly good! But we use also vanilla pudding, strawberry jam or soft chocolate.
These look incredible! Doughnuts are totally my weakness, which is why your beautiful homemade ones look like heaven to me. Your photographs are gorgeous!! :)
Oh wow these look so good! I love that you tried out all the different combinations!
I’m heading to Poland again this summer…. I’ll have to look for these in a bakery. They look YUM!
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 :-)
What a great and timely post — well done. :)
Thanks, Bob!
Which do you prefer to use when baking bread, active dry yeast or instant yeast? Thanks.
Hi Ela, It all depends on the recipe, really. I’ve used both.
I was never ever expect to see recipe for Pฤ czki 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 Pฤ czki.
Traditional Polish Pฤ czki 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 Pฤ czki and other fat sweets).
But everyday in our bakery’s we can buy Pฤ czki. I actually eat Pฤ czki 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 Pฤ czki. This is like the best award for bakery in me town :)
In my family pฤ czki 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 pฤ czek would be filled by a pipe. In my family the most popular filling is sour cherry jam.
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!
How can you tell when dough has doubled?
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.
This looks completely delicious… How much oil did you use for frying?
Hi Monika, I recommend filling the pot or pan with 1½ to 2 inches of oil.
Awesome; thanks for the follow up!
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!
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).
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!!
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!
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!
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!
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.
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.
Have you ever had King Cake?
There is a recipe for King Cake on her site – look in the archives.
Oops, sorry, meant index, not archive:
https://www.browneyedbaker.com/2011/03/08/traditional-mardi-gras-king-cake/
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/
These sound wonderful and I love the background – very interesting. Never had one but could eat one now!
I feel the same way, Tricia. I never had one either, but I’m making them tomorrow.
Whoa, these donuts are FAB!! I love the recipe!
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!
Thanks for posting the recipe Michelle. I am planning on making pฤ czki 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.
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.
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 :)
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!
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!
Wowโฆa jelly filled brioche-style donut? That’s living! That would be a great way to celebrate the end of Lent. These look delicious!
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!!
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.
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!
I admit that I have never, ever, in my entire life, heard of anyone either rolling pฤ czki in granulated sugar or making them completely unfilled. Sure, there are two rival camps: the people who fill their pฤ czki 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 pฤ czki will never fry properly, but in my opinion, they just need to work on their frying skills ;) And rolling pฤ czki 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!
I agree – thin icing is a must! :) My mom always fills pฤ czki 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 Poznaล, Poland :)
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 Poznaล for 6 months and it is by far my favorite! :)
So happy to hear that! :)
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 pฤ czki 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 pฤ czki 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 :)
I forgot to mention, that traditionally pฤ czki are made with rose petal jam, but nowadays they are served with any filling you want. But always with filling :)
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?”.
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!
The Germans make a similiar “donut”. My family’s recipe is unfilled and rolled in cinnamon sugar. Thanks for posting.
Lovely recipe Michelle! can you tell us the yield on this though! Just love your blog honey…Come to Cookie Con!
Hi Maria, The yield is up in the recipe, but 20 to 24 doughnuts.
how did I miss that, I guess i was looking in the instructions for it…thank you Michelle!
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 :)
Sound super yummy! I believe fat Tuesday is celebrated just before ash Wednesday. I had never heard about fat Thursday.
Fat Tuesday is Mardi Gras. The last celenration before Lent begins. Catholic roots.
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.
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 Tลusty czwartek – Fat Friday. Everyone should eat pฤ czek 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 Zduลska Wola – Poland and I wish you soo sweet Fat Thursday! :D
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!
I have a friend in Poland, and have asked the Tuesday vs Thursday question of him. I’ll let you know his 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.
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.
I’m a Pole and we do not celebrate Fat Tuesday, only Thursday
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!
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!
I first had these a few years ago at Oakmont Bakery. They always have several kinds of filled ones.
I really need you to do a fastnacht recipe. Potato, of course.
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 ;)