Pączki (Polish Donuts)
Pączki (pronounced “poonch-kee”) are traditional Polish donuts. They are round, sweet pastries made with rich dough. The dough is soft and fluffy, filled with jam or custard, and coated in sugar or glaze. Pączki are enjoyed by many people around the world, especially during special holidays.
A Treat Before Lent
Pączki are most popular just before Lent, a Christian season of fasting. In Poland, people eat them on Fat Thursday. In the United States and other countries, they are often enjoyed on Fat Tuesday, also known as Mardi Gras. This is the last chance to enjoy rich, sweet foods before the fasting period begins. Families and bakeries make and buy many pączki to celebrate.
What’s Inside Pączki?
Traditional pączki are filled with different sweet fillings. The most common fillings include: Raspberry jam, Plum jam, Custard or cream, or Chocolate spread.
After being filled, they are rolled in sugar or topped with icing. Some versions also include a bit of fruit or zest for extra flavour.
How Are Pączki Made?
The dough for pączki is rich and soft. It includes ingredients like: Flour, Egg yolks, Butter or oil, Sugar, Milk, Yeast. These ingredients make the dough fluffy and tender. Once the dough rises, it is shaped into small balls. The balls are then left to rise again before cooking.
Traditionally, pączki are deep-fried until golden brown. They puff up in the hot oil and become light and airy inside. After frying, they are cooled, filled, and rolled in sugar.
Pączki can also be baked for a lighter version. Baked pączki are still soft and delicious, but not as rich as the fried ones.
Why Are Pączki Special?
Pączki are more than just donuts. They are a symbol of tradition and celebration. In many Polish families, pączki are made together in the kitchen. Making them is a fun and meaningful event. It brings people together before the start of Lent.
In some cities, there are even pączki festivals or pączki runs where people eat donuts after a fun race.
Modern Pączki
Today, you can find pączki in many bakeries around the world. Some are made the traditional way, while others come in new flavours and styles. People enjoy them with coffee, tea, or as a sweet snack any time of day. Whether baked or fried, filled with jam or cream, pączki are a tasty way to enjoy a bit of Polish culture.
Paczki (Polish Donuts)
Ingredients
- 11/2 cups 180g all-purpose flour
- ½ cup 60g all-purpose flour plus more for dusting
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ cup 50g sugar
- 2 tsp 7g instant yeast
- ⅔ cup 158ml lukewarm milk
- 2 egg yolks
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 3 tbsp melted butter or oil
To roll and fill
- Melted butter
- Sugar
- Jam or any filling of your choice
Instructions
Prepare the Dough
- In a large stand mixing bowl, combine 1½ cups (180g) all-purpose flour and ¼ tsp salt. Mix well. Now add ¼ cup (50g) sugar and 2 tsp (7g) instant yeast.
- Warm the ⅔ cup (158ml) milk until lukewarm (not hot, about 38–40°C).
- Add the lukewarm milk, 2 egg yolks, ½ tsp vanilla extract, and 3 tbsp melted butter or oil to the dry ingredients.
- Mix everything until a sticky dough forms.
- Beat for 2 minutes on high speed with paddle attachment.
- Gradually add the remaining ½ cup (60g) flour and continue kneading until the dough comes together. Stop kneading when it comes together (Do not overknead the dough). Add a bit more flour if it’s too sticky, but keep it soft.
- Transfer the dough to a floured surface and knead for about 50 turns.
- Cover with plastic wrap or a clean towel and let it rest for 10 minutes.
Shape the Pączki
- Lightly flour your work surface.
- Roll the dough out to about ½-inch (1.25 cm) thickness.
- Use a round cutter (2½–3 inches) to cut out circles. Dip the round cutter in flour to avoid sticking.
- Re-roll scraps once and cut more rounds.
- Place the rounds on a parchment-lined tray. Cover loosely and let rise for 30–45 minutes, or until puffy.
Bake the Pączki
- Preheat your oven to 190°C.
- Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until golden brown on top and cooked through.
Fill and Finish
- While still warm, brush or dip the pączki in melted butter, then roll in sugar.
- Once cool enough to handle, use a piping bag fitted with a filling tip to inject jam or filling of your choice into the side of each pączek.
Notes
Frequently Asked Questions
Pączki are traditional Polish donuts made from rich, yeast-leavened dough, usually filled with jam, custard, or other sweet fillings, and coated in sugar or glaze.
Pączki are denser and richer than typical American donuts because they use more egg yolks and butter, giving them a tender, brioche-like texture.
Yes! While traditionally fried, pączki can also be baked for a lighter version. The texture is slightly different but still delicious.
Popular fillings include rosehip jam, raspberry jam, custard, plum butter, or chocolate cream. You can use any filling you enjoy.
Pączki are most commonly enjoyed on Fat Thursday in Poland or Fat Tuesday (Mardi Gras) in the U.S., just before Lent begins.
They are best eaten the same day, but you can store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Reheat slightly before serving.
Yes, unfilled pączki freeze well. Let them cool completely, wrap tightly, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw and fill before serving.
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