Polish Donuts, Why are Pączki Crazy Popular?

Let’s Learn About the Polish Donut – Pączki

Polish donuts, known as Pączki in Polish (pronounced ‘pawnch-key’), are a cultural craze the week before Lent begins (a Christian celebration of fasting and celebrating the month before Easter). All of Poland flocks to their homes, local bakeries, or Babcia’s (grandmother’s) house on Tłusty Czwartek (twoo-sty shwar-tek), the Thursday before Lent. The draw? Fresh Homemade Pączki. Let’s learn how to make these obsessive treats! Want to learn about another pre-lent obsession from New Orleans? Read all about the Mardis Gras King Cake tradition.

Polish Donuts – Pączki

The Polish donuts are not at all like the overly sweet American donuts that you find in a chain donut shop. These are homemade treats that are a cross between fried dough and an American donut. However, they really are neither, you just have to make them and try these delicious treats. They are distinctive and addictive.

Filling, Glaze, and Toppings

Every culture seems to have a defining selection of sweets. They are so varied around the world. If you want to read about another cultural sweet, see my story/recipe for Japanese Anpan, a sweet, red bean paste filled bun that is baked. Polish Pączki, on the other hand, are fried, round, fruit-filled donuts (no donut holes here)! They are made and fried in obscene quantities on Tłusty Czwartek, then eaten like crazy on that one special day of the year.

Filling

Pączki have a jam or fruit filling. You can choose your favorite filling for these Polish donuts. You might find these sold in Poland at a Pączkarnia (donut shop) or Cukiernia (bakery) filled with a traditional plum or rose hip jam. In the recipe below, I chose to use a high quality, strawberry jam because that was my family’s request. Just choose whatever filling is most appealing to you and they will be delicious!

Glaze

After the Pączki are fried, they are coated with either a sugar glaze or powdered sugar. In my limited experience and my husband’s memories of his mother’s Pączki, they are traditionally glazed. I offer a glazing method in the recipe below. Again, it is personal choice if you would like the glazed version or if you prefer the simple preparation of the fried treats with a sprinkle of dry powdered sugar. Do whatever best suits your time, skill and energy, they are delicious both ways! If you choose the glazing method, use fresh squeezed juice. In the recipe below, I suggest fresh squeezed orange juice, which adds another layer of flavor to the Pączki. The strawberry and orange flavor are quite complementary.

Toppings

The traditional topping for these glazed treats is candied fruit peel, predominately orange. Oranges were quite a delicacy (and still considered a nostalgic treat) during my husband’s childhood. In Communist times in the 70’s and 80’s in Poland he very rarely had access to warm-climate, citrus fruits. He does have fond memories of having one to share with his family for Christmas. Thanks to this rarity, oranges are a nostalgic treat for him as they may be for many in Poland. They also represent wealth and abundance as only the wealthiest of people with the rare ability to cross borders would have been able to easily have oranges during Communism.

Personal Vignette about Pączki and Life in Poland

When I lived in Poland, I attended a professional military school with the Polish armed forces. Among many other amusing things I learned that year, I found out on Fat Thursday just how crazy-obsessed the Poles are with Pączki. Although we were less than 20 in the class, no less than five dozen Pączki showed up on Fat Thursday. My classmates went crazy during our mid-morning coffee break devouring these treats and talking about how many more they would eat when they went home that afternoon. On my way home, I saw the long lines of people patiently waiting their turn to purchase these treats outside donut or sweet shops.

On that day, I also learned that the person who consumes the greatest number of these calorie-laden sweets had clear bragging rights. Cultural traditions can be so amusing! This is what I love most about travel and cultural immersion, learning what is important to different people around the world.

Sharing Is Caring

Intrigued by this recipe? Try it in your own home! Enjoy making these Polish Donuts (Pączki) . Consider keeping half a dozen and sharing the other half with a neighbor, co-worker or friend. They will be overwhelmed by your thoughtfulness and generosity in sharing something deliciously homemade from your kitchen. Post pictures of your results and tag @christinasbreadbakes on FB or IG! I love to see your beautiful breads. Great Bread for All – Bake One & Share One. Happy baking, Bread Bakers!

Pączki (pronounced ‘pawnch-key’) – Fruit Filled Donuts from Poland

Christina

These fruit filled donuts, known as Pączki in Poland are traditionally made for Fat Thursday, the Thursday before lent starts, when Polish people fill themselves with these delicious homemade treats.

5 from 6 votes

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Prep Time 45 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Resting Time 2 hours hrs

Course afternoon tea, bread, Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine Polish

Servings 12 donuts

Equipment

• Digital Scale for metric measurement
• Electric Mixer with Dough Hook and Whisk
• 4 L food container with lid or bowl with plastic wrap
• Bench Scraper (or knife)
• Large Sturdy Pot
• Slotted Spoon

Ingredients

  

Pączki Dough

• 2 tsp Instant Yeast
• 2 T Sugar
• 400 grams All Purpose White Flour 2½ cups
• 170 grams Warm Buttermilk (about 105°F / 40°C) ¾ cup (can add vinegar to regular milk to achieve buttermilk)
• ½ tsp Salt
• 2 ea Eggs, room temperature
• 60 grams Butter cut into 4 pieces, room temperature 4 ½T

Filling

• 1 ea Small jar of thick jam (like strawberry, apricot, cherry, etc.) preferably organic for best flavor

Topping

• 250 grams Powdered Sugar
• 2 T Orange Juice squeezed from ½ an orange can substitute water or other juice
• 2 T Strips of Outer Skin of the Orange optional
• 4 T Sugar (divided in half) optional
• 2 T Water optional

To Cook

• 500 g Neutral flavored, high-heat Vegetable Oil (like Canola) 4-6 cups (fill pan about 3")

Instructions

 

Pączki Dough

• In bowl of an electric mixer using whisk attachment on low, combine: yeast, sugar, 1 cup of flour.
  
• Add warm buttermilk to the dry mix and whisk on medium low until combined.
  
• Add two room temperature eggs and whisk on medium low until combined.
  
• Add ¾ cup of flour and salt, whisk on low until combined.
• Switch to the dough hook.
• Add rest of the flour and knead on low (speed 1) for 2-3 minutes, adding one piece of butter at a time until mixed in.
• Switch to medium low (speed 2), knead for 5-6 minutes until a smooth dough is formed that pulls from the side and sticks to the bottom.
  
• Remove from mixer bowl and knead gently on the counter until a smooth ball is formed.
• Place into a container sprayed with spray oil to prevent sticking. Cover.
  
• Set dough aside until doubled in size, about 1½ hours.
  

Pączki Dough (continued)

• Once doubled, dump dough onto a work surface.
• Using fingers, press the dough into a 12" x 9" (30 cm x 22 cm) rectangle.
  
• Loosely roll dough away from you so you have a 12" (30 cm) log.
  
• Cut the log into 12 pieces.
• Form each piece into a small loose dough ball. Cover them with a piece of plastic wrap or cotton kitchen towel.
  
• Allow balls to relax on counter for 10-15 minutes.
• Flatten each ball into a 5" / 12 cm circle.
  
• Place one tablespoon of jam filling in the center of the circle.
  
• Pull the sides of the circle to the center, pinch very well together so filling does not come out, flip over, and tighten the dough into a round shape.
  
• Place the twelve filled rounds on a well floured sheet pan.
• Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise in a warm place until nearly doubled in size, about 30-40 minutes.

Topping

• Meanwhile, prepare the toppings.
• Mix the water, 2 T sugar and strips of orange skin.
• Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes.
• Strain the skins and toss in the remaining 2 T of sugar. Break apart and set aside on a plate to cool completely.

Pączki (continued)

• Meanwhile, pour the oil into a large stock pot. Ensure oil is well below the edge of the pan to prevent splash over while frying but deep enough (about 2-3 inches) to allow the donuts to fry without touching the bottom. Heat the oil slowly over medium heat until it reaches 355°F / 180°C, use a candy thermometer to test the temperature.

  Hint: Oil that is too cool will cause the Pączki to absorb the oil leaving them dense and greasy. Oil that is too hot will cause the Pączki to burn. If you do not have a candy thermometer, drop a small amount of dough into the oil to test readiness, it should produce medium bubbles around the dough and fry the dough to a golden brown.
  
• When Pączki have nearly doubled in size, begin frying 1-2 at a time. Fry each side for 3-4 minutes until golden brown, flip them and fry the second side another 3-4 minutes until golden brown.

  Hint: Frying the donuts too short a time will leave you with a gummy and underdone interior.
• Remove Pączki with a slotted metal spoon. Place on a sheet pan lined with a cooling rack and covered in clean paper towels. Repeat until all Pączki are cooked.
• When Pączki are cooled enough to touch, remove them from the paper towels, place them on the cooling rack over the sheet pan. Throw the grease-soaked paper towels away.

Glazing the Fried Pączki

• Mix 150 g powdered sugar and 2 T Orange Juice (or other juice/water) until you have a pourable consistency.

  Hint: If you do not want to use glaze just sprinkle the tops with powdered sugar to serve.
  
• Pour glaze over the cooled Pączki until coated or dip the tops of the Pączki in the glaze. Place candied fruit peel on top (optional).
  
• Serve.
  

Keyword Donuts, Pączki