Paczki are Polish filled doughnuts made from an enriched, egg and butter rich yeast dough, deep fried and typically filled with rose hip jam or plum butter, then dusted with powdered sugar or glazed. They are traditionally eaten on Tłusty Czwartek, Fat Thursday, the last Thursday before Lent, when households historically used up sugar, fat, and eggs before the fasting season began. A proper paczek is noticeably heavier and richer than an American style doughnut because of the amount of egg yolk and butter in the dough.
Bakers judging their own paczki look for one specific visual sign of success: a pale, uncooked looking ring around the widest point of each doughnut, and getting that ring right comes down to proofing and oil temperature working together.
What Actually Matters
That pale ring, called the obrączka, forms when the dough is fully proofed and fried at the correct temperature, roughly 350 degrees F. If the oil is too hot, the paczki brown all over with no pale band and the inside stays doughy. If the dough is underproofed, you get a dense doughnut with no ring at all. Proof until the dough holds a slight indent when pressed, and fry at a steady, monitored temperature rather than guessing.
Paczki Recipe
Serves 4 (makes about 8 paczki). Prep time: 30 minutes, plus 2 hours proofing. Cook time: 20 minutes. Total time: 2 hours 50 minutes.
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1/4 cup warm milk
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3 large egg yolks
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon rum or vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup rose hip jam or plum butter, for filling
- Vegetable oil, for frying (about 4 cups)
- Powdered sugar, for dusting
Method
- Warm the milk to about 110 degrees F and dissolve the yeast in it with a pinch of the sugar. Let sit 5 to 10 minutes until foamy.
- In a large bowl, combine flour, remaining sugar, and salt. Add the yeast mixture, egg yolks, softened butter, and rum. Mix and knead 8 to 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- Cover and let rise in a warm spot for about 1 1/2 hours, until doubled.
- Roll the dough to about 1/2 inch thickness. Cut circles with a 3 inch cutter.
- Cover and let the cut rounds proof 30 to 45 minutes, until puffy and holding a slight indent when pressed.
- Heat oil to 350 degrees F in a deep pot, monitoring with a thermometer.
- Fry paczki 2 to 3 minutes per side until golden, with a pale ring visible around the middle. Drain on a wire rack.
- Once cool enough to handle, fill a piping bag with jam and inject filling into the side of each paczek. Dust with powdered sugar.
| Nutrition (per serving, estimated, 2 paczki) | |
|---|---|
| Calories | 480 |
| Protein | 7g |
| Fat | 22g |
| Carbohydrates | 62g |
These values are a calculated estimate for planning purposes, not a lab-verified figure.
Tips, Variations, and Storage
Paczki are best eaten the day they're fried. If you must store them, keep them at room temperature in an airtight container for a day, not the refrigerator, which dries them out. Custard, chocolate, or lemon curd fillings are common modern variations alongside the traditional rose hip jam.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why don't my paczki have the pale ring?
Your oil was likely too hot, browning the outside before the dough proofed and expanded properly inside.
Can I bake paczki instead of frying?
You can, but you lose the characteristic crust and ring. Frying is the traditional method.
What is the traditional filling?
Rose hip jam, called powidła z róży, is the most traditional, though plum butter is also classic.
Why is the dough so rich?
Paczki were historically made to use up butter, eggs, and sugar before Lent, so the dough is deliberately enriched.
Can I make the dough ahead?
Yes, you can refrigerate the dough overnight after the first rise and bring it to room temperature before shaping.
More From Wine Drop Cookery
Find more on the Poland recipes hub. This enriched dough technique relates to churros con chocolate, and the frying method is similar to picarones. For frying gear, see kitchen essentials and pots, pans, and cookware.
I'm Chef Alan. I have spent 35 years in professional kitchens, I have formal culinary education in New Hampshire, and I have been honored as a 6-Time 4-Diamond Chef. More about me here.
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