Polish Angel Wings — Chruściki, or Faworki — are delicate pastries that enchant with their impossibly thin and crisp texture. Dusted with powdered sugar, they resemble snowflakes. A single bite causes them to shatter, leaving a lingering sweetness and a hint of nostalgia.
Angel Wings are most famously Polish. However, they are part of a much larger culinary family that stretches across Central and Eastern Europe. This includes regions from Poland and Lithuania to Hungary, Slovakia, and even parts of Bavaria and Silesia. They are the kind of pastry that traveled with people, adapting slightly from region to region, but always keeping their feather‑light soul.
A Pastry Made for Celebration
In Poland, Chruściki traditionally appear around Carnival season, especially on Tłusty Czwartek — Fat Thursday — the joyful, pre‑Lenten celebration of indulgence. But many families make them for Christmas, weddings, or simply because the mood calls for something delicate and festive.
What makes Angel Wings so beloved is their simplicity. The ingredients are humble — flour, eggs, a touch of sour cream, a splash of alcohol — but the technique transforms them into something magical. They are the kind of pastry that invites you to slow down, roll the dough thinner than you think possible, and enjoy the rhythm of shaping each little twist.
The Secret Is in the Dough
If you’ve ever watched an experienced Polish grandmother make Chruściki, you’ll notice one thing: she beats the dough. Not gently — with enthusiasm. This old‑world technique incorporates air, strengthens the gluten, and creates the signature bubbles that make the pastries so light. I myself use my Kitchenaid, first with the paddle, then with dough hook attachment.
Once the dough rests, it rolls out into a thin sheet. Then comes the fun part: cutting long strips, making a small slit in the center, and pulling one end through to form the classic “angel wing” twist.
The shaped dough fries in seconds — puffing, blistering, and turning golden before your eyes — and then receive their snowy coat of powdered sugar.
A Taste That Feels Like Home
Angel Wings are the kind of pastry that disappears quickly. They’re not overly sweet, not heavy, not filling — just crisp, airy, and irresistible. They pair beautifully with coffee, tea, or a cozy afternoon spent with family.
For many people, they taste like childhood. Like holidays spent in warm kitchens. Like the gentle clatter of rolling pins and the laughter of several generations working together. They’re a reminder that some of the most cherished recipes are the simplest ones — the ones shaped by hand, shared with love, and passed down quietly from one household to the next.
Why I Love Making Them
There’s something meditative about preparing Angel Wings. The rolling, the cutting, the twisting — it all feels like stepping into a tradition much older than myself. And even though I didn’t grow up in Poland, these pastries feel familiar in the way that so many Central European recipes do. They echo the same values I grew up with in Bavaria and Franconia: nothing wasted, everything made with care, and joy found in the small, delicate details.
Angel Wings remind me that food connects cultures more than it separates them. A Polish grandmother, a Bavarian baker, a Hungarian aunt — all of them would recognize this pastry, smile, and say, “Ah yes, we make those too.”
To me, this is the beauty of Central European cooking.
Angel Wings, a Polish thin fried Pastry
Ingredients
- 2 cups all‑purpose flour
- 3 large egg yolks
- 1 whole egg
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- 1 tablespoon vodka, rum, or neutral alcohol (helps keep them crisp)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- A pinch of salt
- Oil for frying (neutral oil like canola or sunflower)
- Powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Make the dough: In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, whole egg, sugar, sour cream, alcohol, vanilla, and salt (paddle with Kitchenaid).
- Add the flour gradually and mix until a soft dough forms.
- Knead and “beat” the dough (I use the dough hook with my Kitchenaid)
- Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes.
- Traditional cooks now beat the dough with a rolling pin for several minutes — this incorporates air and makes the wings blister beautifully when fried.
- Fold, beat, fold, beat.
- Wrap the dough and let it rest for 20–30 minutes.
- Roll it paper‑thin.
- Cut the dough into two or three pieces.
- Roll each piece out as thin as you possibly can — almost translucent. The thinner the dough, the more delicate the final pastry.
- Cut and shape: Using a pastry wheel or knife, cut the dough into strips about 1 × 4 inches.
- Make a small slit in the center of each strip and pull one end through the slit to form the classic “twist.”
- Fry: Heat oil to about 350°F (175°C).
- Fry a few pastries at a time — they cook quickly, about 30–45 seconds per side.
- Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
- Once cool enough to handle, dust them with powdered sugar.
- They should look like they’ve been caught in a gentle snowfall.
Notes
Tips for Perfect Angel Wings
• Alcohol is essential — it evaporates during frying and keeps the pastries crisp, not greasy.
• Roll thinner than you think possible — this is the secret to their signature lightness.
• Work in small batches so the oil temperature stays steady.
• Eat them the same day — they’re at their best fresh and airy.
