Every now and then, a simple grocery store discovery sends me down a delightful culinary rabbit hole. That’s exactly what happened when I spotted a traditional Polish Donut named “Pączki“. These plump donuts, dusted with sugar and filled with jam, instantly caught my eye.
They reminded me of the filled Krapfen I grew up with in Bavaria, yet they richer and have their own distinct charm.
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Curiosity won, of course. I bought a box, tasted one, and instantly thought: I need to bake these myself. And not just any Pączki — I wanted to create a version that honors the Polish tradition while weaving in a bit of my Bavarian baking soul.
🇵🇱 What Makes Pączki Special
Pączki (pronounced POHNCH-kee) are traditional Polish Donuts, typically enjoyed on Fat Thursday or Fat Tuesday before Lent. They’re richer than American donuts. Pączki are made with an enriched dough containing eggs and butter. Sometimes a splash of spirits is added to keep them from absorbing too much oil.
Pączki’s are usually filled with Rose hip jam, plum butter, or custard — and always finished with powdered sugar or a sweet glaze.
Here’s my slideshow on German Krapfen (donuts). Essentially, you follow the same technique but modify a few ingredients.
Combine flour, yeast, egg butter and water in a large bowl 
Preparing the yeast dough with dry and wet ingredients 
Knead all ingredients 
Knead yeast dough for about 7 minutes until smooth. Let rise at warm place 
Yeast dough will double in size 
Roll out dough 
Mark circles with a glass and place Jam in the middle 
Lay the second sheet on top and cut out the Krapfen 
Let rise for an hour 
Fry the German Donuts for up to minute until deep brown 
Let cool on paper towel 
Cover with powdered sugar
🇩🇪 And the Bavarian Twist
Growing up in Bavaria, filled donuts — Krapfen — were part of every Fasching season. My twist brings a bit of that tradition into the Polish classic:
- A slightly lighter dough, similar to Bavarian yeast pastries
- A filling that leans toward apricot or raspberry jam
- A hint of lemon zest in the dough for brightness
- And, of course, a generous snowy dusting of powdered sugar
It’s a marriage of two traditions that somehow feels completely natural.
🥣 The Baking Journey
Once I decided to make them, my kitchen turned into a joyful mess of flour, rising dough and the unmistakable scent of frying pastries. Pączki requires patience, the dough needs time to rise. Shaping them is a gentle process — but the reward is worth every minute.
Watching them puff up in the hot oil, turning golden and round, felt like magic. And when I filled them and dusted them with sugar, I understood why these donuts are so beloved in Poland. They’re festive, indulgent, and made to be shared.
- 4 cups (500 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 ¼ tsp (1 packet) active dry yeast
- ¾ cup (180 ml) warm milk
- ½ cup (100 g) sugar
- 4 large egg yolks + 1 whole egg
- ¼ cup (60 g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp salt
- Zest of 1 lemon and 1 orange (for a citrusy Bavarian note)
- 1 tbsp dark rum (classic Bavarian touch, also helps preserve freshness)
- Filling: Rose hip jam (Polish tradition) or Apricot jam (Bavarian favorite)
- Oil for frying (vegetable or canola)
- Powdered sugar mixed with a hint of vanilla sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Activate yeast
- Dissolve yeast in warm milk with 1 tsp sugar. Let sit until foamy.
- Make the dough
- Whisk egg yolks, whole egg, sugar, melted butter, vanilla, rum, salt, and citrus zest.
- Add yeast mixture and flour gradually. Knead until smooth and elastic.
- First rise
- Cover and let dough rise until doubled (about 1–1.5 hours).
- Shape the Pączki
- Roll dough to ½ inch thick, cut circles.
- Place jam in the center of half the circles, cover with another, pinch edges.
- Or fry plain and inject filling afterward.
- Second rise
- Let shaped pączki rise again for 30–40 minutes.
- Fry
- Heat oil to 350°F (175°C). Fry until golden brown, 2–3 minutes per side.
- Drain on paper towels.
- Finish
- Dust with powdered sugar mixed with vanilla sugar.
✨ Bavarian Touches
- Rum & citrus zest: A nod to Bavarian holiday baking (think Stollen or Krapfen).
- Apricot jam option: A Bavarian favorite, though rose jam keeps the Polish soul intact.
- Vanilla sugar dusting: Adds a cozy German bakery aroma.
🍩 Why You Should Try Them
Whether you grew up with Bavarian donuts, Faschingskrapfen, or American jelly donuts, Pączki offer something wonderfully different. They’re richer, softer, and somehow more celebratory. Adding a Bavarian twist makes them feel like a bridge between cultures — a little taste of home, no matter where you are.
Polish Pączki with a Bavarian Twist
Ingredients
- 4 cups (500 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 ¼ tsp (1 packet) active dry yeast
- ¾ cup (180 ml) warm milk
- ½ cup (100 g) sugar
- 4 large egg yolks + 1 whole egg
- ¼ cup (60 g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp salt
- Zest of 1 lemon and 1 orange (for a citrusy Bavarian note).
- 1 tbsp dark rum (classic Bavarian touch, also helps preserve freshness).
- Filling:
- Rose hip jam (Polish tradition) or Apricot jam (Bavarian favorite).
- Oil for frying (vegetable or canola).
- Dusting:
- Powdered sugar
Instructions
- Activate yeast:
- Dissolve yeast in warm milk with 1 tsp sugar. Let sit until foamy.
- Make the dough.
- Whisk egg yolks, whole egg, sugar, melted butter, vanilla, rum, salt, and citrus zest.
- Add yeast mixture and flour gradually.
- Knead until smooth and elastic.
- First rise:
- Cover and let dough rise until doubled (about 1–1.5 hours).
- Shape the Pączki:
- Roll dough to ½ inch thick, cut circles.
- Place jam in the center of half the circles, cover with another circle, pinch edges (or fry plain and inject filling afterward)
- Second rise:
- Let shaped Pączki rise again for 30–40 minutes.
- Fry:
- Heat oil to 350°F (175°C). Fry until golden brown, 2–3 minutes per side.
- Drain on paper towels:
- Finish:
- Dust with powdered sugar mixed with vanilla sugar.
Notes
✨ Bavarian Touches
Rum & citrus zest: A nod to Bavarian holiday baking (think Stollen or Krapfen).
Apricot jam option: A Bavarian favorite, though rose jam keeps the Polish soul intact.
Vanilla sugar dusting: Adds a cozy German bakery aroma.
