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I hate deep frying. It’s such a hassle. There’s a bubbling cauldron of hot oil to stand over and then there’s the problem of figuring out how to deal with it later. But there’s one thing I make an exception for: pączki.

Pączki (pronounced punch-key, singular paczek [pronounced punch-ek {nota bene: “pączkis” are not a thing}]) are Polish yeasted jelly doughnuts. They have a dough that’s rich with eggs and butter.

And they’re traditionally made for Fat Tuesday (better known as Mardi Gras) to use up all the good stuff before Christian Lenten fasting starts on Ash Wednesday.

But really, regardless of their origin, they’re just ridiculously good doughnuts.

I used to bring them into my office every year, and when I stopped people started stopping by my desk asking, hopefully, if I was planning to make them again. When I’ve brought them to parties, they get devoured.

And really, what’s not to like about a homemade, freshly-fried doughnut?

The only problem is that they’re a little bit of a pain to make.

There’s making the dough, letting it rise, rolling it out, cutting out the doughnuts, frying each of them, filling them, and showering them with powdered sugar. And it’s probably a good thing that they’re a bit of a pain because otherwise my metabolism would be in a whole mess of trouble.

I usually get together with my sister Erin to make them, and it’s a baking project that actually benefits from a division of labor. One person can stand over the fryer and the other can fill the doughnuts as they come out.

Though I’ve done them on my own and if you’ve got a weekend afternoon to do it, it’s definitely feasible.

They’re traditionally filled with a prune filling.

And some people might scoff at the humble prune, but I’m with Tejal Rao in believing it’s unfairly maligned (and also, omg, that tart…) and would contend that prune filling is actually delicious. I also love them with apricot filling, but your filling preferences may vary.

I’ve made my own fillings at times, but really the commercially available Solo brand fillings that are available at most grocery stores (except, sadly, for the recent disappearance of the prune flavor from my nearby stores’ shelves) are totally up to the job, and they’re what I usually turn to.

You could also use any jam of any flavor you like (they’d be amazing with this Meyer lemon ginger curd).

These, like any fried food, are best the day they are made or really only worth the calories for about 24 hours. So you’re going to want to share them with your favorite people (who will be so in your debt) so that you don’t have leftovers, because throwing these out will make you weep.

They are totally worth the hassle of deep frying.

Orange Ginger Scones with Crème Fraîche Icing

Cinnamon Sugar Oat Muffins

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Yield: 24 doughnuts

Pączki (Polish Yeasted Jelly Doughnuts)

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Pączki (pronounced "punch-key") are Polish doughnuts made with a rich yeasted dough. This version is adapted from the Polish Country Kitchen Cookbook. Be sure to use instant yeast (the kind that doesn't have to be proofed in liquid). You can use any flavor filling you like. Prune and apricot are traditional. My favorite oil for frying is rice bran oil (which you can find for cheap at most Asian grocery stores), but peanut oil and vegetable oil also work well. You'll need a deep-fat fryer or a large heavy saucepan and a thermometer and a 2 1/2-inch round biscuit cutter (you could also use a similar sized drinking glass) to cut these out. These are best the day they are made, so share them with your friends to avoid leftovers! 

Prep Time 2 hours 20 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 2 hours 40 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 cup (235 ml) milk, preferably whole milk
• 1/2 cup (1 stick, 113 grams) unsalted butter
• 1/3 cup (65 grams) sugar
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 4 1/2 cups (576 grams) all-purpose flour
• 4 1/2 teaspoons (14 grams) instant yeast
• 3 egg yolks
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 12 ounces (340 grams) fruit filling, such as prune, apricot, raspberry
• oil for frying, such as rice bran oil, peanut oil, or vegetable oil
• confectioners' sugar, for topping

Instructions

1. Heat the milk, butter, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan until the butter has melted. Let cool until warm to the touch.
2. Add the flour, yeast, and liquid mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add the egg yolks, eggs, and vanilla extract and mix on low speed until the mixture starts to come together. Continue mixing on medium speed until smooth, about 4-5 minutes.
3. Add a little oil to a large mixing bowl, add the dough to the bowl and turn to coat lightly with oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
4. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to a 1/4-inch thickness. Using a 2 1/2-inch round biscuit cutter (or similarly sized drinking glass), cut out 24 circles from the dough and place the circles on a lightly floured baking sheet. (You can reroll the trimmings and cut out circles to use up any remaining dough, but know that these rerolled ones won't be as pretty--still delicious though.) Spray with non-stick spray and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Let rise until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
5. Heat at least 2 inches of oil in a deep-fat fryer or deep heavy saucepan to 325°F. Fry doughnuts, about 4 at a time (allowing space for them to expand) for about 45-60 seconds on each side or until they are a rich golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon or spider and drain on paper towels.
6. When the doughnuts are cool enough to handle, take a small paring knife and cut a small slit on one end of each doughnut going through to the center. Wiggle the knife back and forth to create a pocket for the filling. Place the filling in a piping bag or zip-top bag and clip off the corner. Pipe the filling into each doughnut. Sift confectioners' sugar over the doughnuts. Eat!

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  Polder Candy/Jelly/Deep Fry Thermometer, Stainless Steel, with Pot Clip Attachment and Quick Reference Temperature Guide
• 
  Polish Country Kitchen Cookbook (Expanded) (Hippocrene Cookbook Library (Paperback))
• 
  Solo Apricot Cake and Pastry Filling 12 Ounce - Pack of 2
• 
  Saf Instant Yeast, 1 Pound Pouch
• 
  Hamilton Beach (35021) Deep Fryer, Cool Touch With Basket, 2 Liter Oil Capacity, Electric, Professional Grade
• 
  Ateco 14402 2.5-Inch Round Stainless Steel Cutter

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

24

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 666Total Fat: 59gSaturated Fat: 35gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 21gCholesterol: 184mgSodium: 113mgCarbohydrates: 32gFiber: 2gSugar: 10gProtein: 5g