What Are Pąckzi and Where Can You Find Them?

If you love doughnuts a “hole” bunch—wait for pączki. Pronounced POONCH-key (we know, you’ll never get it right on the first try), the hole-less and sweet-jelly-filled fried doughnuts are a Polish dessert traditionally eaten on Fat Tuesday (hence the holiday’s name). The Catholic tradition dates back to the Middle Ages—though, in those days, pączki were usually savory—but really gained popularity in the U.S. in the 20th century.

Created for Fat Tuesday as a way to use up all the sugar, eggs, butter, lard and other sweet stuff before Lent (you know, when Catholics give up an indulgence—like sweets—for 40 days), pączki is basically the pastry icon of the final cheat day before the long diet.

“Growing up Catholic in the Midwest—outside of Chicago—I have many fond memories of enjoying pączki every February from local mom-and-pop bakeries before Lent began on Ash Wednesday,” says John Kelly, co-owner of Raleigh’s Burney’s Sweets and More.

“What King Cakes are to New Orleans on Fat Tuesday, pączki are to Chicago and many other Midwest cities with Eastern European ancestry.”

–John Kelly

Although pączki today are most popular in the Midwest, the historic sweet treats are slowly making their way down South. Here are a couple spots around town where you should head to get your pączki fix for Fat Tuesday.

Burney’s Sweets and More
burneyssweetsandmore.com/raleigh-nc
Burney’s has a variety of unique fruit- and creme-filled pączki available this
year, each topped with a sweet glaze or powdered sugar.

Golden Hex (Cary)
goldenhex.com
Golden Hex will have a variety of flavors available including berry, custard, poppyseed, plum, rose and more. They will be available beginning February 4.

Polonez Polish & Euro Grocery NC
polishmarketnc.com
Polonez is closed on Tuesdays but will have frozen, traditional pączki available for pickup on Thursday, Feb. 11.

You can also check your neighborhood bakery or grocery store for pączki.