Discover local bakeries offering a wide range of paczki flavors, from the classics to unique options around West Michigan on Fat Tuesday.

Short answer: no. Think of the paczek as the jelly doughnut’s lavish cousin. While a good jelly doughnut is light and airy, a paczek is denser and more brioche-lik, thanks to more eggs in the dough.

Pączki – the Polish word for package – is a special parcel indeed. On March 4, the last day to be a gorging hedonist before 40 abstemious days of Lent, denizens will make a mad dash for these filled doughnuts (pronounced “punch-kee”). Bakeries from National Bakery to Grebe’s to Cranky Al’s will offer their versions of the deep-fried treat.

The fried treats were born out of a melding of European Carnival and Catholic cultures that were brought to Milwaukee by Polish immigrants.

Celebrate Fat Tuesday with Murphy's massive batch of paczki, featuring classic and new flavors for the Thumb area.

Bakeries across Metro Detroit are getting ready for a rush of paczki shoppers next week looking for a Fat Tuesday treat. Why it matters: Fat Tuesday is the day before Lent — 40 days of pre-Easter prayer and reflection when Christians traditionally forgo indulgences like sweets.

Fat Tuesday is a staple of every culinary calendar, but you may have a harder time getting your hands on a tasty paczki this year. (Feb. 28, 2025)

This semla recipe will provide you with lightly sweet buns filled with hidden almond marzipan below the mounds of gorgeous whipped cream! They are a delicious way to celebrate Fat Tuesday with a Swedish twist!

W hether or not you plan on observing the Christian season of Lent, celebrating Mardi Gras (or Fat Tuesday) is a great excuse to chow down on some desserts. In the past, Lent mean