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.

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

Mardi Gras begins Tuesday and Lent starts Wednesday, and here in mid-Michigan, that means plenty of paczki on the way to local bakeries, and no one celebrates like Krzysiak’s in Bay City. “We’ll probably sell three,

In Metro Detroit, the focus is on Polish paczki, and bakeries from all backgrounds roll out the lard and sugar for fruit- and custard-filled confections. Polish bakeries are well-stocked, of course, but even the area's many Italian bakeries get in on the fun with the now-popular and expected cannoli paczki.

We are less than a week away from Fat Tuesday, which is not only the day before the Lenten season begins, but it is also a big day for the deep fried Polish delicacy better known as Paczki.

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)