Polish Doughnuts (Paczki)
Active dry yeast and plum or rose hip jam come together in this dish — 70 minutes, 7 steps, and the kind of result worth repeating. Scroll down for the ingredient checklist, a serving scaler and unit converter, and the method broken into 7 steps.
You'll mainly reach for frying pan / skillet and large pot. At medium difficulty across 7 steps, it's manageable with a little attention.
What you'll need
Shopping list (2)
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
Diet: not verified. We could not confirm rose hip jam from the ingredient list, so we make no dietary claim for this recipe.
Contains: Gluten Dairy Egg
Allergen labels are informational and may not cover cross-contact; verify every package and consult a qualified professional for medical dietary needs. Diet labels are derived from the ingredient list on this page — how we verify diet and allergen labels.
Food-safety and allergen information is general, not medical advice. Follow current guidance from your local food-safety authority, verify product labels, and seek qualified advice for allergies or health conditions.
How to make it
- Warm the milk to about 40 C (just lukewarm, not hot) and stir in the yeast along with a teaspoon of the sugar; leave for 10 minutes until foamy to confirm the yeast is alive.
- In a large bowl whisk together the flour, remaining sugar and salt, then make a well and add the yeast mixture, egg yolks, whole egg and vanilla; mix to a shaggy dough.
- Knead in the softened butter a little at a time, then continue kneading for 8 to 10 minutes until the dough is smooth, soft and elastic; cover and let it rise in a warm spot for about 1 hour until doubled.
- Roll the dough out to 1 cm thick on a floured surface, cut into 8 rounds with a cutter, place on a lined tray, cover loosely and prove again for 30 to 40 minutes until puffy.
- Heat the oil to 175 C; fry the doughnuts in batches for about 2 minutes per side until deep golden, turning once, and drain on a rack lined with paper towels.
- Once cool enough to handle but still warm, fill a piping bag with the jam, push the nozzle into the side of each doughnut and pipe in a generous spoonful.
- Dust generously with icing sugar and serve the same day while fresh.
You'll use: Frying pan / skillet · Large pot · Whisk
Ingredient substitutions
- Milk
- any unsweetened plant milk · ½ cup evaporated milk + ½ cup water
- Butter
- olive oil (¾ the amount) · coconut oil · margarine
Tips & common questions
How long does Polish Doughnuts (Paczki) take to make?
About 70 minutes from start to finish — an estimate based on the 7 steps and 12 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
What can I use instead of milk?
Try any unsweetened plant milk. See the substitutions section above for more swaps.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes — use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
Is Polish Doughnuts (Paczki) suitable for my diet?
We make no dietary claim for this recipe: at least one ingredient could not be resolved to a definite plant or animal source, so labelling it either way would be a guess. The full ingredient list is above.
Related recipes
Adapted recipe — rewritten in our own wording from an open-licensed community cookbook, not yet independently kitchen-tested by Consomee. How we source, test & correct recipes.
Polish Doughnuts (Paczki) is adapted by Consomee from the Wikibooks Cookbook, rewritten in our own wording and used under CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo: Polish paczki.jpg (Public domain) via Wikimedia Commons. We add the serving scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure — how we source recipes.