Tomorrow is Fat Tuesday, also known as Mardi Gras, marking the end of Carnival season. The holiday is celebrated in New Orleans and around the world, but what exactly is Fat Tuesday, and why is it also called Paczki day?

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.

Paczki Day, also known as Fat Tuesday, is being celebrated across Chicago March 4, 2025. Here are 25 bakeries to find the Polish treat.