Fat Tuesday: Where to find pączki in Dayton

Credit: Natalie Jones

Credit: Natalie Jones

A Fat Tuesday treat richer and denser than your typical doughnut is available in bakeries across the Dayton area.

Pączki, pronounced “punch-key,” originated in Poland. They are deep-fried pieces of dough shaped into flattened spheres and filled with fruit or cream fillings. Pączki are usually covered with powdered sugar, icing or granulated sugar.

Theresa Hammond, owner of Ashley’s Pastry Shop in Oakwood, told Dayton.com the deep-fried treat is made with a lot more margarine, shortening and eggs, compared to your typical doughnut.

Credit: Natalie Jones

Credit: Natalie Jones

“It gave the opportunity for bakeries around the world to get rid of shortenings, fillings, butters and eggs because everyone on Ash Wednesday would start to give up those sweet treats for the 40 days of Lent,” Hammond said.

She noted the treat without the filling typically weighs two ounces compared to a doughnut that weighs less than an ounce.

In Poland, pączki are eaten especially on Fat Thursday, the last Thursday prior to Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent. In America, paczki is savored on Fat Tuesday, which is Feb. 21 this year.

“With each year the quest for pączki is growing greater and greater in the Miami Valley,” Hammond said.

Ordering ahead is recommended at some bakeries but it is not necessary.

Here is a list of places around the Dayton area that have pączki:

💚 Ashley’s Pastry Shop

Credit: Natalie Jones

Credit: Natalie Jones

Location: 21 Park Ave. in Oakwood

Details: The shop has custard, lemon, raspberry, Oreo, peanut butter and apple cinnamon pączki for $2.60 each. They also have king cakes and baby king cakes.

💜 Dorothy Lane Market

Location: 2710 Far Hills Ave. in Dayton, 6177 Far Hills Ave. in Dayton and 740 N. Main St. in Springboro

Details: The market’s pączki are filled with lemon, raspberry or custard filling and can be bought in a four count for $8.99.

💛 Meijer

Location: Several locations across the Dayton area

Details: The Meijer store at 4075 Wilmington Pike in Kettering has raspberry, Bavarian crème, lemon and apple filed pączki. Customers can by a four count for $4.49.

💚 Kroger

Location: Several locations across the Dayton area

Details: The Kroger store at 3165 Dayton Xenia Road in Beavercreek offers Clyde’s pączki in four count packages on sale for two for $7. Varieties include powdered lemon, chocolate iced Bavarian crème, powdered cream cheese, powdered apple and glazed raspberry.

Did we miss your favorite place to order paczki? Please let us know by emailing natalie.jones@coxinc.com and we’ll be sure to add it to the list.

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