Michigan Paczki versus Chicago/Indiana Paczki – It’s Just Different Across the Border

If it's getting close to Fat Tuesday you're bound to see Paczki in bakeries and grocery stores around Michigan.

Head south of the state line to Indiana and you'll see something more than just a glamorized jelly donut. Paczki just hits differently in the Hoosier state.

A standard Paczki is a fried donut with either a fruit or cream filling. Prune is the most traditional but today standard jellies, apple and cherry filling is commonplace. You may be hard-pressed to distinguish a Paczki from a run-of-the-mill jelly donut. The dough is generally denser but, really, can you detect a difference?

Perhaps you've long suspected some bakeries serve up a standard filled donut and just slap a Paczki label on the product leading up to the gorge before the Lenten season.

Wander into a bakery in Northern Indiana and glaze, er glaze, at the Paczki selection and your Michigan brain may need a moment.

Check out the image from Fingerhut Bakery with locations in North Judson and Knox. Those are Paczki.

Those are Paczki? Indeed they are. Bakeries around northern Indiana from the Chicago suburbs and South Bend specialize in this beyond-Paczki. Yes, you'll find the commonly filled donuts. But you'll find a deluxe model. This special sandwich-style Paczki features the donut sliced in half and filled with cream or cream and gelled fresh strawberries.

So if you've never experienced this style of Paczki, perhaps some Fat Tuesday tourism is in order to northern Indiana.