Where to Find Pączki in Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh is a Paczki Paradise

Pączki [puhnch · kee] n. “a traditional Polish doughnut, filled with jam or another sweet filling and covered with powdered sugar or icing.”

The story goes that the people of Poland would consume all their sweets, butters and fruits in preparation for Lent to begin, and so began Pączki!

These delicious, deep-fried delicacies are a wonderfully over-filled pastry similar to a donut but with denser dough to hold the amount of delicious filling inside. And, in my humble opinion, you really can’t go wrong with any of the filling options! Pittsburgh’s Polish heritage makes our city a Pączki paradise.

Oakmont Bakery

We happily went behind the pastry cases at Oakmont Bakery (AKA heaven on earth) for a firsthand view on how pączki are made. Oakmont Bakery sells approximately 10,000 pączki (yeah we said THOUSAND) each weekend leading up to Lent, and 20,000 the weekend before Fat Tuesday, so we figured getting the tasty details straight from the source is exactly what you want.

The Pączki Process

Step 1:

Make the dough. Simple enough, right?

Step 2:

Portion out the dough into perfect little pączki pillows.

Step 3:

Let the pączki pillows rise in the steam box for approximately one hour. (Editor’s Note: Must have patience to make pączki – got it!)

Step 4:

The pączki get deep-fried on each side where they become a lovely golden-brown color that only dreams are made of.

Step 5:

Time for a bath in the silky sweet glaze! (Is your mouth watering yet? 🤤)

Step 6:

FILL. Oakmont Bakery offers 16 different fillings from fruit jams to creams, custards and even maple bacon. Their most popular flavor? Pittsburgh Cream, of course!

Step 7:

Pick a flavor or fill a box with one of each and ENJOY!

New for 2024

What could make paczki even better? How about an exclusive collab with Penn Brewery, one of the most celebrated craft breweries in the city? Their brand new Paczki Pittsburgh Cream Ale, which takes fresh vanilla buttercream pączki direct from Oakmont Bakery and thrown into the kettle to backsweeten this cream ale made with German hops, roasted honey malts, flaked corn and oats. While it may seem like a odd mix, the pączki give the cream ale and smooth mouthfeel and creamy character making this one of the most unique (and delicious) beers in the Burgh.

Grab a draft or a four pack while you visit the bakery, or look for it for sale at Penn Brewery as well. Hurry, this limited supply is only available for a short time.

We have one last tasty surprise. Our friends at Oakmont Bakery let us in on a sweet (not so) secret! 🤫 The Lenten season isn’t the only time they offer pączki.

Every summer for just one weekend in July, during the Oakmont Summer Street Sale, they bring back their best-selling holiday items including New Years Pretzels, Frakleberry Cookies, and you guessed it – PĄCZKI! Did someone say Christmas in July?

2024 Summer Pączki Dates: TBD

More Places for Pittsburgh Pączki

Need more pączki? Us, too! 😍 Here are a few more bakeries around Pittsburgh that will surely curb your pączki palate:

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Gena I.

Author

Gena I.

Social Media & Marketing Manager

Gena is a social media marketer by day and self-proclaimed #Swiftie by night. Can be found scrolling TikTok for the next best trend and has the most fun at Penguins games even if she doesn’t know a single thing about hockey.

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