Fat Thursday (Tłusty Czwartek): Poland’s Sweetest Tradition
If you find yourself in Poland on a Thursday in late winter, you may notice long queues outside bakeries, boxes tied with string and people happily carrying trays of powdered-sugar-covered pastries. This is no ordinary day. It’s Fat Thursday, or Tłusty Czwartek, one of Poland’s most beloved culinary traditions.
Celebrated every year on the last Thursday before Lent, Fat Thursday is a day dedicated to indulgence, community and a shared national love of pączki.
When Is Fat Thursday?
Here are the upcoming dates so you can mark your calendar:
2026: February 12
2027: February 4
2028: February 24
Why Fat Thursday Exists
Fat Thursday dates back to pre-Christian times, when people marked the end of winter and the arrival of spring with rich, filling foods. Later, the tradition became linked to the Christian calendar as the final opportunity to enjoy indulgent dishes before the fasting period of Lent began.
Unlike some countries where indulgence is reserved for Mardi Gras or Shrove Tuesday, Poland chose to start the celebrations early, on Thursday, creating a standalone day focused almost entirely on food, particularly sweets fried in lard or oil.
The Star of the Day: Pączki
At the heart of Fat Thursday are pączki (pronounced pownch-kee): deep-fried doughnuts traditionally filled with rose petal jam and dusted with powdered sugar or glazed with icing.
Over time, flavours have expanded to include:
Plum jam
Chocolate
Vanilla custard
Caramel
Fruit preserves
There’s even a long-standing superstition that not eating a pączek on Fat Thursday brings bad luck for the year ahead. A belief many Poles are more than happy to take seriously.
Other Traditional Treats
While pączki steal the spotlight, they’re not alone. Another classic Fat Thursday pastry is faworki (also known as chrust), delicate, crispy ribbons of fried dough coated in powdered sugar. Lighter than pączki but just as addictive, they’re often shared among family and colleagues.
How Fat Thursday Is Celebrated Today
Today, Fat Thursday is widely celebrated across Poland and by Polish communities abroad. Bakeries often start preparing days in advance, producing thousands of pączki to meet demand. Offices bring in boxes to share, families buy assorted flavours and social media fills with debates about the “best” filling.
Modern celebrations are less about religious obligation and more about shared joy and tradition.
A Simple Pączki Recipe to Try at Home
Want to join the tradition without flying to Poland? Here’s a quick, beginner-friendly recipe:
Ingredients (makes ~12 pączki):
500g all-purpose flour (4 cups)
50g sugar (1/4 cup)
0.9 oz / 25g fresh yeast (or 0.25 oz / 7g dry yeast)
250ml warm milk (1 cup)
3 egg yolks
50g butter, melted (3 1/2 tbsp)
1 pinch of salt
200g jam (rose, plum, or your favourite) (3/4 cup)
Oil for frying
Powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions:
- Dissolve yeast in warm milk with 1 teaspoon sugar. Let it sit for 10 minutes until frothy.
- In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, and salt. Add egg yolks and melted butter. Pour in the yeast mixture and knead until smooth. Cover and let rise for 1–2 hours.
- Roll dough to about 1/2 inch thick. Cut into circles (~3 inches diameter).
- Place a teaspoon of jam in the centre of each circle, fold, and seal tightly.
- Heat oil in a deep pan to 350°F (175°C). Fry pączki until golden on both sides (~2–3 minutes per side).
- Drain on paper towels, then dust generously with powdered sugar.
Enjoy them fresh or share with friends and family to fully embrace the Fat Thursday spirit! 🍩
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