Paczki Day In Montgomery: Where To Find Sweet Treats

Mardi Gras is almost here, and that means it's nearly Paczki Day. What's a paczki? It's a special, once-a-year delicacy, traditionally made by bakers trying to use up all their eggs and lard before Lent begins. For those who don't celebrate Lent, Paczki Day coincides with Fat Tuesday, the last chance to indulge before fasting or giving up treats for 40 days and 40 nights. This year, it falls on Tuesday, Feb. 13.

To the uninitiated, a paczki looks like a doughnut — albeit a fancy doughnut. According to Ingram's Busy Bee Bakery in Downers Grove, a paczki is "an extra large doughball, rich in egg yolks and deep fried just like a donut … topped with granulated sugar, powdered sugar or icing."

From chocolate to fruit filled, area bakeries offer many varieties of paczki, but time is running out to get 'em.

Paczki Day: Where To Order The Pastries At The Last Minute

If you want to get your hands on some, your best bet is to pre-order. For example, Donut Den in Joliet is offering pre-orders for 10 different varieties of paczki, from strawberry to custard, French silk and more. Over at Cathy's Sweet Creations in Plaifield, more than 1,000 patrons have already placed pre-orders. Cathy's says it will sell paczi on a first-come, first-served basis to those without pre-orders from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday.

If you're hoping to score a single paczki or not able to pre-order, it's best to show up early — pastry-hungry patrons will be in line and waiting to snag the Lenten favorite.

Here's where you can find the delicious treat nearby:

• Harner's Bakery, 10 W. State St., North Aurora. Offering paczki on Tuesday only.
• The Village Grind Coffee & Tea, 19 Main St., Oswego
• My Sisters Lil Donut Shoppe, 25 S. Madison, Oswego
• Cathy's Sweet Creations, 15515 S. Route 59, Plainfield
• Donut Den, 3043 Theodore St., Joliet
• Home Cut Donuts, 815 W. Jefferson St., Joliet
• Milano Bakery, 433 S. Chicago St., Joliet
• Weber's Bakery, 7655 W. Archer Ave., Chicago
• Zettlmeier Bakerei, 17016 Oak Park Ave., Tinley Park
• Orland Park Bakery, 14850 S. LaGrange Rd., Orland Park
• Ingram's Busy Bee, 5126 Main St., Downers Grove
• Kirsten's Danish Bakery, 94 Burr Ridge Parkway in Burr Ridge
• Fleckenstein's Bakery, 199255 S. LaGrange Rd., Mokena
• Morris Bakery, 315 Liberty St., Morris

Still need more places for paczki? Find more options here.

If you weren't already tempted, feast your eyes on these:

(AP Photo/Paul Warner)