Oma's Jelly Donut Recipe: Berliner Pfannkuchen or Krapfen (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between a Krapfen and a Berliner? ›

The jelly-filled Krapfen were called Berliners in the 1800s, based on the legend of a patriotic baker from Berlin who became a regimental baker after he was deemed unfit for combat by the Prussian Army. When the army was in the field, he "baked" the doughnuts the old-fashioned way, by frying them over an open fire.

Both donuts are made from yeast-raised doughs, although Berliner donuts are shaped into balls (no holes) before deep-frying, whereas American donuts are cut out from a rolled-out dough. American donuts also have the middles cut out, which are then fried to make donut holes.

That one has many regional names, Krapfen, Kräppel, even Karpfen. It is officially sold under the name “Berliner”, except in Berlin, where it is called “Pfannkuchen”. (Outside Berlin, a “Pfannkuchen” is a pancake).

The French-style beignet in the United States has the specific meaning of deep-fried choux pastry. Beignets can also be made with yeast pastry, which might be called boules de Berlin in French, referring to Berliner doughnuts, which lack the typical doughnut hole, filled with fruit or jam.

noun. doughnut [noun] a ring-shaped cake, with a hole in the middle, fried in fat. a jam doughnut. (Translation of Krapfen from the PASSWORD German–English Dictionary © 2014 K Dictionaries Ltd)

In the midwest of the US, this is a Bismarck donut: It's… basically just a jelly doughnut. Round, filled with fruit jam, fried, topped with sugar or drizzled with icing sometimes.

There doesn't appear to be any difference. Wikipedia says "In English-speaking countries, Berliners are usually called doughnuts and are usually filled with jam, jelly, custard or whipped cream", and this page says "The English translation of krapfen is cruller or doughnut".

there are multiple names for doughnuts in Germany, Krapfen, Pfannkuchen, Kreppel, Bismarck, Berliner. In Berlin, they are always called Pfannkuchen. Never Berliner. There are only a few places in Germany where they are called Berliner.

Paczki versus Krapfen

Paczki are often coated, top and bottom, with powdered sugar, and they also come glazed or iced. Krapfen typically have sugar only on top, yet are somehow sweeter. Finally, the go-to krapfen filling is apricot marmalade, though vanilla custard or Nutella are also common.

Enjoying a krapfen, or doughnut, is mandatory during Carnival. But do you really want to wait until February to eat one? Legend says that krapfen originated in Graz, Austria, where they were traditionally prepared and sold in the streets during Carnival since the 1600s.

What are the different types of jelly donuts? ›

A jelly doughnut, or jam donut, is a doughnut with a fruit preserve filling. Varieties include the Polish pączki, the German Berliner, the Israeli sufganiyot, the Southern European krafne and the Italian bombolone.

Yeast donut filled with raspberry jelly. Rolled in powdered sugar.

Jelly Doughnut

Jelly doughnuts are traditionally a yeast doughnut without a hole in the middle, as the fruit-filling gets piped into the center.

In the U.S., another doughnut that resembles a Berliner filled with custard is the Boston cream doughnut, which is Massachusetts' official state doughnut. In some parts of the U.S. and Canada people call Berliners Bismarks, or Bismarcks, after Otto von Bismarck, the first chancellor of the German Empire.

The name of the doughnut is different in various areas of Germany. Most areas in German speaking regions call it a Berliner. Residents of Berlin, Brandenburg and Saxony often know them as Pfannkuchen, which in the rest of Germany generally means pancakes - pancakes are known there as Eierkuchen (lit. egg cakes).

Paczki versus Krapfen

Paczki are often coated, top and bottom, with powdered sugar, and they also come glazed or iced. Krapfen typically have sugar only on top, yet are somehow sweeter. Finally, the go-to krapfen filling is apricot marmalade, though vanilla custard or Nutella are also common.

Here in Berlin, where the Berlin Pfannkuchen has its origin according to history, the round dumpling, which is fried in hot fat, is simply called “Pfannkuchen”. In Bavaria the pastry is known as Krapfen and in other parts of Germany it is called Berliner. Yes – this is a great source of confusion for some people.

Meaning of Berliner in English

a doughnut (= a small, circular cake, fried in hot fat) with jam inside and usually a sugar covering: A Berliner is made from sweet yeasted dough fried in fat or oil.

The name of the doughnut is different in various areas of Germany. Most areas in German speaking regions call it a Berliner. Residents of Berlin, Brandenburg and Saxony often know them as Pfannkuchen, which in the rest of Germany generally means pancakes - pancakes are known there as Eierkuchen (lit.