Popular Dessert Named Michigan’s Best Fried Food

This is America, fried foods are king. And for my money, Michigan's best fried food is among the best you can put on a plate.

I know fried food is available across all 50 states, but being an Alabama kid, I have had just about everything fried you can think of. From alligator to Oreos, catfish to pickles and everything in between.

To me, there is nothing better than a fried seafood platter with shrimp, oysters, fresh fish and a side of fries. It's tough to find that in Michigan, so I have to make due with other options.

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Thankfully, Michigan likes to celebrate Fat Tuesday, a holiday I grew up celebrating quite differently. But, with pączki in hand, it's still easily one of my favorite days on the calendar.

As if the honor could go to any other food, pączki are Michigan's best fried food, according to Cheapism's rankings of each state's best.

Like donuts, pączki are fried dough desserts that come in a variety of flavors - though with pączki it's more about the filling than the glaze.

The difference between the two is in the dough. Donuts are primarily made with dough consisting of water, salt, sugar, and yeast. Pączki dough is made from eggs, yolks, lemon oil, milk, and butter.

Still, while the treat is most popular in February and March, you can enjoy pączki year-round in Michigan. A great destination for a Polish donut is the hub of Polish culture in Michigan: Hamtramck where you're bound to find true Polish bakeries.