Krafne / Pokladnice – Jam-Filled Carnival Doughnuts

Across Croatia, winter Carnival carries a scent long before a mask is tied or a parade begins: warm yeast dough, citrus zest, and frying oil. That scent leads straight to krafne, or pokladnice, the soft, round doughnuts filled with jam that mark the indulgent days between Christmas and Lent. In many households, these are the sweets that signal the last carefree feasts before fasting, served on platters dusted thickly with powdered sugar and passed from child to grandparent without ceremony.

The pastry itself belongs to a wider Central European family. Krafne descend from German Krapfen, kin to the Berliner, a jam-filled doughnut without a hole.1 The Croatian version keeps that lineage yet carries its own identity: a particularly soft, enriched dough scented with rum and lemon, fried so that a pale ring forms around the middle. That ring is more than a pretty detail. It signals a well-risen dough and oil at the right temperature, both hallmarks of a careful cook.

The calendar places these doughnuts firmly in Carnival season. In Croatian tradition, krafne or pokladnice appear from the Feast of the Epiphany (January 6) through Shrove Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday. Bakeries in cities such as Zagreb and Rijeka stack them in their windows, while home cooks set sheets of rising dough near radiators and warm stoves. At Rijeka Carnival and smaller local celebrations, trays of krafne sit beside masks and costumes, the sweetness offsetting chilly streets and late-night gatherings.

Naming traditions mirror regional habits. Around Zagreb and Zagorje, many people say pokladnice, from “poklade,” the Croatian word for Carnival. In Slavonia, the same style of jam-filled round is often called krofne. Additional fried sweets share the season—tiny fritule, crisp kroštule, rustic poderane gaće—yet the filled, pillow-soft krafne remain the centerpiece when a family wants something generous and festive.

Structurally, krafne are straightforward: a yeasted dough enriched with egg yolks, milk, butter or oil, sugar, a hint of alcohol, and aromatic citrus peel. Once mixed, the dough rests until doubled, then rolls out and cuts into rounds. A second rise relaxes the gluten and builds volume, preparing the doughnuts for a quick bath in hot oil. Inside the finished pastry, the crumb should pull apart in tender threads. The jam—traditionally apricot or plum—waits in the center, revealed only when bitten or torn.

This version aims to capture that classic profile in a home kitchen, with clear measures and timings for cooks who may not have grown up with a Croatian grandmother at the stove. The dough leans toward very soft yet still workable, which gives a lighter interior once fried. Lemon zest and a modest amount of dark rum echo flavors found in many Croatian recipes, while milk and butter enrich without turning the crumb heavy. The method favors patience over force: a gentle mix, proper proofing, and moderate frying temperature rather than excessive handling.

For cooks outside Croatia, krafne offer more than novelty. They bring a sense of midwinter generosity, of frying something fragrant and slightly extravagant while cold air presses against the windows. Whether served alongside strong coffee on a quiet Sunday or piled high during Carnival festivities, these jam-filled doughnuts stand as an everyday expression of a region’s history with Central European baking, filtered through local tastes and family memories.