Papanași is a traditional donut-shaped pastry with a small sphere on top. It can be fried or boiled, and it's made by adding unsalted cheese such as brânză de vaci (cow's milk cheese) or urdă to a regular flour and egg dough. The fried papanași are usually donut-shaped and can be served with fruit jams, a dollop of sour cream, or powdered sugar.

The boiled ones are smaller, nugget-shaped, and typically coated with a mix of breadcrumbs and sugar. This dessert can be found in most Romanian traditional restaurants or it can be prepared at home.