Fastnacht means "feast night" - the feast before the fasting for Lent.
Every year, people line up at area bakeries on the day before Ash Wednesday for a taste of the sweet, doughy treats.
A local favorite is Haegele's Bakery in Philadelphia's Tacony neighborhood.
The German bakery only sells fastnachts twice a year.
Fastnachts are made with a two-part dough, then fried and finished off with powdered sugar or cinnamon sugar.
The doors at Haegele's opened at 5 a.m. for sales.