The Best Malasadas Recipe in Hawaii (2024)

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The Best Malasadas Recipe in Hawaii (1)

The famous malasada of Hawaii

Ohhh yes! Malasadas are one of the most popular foods in Hawaii to date. I grew up in the town of Makawao so of course I had a chance to try out Komoda’s malasadas. I can testify that it is one of the best malasadas I’ve had growing up in Maui.

There are of course many local places to try out malasadas. Here are a few places I recommend trying out if you’d like to try out these delicious fried donuts covered in the classic sugar coating:

One tip I recommend is to order online so you can pick up the donuts without waiting in line or banking on them not being sold out when you arrive at the store.

The Best Malasadas Recipe in Hawaii (2)

Where are malasadas from?

Malasadas were brought to Hawaii by the Portuguese as they immigrated to Hawaii during the sugar plantation era (around 1878). Traditionally malasadas were made to be eaten on Terça-feira Gorda (known as “Fat Tuesday”) the day prior to Lent. Malasadas were made with the intention to use up all of the fat or lard and sugar in the pantry.

As the immigrants from the Azores islands and Madeira were settling in Hawaii, they brought this tradition by frying up many malasadas in big batches on Fat Tuesday. Normally these malasadas don’t have a filling in them but as time went on, Hawaii adopted their own version of malasadas by adding in different types of fillings.

The Best Malasadas Recipe in Hawaii (3)

What type of fillings are in malasadas?

Some fillings you will most likely see in Hawaii are custard, haupia, chocolate, guava, lilikoi, strawberry, etc. If you know of any other fillings, I’d love to know! Comment below or comment on my other social pages. Or sometimes classic malasadas have no fillings. Just rolled in sugar and eaten hot off from frying.

What are the ingredients in malasadas?

Like most donut recipes, malasadas call for similar ingredients. The main ingredients in malasadas are yeast, sugar, eggs, and lard or butter. Hawaii has also slightly modified it to add evaporated milk.

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Making the fillings will depend on what you want. I’d suggest using my Haupia pudding recipe if you’d like a sweet coconut filling. If you are looking for more of a custard filling, I will have a recipe for it in the future! I’ll update this post when I make another post on it.

How to store malasadas?

Malasadas are best eaten fresh. That’s why you see most bakeries prefer to have you order your malasadas so you can enjoy them fresh out of the fryer.

But if you desire to save these sweet treats, you can store them in an airtight container for up to 2-3 days. Reheat it in the microwave and enjoy!

The Best Malasadas Recipe in Hawaii (5)

If the malasadas are filled, you must keep them in the fridge or freezer. They can be kept in the fridge for up to 1 week.

You can actually freeze them by individually wrapping it in foil and placing it in a ziplock freezer bag. Store it in the freezer for up to 2-3 months. Defrost them to room temperature and reheat it in the oven or microwave.

Tips for making malasadas

Here are a few tips when it comes to making malasadas:

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  • You can let the dough rise overnight in the fridge! In fact, it is probably the best way to do so. It does take more time but it is worth it.
  • Be sure to keep your frying temperature between 360-375 degrees Fahrenheit. If it’s too high, it’ll burn the outside and the inside will still be raw and gooey. If it’s too low, you will need to fry it longer but the inside will be dry and overcooked.

Give this onolicious recipe a try! If you did give it a try, please leave a comment with a star rating below. Mahalo!

Video Tutorial

Check out this video to help you gain more insight into how to make Malasadas. Also, subscribe to my YouTube to help support me to continue making more of this content. Mahalo!

Malasadas

This malasada recipe is a one-of-a-kind from Hawaii. It yields a dozen soft-fluffy malasadas that'll make you lick the sugar off of your finger.

Print Recipe

The Best Malasadas Recipe in Hawaii (7)

Prep Time:3 hours hrs

Cook Time:30 minutes mins

Total Time:3 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Equipment

  • ½ cup warm evaporated milk

  • ¾ cup warm milk

Ingredients

  • ½ cup warm evaporated milk
  • ¾ cup warm milk
  • 2 tsp yeast
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • cup sugar
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 5 eggs
  • ½ cup softened unsalted butter
  • 5 ½ cups bread flour

Instructions

  • Combine the warm evaporated milk, warm milk, 1 tbsp sugar, and yeast. Give it a quick whisk and let it stand until it gets foamy. About 10 minutes.

  • Add the bread flour, salt, sugar, froth mixture, and eggs in the stand-up mixer. Mix Everything together using the hook attachment.

  • When the dough begins to form, add the butter. Mix for another 8 minutes or until the dough becomes smooth and elastic.

  • Place the dough in a large bowl. Cover with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap. Let it rise in a warm place for about one hour.

  • After the dough has risen, punch it down, reshape, cover, and let it rise again for another hour.

  • Place the dough on a well floured surface. Dust the top of the dough with more flour and flatten it out to about ¾ inches thick using a rolling pin

  • Cut the dough into oval shapes. Place on a baking sheet, cover, and let it rise for 30 minutes.

  • Pour about 2 inches of vegetable oil in a pot. Heat the oil to 360-375 degrees Fahrenheit. Fry each side of the donut for a few minutes or until golden brown.

  • Transfer fried donuts to a baking sheet lined with paper towels or wire rack. Cool before stuffing with any filling.

  • To fill, poke with a chopstick and jiggle around a little to create a cavity inside. Fill a pastry bag with your choice of filling and stuff the donut until it is firm and plump.

  • Serve and enjoy this onolicious Malasada!

Servings: 18 malasadas

The Best Malasadas Recipe in Hawaii (2024)

FAQs

What is the popular donut in Hawaii? ›

This light and fluffy malasada recipe makes a small batch of 6 authentic Hawaiian donuts inspired by Leonard's Bakery in Honolulu! The malasadas are rolled in sugar and stuffed with passion fruit pastry cream.

What does malasada mean in Hawaiian? ›

Malasadas are said to be a speciality of the island of São Miguel, an island in the Azores that was first settled by the Portuguese in 1427. The name, sometimes spelled malassadas means "poorly cooked," a reference to the almost crisp, sugary exterior contrasted by a soft, doughy crumb.

What makes malasadas unique? ›

What makes malasadas so unique is its texture: The pastry has to be crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside.

Should malasadas be refrigerated? ›

Hawaiian Malasadas taste best the day they are made. You can extend the shelf-life by storing the malasada in an airtight container, either at room temperature for 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. If you fill your Hawaiian Malasada, they will require refrigeration.

Why are malasadas so popular in Hawaii? ›

Hawaii. In 1878, Portuguese laborers from Madeira and the Azores immigrated to Hawaii to work in the plantations. They brought with them their traditional foods, including malassadas―where it is now commonly spelled as malasadas.

How long do malasadas last? ›

What Is The Best Way To Store Malasadas? Room Temperature Up To 1day. You can freeze them if you want to keep them longer.

Who brought Malasadas to Hawaii? ›

The malasada, a small, deep fried dough confection, has become integrated into the broad spectrum of “local food.” The Portuguese sweet treat was first brought to Hawaii by Portuguese laborers from the Azores and Madeira Islands who came to work in the sugar plantations.

When to eat malasadas? ›

Malasada Day or Fat Tuesday started way back in the 1800s and is a tradition in Hawaii that now equates to long lines and satisfied stomaches. On the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, Catholics typically eat a fatty meal to prepare for fasting during Lent.

How much sugar is in a malasada? ›

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 84
Dietary Fiber 0g1%
Total Sugars 6g
Protein 2g3%
11 more rows
Jul 14, 2022

How to keep malasadas fresh? ›

What Is The Best Way To Store Malasadas? Room Temperature Up To 1day. You can freeze them if you want to keep them longer.

Why do people eat malasadas on Fat Tuesday? ›

In Portugal, Fat Tuesday is called Terça-feira Gorda. And that also marks the last day of the Carnival of Madeira. In order to use up all of the lard and sugar in the house ahead of Lent the tradition was to make malasadas with all of the butter and sugar they had.

Can you leave malasadas out overnight? ›

Can I Leave the Malasadas Out Overnight? Should I Keep Them Refrigerated? For filled malasadas, you can refrigerate them overnight and microwave for 10 sec/donut. If you want to eat them within the day, you can keep them at room temperature.

What is another name for malasada? ›

Malassadas is called by a lot of names: Filhos, Portuguese Donuts, Fried Dough or Beaver Tails.

How long can malasadas sit out? ›

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) food and safety basics states cooked food can be left at room temperature up to two hours. If the temperature outside (or inside your house) is 90°F or above, you should cut that time in half.

What is the most ordered donut? ›

Glazed donuts are the most popular donut flavor because of their simplicity and sweetness. They are perfect for breakfast or as a snack.

What's the difference between malasada and donuts? ›

The difference with the Malasada is the amount of eggs in them. Malasadas have more eggs and a bit more butter which makes them distinctly yellow inside and like a brioche. They are impossibly light and delicious and out of all of these types, malasadas are probably my favourite donut.

Which well known donut is sold by Leonard's Bakery in Honolulu Hawaii? ›

Leonard's Bakery is a Portuguese bakery in Honolulu, Hawaii, known for popularizing the malasada. The fried pastry, slightly crispier and chewier than a doughnut and with no hole, is known as a cuisine of Hawaii.

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