Easy Hawaiian Style Malasadas Recipe (2024)

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Easy Hawaiian style malasadas are deep fried and rolled in sugar creating a light and fluffy donut. Perfect for Malasada day here in Hawai’i or anytime of year.

Easy Hawaiian Style Malasadas Recipe (1)

Whether you call it Malasada Day, Fat Tuesday, Mardi Gras, or something else, one thing’s for sure, delicious food will be a part of your day.

Here in Hawai’i it’s most often called Malasada Day or Fat Tuesday. This is the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday and the beginning of the season of lent.

A popular treat made for enjoyment on Fat Tuesday is malasadas. Malasada is a Portuguese dessert that was brought to the islands by immigrants that traveled to Hawai’i to work on the plantations.

Easy Hawaiian Style Malasadas Recipe (2)

Malasadas have quickly become the favorite Hawaiian island donuts. Malasadas are small yeast balls of dough, deep fried, and coated in granulated sugar. Traditional malasadas are not not filled, however in Hawai’i you can find both traditional malasadas as well as stuffed ones.

Popular filings used to stuff malasadas include:

  • Haupia
  • Guava
  • Lilikoi
  • Custard
  • Chocolate
Easy Hawaiian Style Malasadas Recipe (3)

If you’re looking for other popular desserts here in Hawai’i, try kulolo, sweet potato haupia bars, or haole brownies.

Home Maid Bakery on Maui and Leonard’s Bakery on O’ahu are popular for their yummy version of the malasada.

What do I need to make malasadas:

Easy Hawaiian Style Malasadas Recipe (4)

What’s the difference between bread flour and all purpose flour?

Bread flour contains a higher protein content than that of all purpose flour. Proteins create gluten. Gluten creates stringy strands that allow bread to have its characteristic elasticity and stretch.

Do I have to let the malasadas rise?

Letting the dough rise allows the yeast time to use up the sugars and break down the starches. This allows air to form within the dough creating light and fluffy dough. I would not recommend skipping this step. It’ll be well worth your wait.

What other toppings can you use on malasadas?

The classic topping is granulated sugar. You can also use cinnamon sugar, plain, or with a side of ice cream. Drizzle on some chocolate or strawberry sauce. The possibilities are endless.

Easy Hawaiian Style Malasadas Recipe (5)

How to store malasadas?

Hawai’i malasadas are best eaten fresh. If you somehow have leftovers you can store these in an airtight container at room temperature for a day or two. You can reheat the malasadas in a microwave when ready to eat.

Can you freeze malasada dough?

You sure can. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and store in an airtight container. This will keep for a few months. Allow to defrost at room temperature or in the refrigerator overnight.

How to make malasadas?

In a small mixing bowl add yeast, warm water heated to 115F, and 1 teaspoon sugar. Set aside and allow to sit until foamy, about 10 minutes.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment add eggs. Mix until light and fluffy.

Add milk, evaporated milk, butter, sugar, and yeast mixture. Mix until well combined.

With the motor running slowly add flour mixture and salt. Mix dough until well combined and smooth.

Transfer to a lightly greased mixing bowl and cover with a towel. Place in a warm, dark area and allow to rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Remove dough on to a floured surface. Roll dough to about 1 inch thickness. Using a cookie cutter, cup, or any round shape to cut dough. Place dough rounds on to a greased cookie sheet. Cover with a towel and allow to rest.

Place sugar in a large bowl and set aside. Heat oil of choice in a medium sauce pan over medium high heat until oil is heated to 375F. Place malasadas on oil to fry. Do not crowd the malasadas. Fry until golden brown or about 3-5 minutes on each side.

Remove malasada from oil and place on a cooling rack over a cookie sheet. Once malasada has slightly cooled, place in the bowl with sugar. Toss to coat.

ENJOY!

Easy Hawaiian Style Malasadas Recipe (6)

Easy Hawaiian Style Malasada Recipe

Relle Lum

Easy Hawaiian style malasadas are deep fried and rolled in sugar creating a light and fluffy donut. Perfect for Malasada day here in Hawai’i or anytime of year.

4.54 from 290 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 2 hours hrs 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 5 minutes mins

Total Time 2 hours hrs 20 minutes mins

Servings 2 dozen

Calories 234 kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • In a small mixing bowl add yeast, warm water heated to 115F, and 1 teaspoon sugar. Set aside and allow to sit until foamy, about 10 minutes.

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment add eggs. Mix until light and fluffy.

  • Add milk, evaporated milk, butter, sugar, and yeast mixture. Mix until well combined.

  • With the motor running slowly add flour mixture and salt. Mix dough until well combined and smooth.

  • Transfer to a lightly greased mixing bowl and cover with a towel. Place in a warm, dark area and allow to rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

  • Remove dough on to a floured surface. Roll dough to about 1 inch thickness. Using a cookie cutter, cup, or any round shape to cut dough. Place dough rounds on to a greased cookie sheet. Cover with a towel and allow to rest.

  • Place sugar in a large bowl and set aside. Heat oil of choice in a medium sauce pan over medium high heat until oil is heated to 375F. Place malasadas on oil to fry. Do not crowd the malasadas. Fry until golden brown or about 3-5 minutes on each side.

  • Remove malasada from oil and place on a cooling rack over a cookie sheet. Once malasada has slightly cooled, place in the bowl with sugar. Toss to combine.

  • ENJOY!

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 234kcalCarbohydrates: 36gProtein: 9gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 55mgSodium: 80mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2g

Keyword baked goods, dessert, doughnut, hawaiian donut, home made, keeping it relle, malasada, malasadas, portuguese dessert

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Easy Hawaiian Style Malasadas Recipe (7)

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Easy Hawaiian Style Malasadas Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between malasadas and Doughnuts? ›

Originally from Portugal, a malasada is a yeasted donut without a hole.

What are malasadas in Hawaii? ›

Malasadas are light and fluffy Hawaiian donuts rolled in granulated sugar and usually filled with a tropical fruit flavored custard, curd, or cream. And these homemade Hawaiian donuts are relatively easy to make, thanks to a dough that comes together in just 15 minutes and is proofed overnight!

What is the popular donut in Hawaii? ›

While not as well recognized as say Japanese-fusion food culture, a small Portuguese enclave on the islands has made lasting impact on Hawaiian food with one sweet fried dough import — the malasada. Here is a primer on the popular doughnut and its origins.

How do you 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.

Are malasadas Portuguese or Hawaiian? ›

Although many think of a malasada as a Hawaiian doughnut, they in fact originated in Portugal. In the 19th century, the Hawaiian government encouraged immigrants familiar with sugarcane production to come to Hawaii and work. Portuguese laborers arrived and brought with them the malasada.

Why are malasadas purple? ›

Poi is a starchy paste made from boiled and pounded taro root, regularly served as a side dish on the islands. A powdered version added into the batter (as well as the glaze) is the key to these deep-fried treats' tender texture and pretty purple hue.

What is the national dessert of Hawaii? ›

Haupia is the Hawaiian name for a traditional coconut pudding found throughout Polynesia.

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.

What nationality are malasadas? ›

Malasadas and Sweet Bread

These baked goods have their origin in Portugal, and were brought by the many plantation laborers from the Madeira and Azores regions when they arrived to work in Hawaiʻi in the late 19th century.

What is the famous bread in Hawaii? ›

King's Hawaiian Bread was first baked and sold in Hawaii beginning in 1950, and the current company was started in California in the late 70s.

What is the rarest donut in the world? ›

The priciest doughnut on the planet is filled with champagne and topped with 24-karat gold. It's called the Golden Cristal Ube, and a dozen will set you back $1,200.

What are the purple donuts in Hawaii? ›

Poi Donut - Kamehameha Bakery. If you get hungry mid-morning, try these to-die-for purple glazed donuts | Hawaiian food, Food exploration, Food.

Can you eat malasadas the next day? ›

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.

Do you put malasadas in the fridge? ›

Malasadas are meant to be eaten warm. If you need to save unfilled malasadas, you can store them in an airtight container on the counter. Reheat them before eating. Filled malasadas should be stored in the fridge and should not be reheated before eating.

Are malasadas good the next day? ›

They should keep in the fridge for about a week or so. Pop them into the microwave for 30 seconds, prior to eating. They won't be 'as' good though. I love malasadas and would choose a one week old one over a fresh-out-of-the-fryer Krispy Kreme doughnut any day of the week.

What does the UK call donuts? ›

The only accepted spelling by Oxford dictionary is 'doughnut' and 'doughnut' is still the preferred spelling in British English. We tend to call them "donuts", though most of us, realising that the name is derived from the word "dough", prefer to call them "doughnuts".

What are British donuts called? ›

In some parts of Scotland, ring doughnuts are referred to as doughrings, with the 'doughnut' name being reserved exclusively for the nut-shaped variety. Glazed, twisted rope-shaped doughnuts are known as yum-yums.

What is a donut in UK slang? ›

An individual whom is extremely stupid. Lacks intelligence and common sense. An idiot. A mild insult often used in the work places of southern England.

Are donuts and doughnuts different? ›

Donut is an alternate spelling of doughnut. Some dictionaries point out that donut is rarely used outside the United States. All of them recognize doughnut as the main spelling, as do some of the more popular style guides. Doughnut might be the spelling you should use if you want to be sure you're not making a mistake.

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