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

Course Desserts

Cuisine Hawaiian

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 a malasada and a donut? ›

The difference, as explained by Rachel Laudan in The Food of Paradise: Exploring Hawaii's Cultural Heritage is in the dough: "What distinguishes the malasada from the everyday yeast doughnut is the eggy dough — about one egg to every cup of flour — and the use of milk or cream.

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!

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? ›

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 is the popular donut in Hawaii? ›

We started making malasadas as part of the Portugese tradition for Shrove Tuesday back in 1953. Now, we make them continuously everyday. We are Hawaii's original malasada™ bakery. All of our malasadas are made with our special dough using the finest ingredients.

What are honeymooners donuts? ›

Our honeymooners are made from our donut dough and topped with a generous spoonful of our fruity pie fillings and surrounded by vanilla icing. CHERRY. APPLE. LEMON.

Do you refrigerate malasadas? ›

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.

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.

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.

What is the national dessert of Hawaii? ›

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

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.

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.

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.

Can I freeze malasadas? ›

MALASADA Faq

You can freeze them if you want to keep them longer. What type of oil do you fry malasadas in? Do you have to order ahead of time? You can definitely walk in and order.

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's the difference between a malasada and a beignet? ›

Beignets are commonly made of pâte à choux (the type of dough used to make eclairs) that is cut into squares and fried. Malasadas, with their eggy, yeasted dough, are more similar to the German doughnuts known as Berliners, save for the fact that Berliners are filled with jelly.

What is the difference between malasada and brioche donuts? ›

What is the difference between brioche donuts and malasada? The dough used to make malasada is much wetter and softer due to the increase in eggs and the use of evaporated milk. The result is a sweeter, softer, and even more pillowy dough.

What is a donut called in New Orleans? ›

beignet, French-style fried square doughnut. Introduced in Louisiana by the French Acadians in the 18th century, this light pastry is a delicacy in New Orleans. The beignet was named the official state doughnut of Louisiana in 1986.

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