How to Make Malasadas

Guide Note

Masaladas are a light, sugary pastry dessert. These Portuguese doughnuts are extremely popular in Hawaii and are becoming more popular on the mainland. Use this article to make your own malasadas at home instead of the usual doughnuts! Your taste buds will thank you.

Table of Contents

Tips for Making Malasadas

  1. Heat cooking oil to 350 degrees.
  2. Mix dough to smooth consistency.
  3. Allow yeast to rise until doubled in size.
  4. Let cook in oil for about 3 minutes, or until golden brown.
  5. After removing and draining, immediately roll in sugar or sugar and cinnamon.
  6. Serve Malasadas warm.

More Mahalo Food How Tos

Newest How To Guides

Tips on dealing with difficult people

Great ideas for mixed drinks

Beat the cold of winter by making the perfect cup of hot chocolate

Need to save money? Learn how to spend less on food

All the information you need to make the digital TV switch

Introduction

What You'll Need

(Creative Commons photo by Thomas Kriese)
(Creative Commons photo by Thomas Kriese)

Equipment

  • Large deep pot or fryer
  • Small mixing bowl
  • Whisk
  • Electric mixer with dough tool attachment
  • Lightly oiled bowl
  • Plastic wrap
  • Rolling pin
  • Floured surface (for rolling dough)
  • Sharp knife
  • Slotted spoon

Ingredients

  • Oil for deep frying
  • 1 (1/4-ounce) package active dry yeast
  • 3/4 cup plus 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/4 cup warm water (110 degrees)
  • 6 eggs
  • 6 cups flour
  • 1/4 cup melted butter
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 cups whole milk
  • 1/2 cup half and half
  • Sugar (you may also choose to add cinnamon and nutmeg) to coat the Malasadas.

Making Malasadas

(Creative Commons photo by Pierre Omidyar)
(Creative Commons photo by Pierre Omidyar)
  1. Using the small mixing bowl, whisk yeast, sugar and warm water together. Set aside.
  2. Using the electric mixer, add the eggs and whip until they are thick.
  3. Change the mixer attachment to a dough hook, and add the yeast mixture, butter, sugar, milk and half and half.
  4. Add the salt.
  5. Add the flour one cup at a time, until a soft dough ball is formed.
  6. Remove the dough and put into the lightly oiled bowl.
  7. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.
  8. Let the dough rise until it is doubled in size, usually a little over an hour.
  9. Pour the oil into a large, deep pot or a fryer, and heat it to 350 degrees.
  10. After the dough has risen, put the dough on a floured surface and roll it to 1/4 inch thick.
  11. Cut into 1-inch squares with the sharp knife.
  12. Drop the dough pieces into the hot oil for about 3-4 minutes, or until golden, stirring constantly.
  13. Remove the malasadas from the oil with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel.
  14. While the malasadas are still warm, roll them in sugar and enjoy!

Variations

  • There aren't many variations on the classic malasadas recipe. Variations occur if you choose to roll the warm malasadas in a spice other than sugar.
  1. Try tossing malasadas in a cinnamon-sugar mixture.
  2. Or try these yummy Malasadas Portuguese Pancakes made with an Anise Syrup dip.4
  3. Some recipes use pre-made dough for a quick and just as tasty treat.

Fun Facts About Malasadas

(Creative Commons photo by Thomas Kriese)
(Creative Commons photo by Thomas Kriese)
  1. The first commercial sales of malasadas began in 1952 at Leonard's Bakery in Hawaii, where they still claim to make the best malasadas in America.7
  2. No one knows when the second "s" was dropped in the spelling of the pastry, but old photos of a sign outside of Leonard's Bakery show the treat name being spelled with only one "s".1
  3. Malasadas are big business. In 1996, an estimated 320,000 malasadas were sold in two days at the annual Punahau school carnival in Honolulu. In 2003, over 4,400 malasadas were sold in 8 hours during the "Sounds of Hawaii" event in San Francisco.1
  4. Malasadas are traditionally eaten on Strove Tuesday.1
  5. Original recipes show malasadas rolled in white sugar only.
    • Adding cinnamon or nutmeg to the sugar will mark you as a "haole" in Hawaii, a slightly derogatory term for foreigner.1

Conclusion

  • Masaladas are not a healthy food. But they are a delicious treat! Use this recipe on a special occasion to reward yourself, and your family and friends, with some warm, sugary masaladas. Your taste buds will thank you!

Subscribe to Mahalo's Weekly How To Email Newsletter

  • Get our best How To tips and ideas in your inbox each week

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Ethnic Dough: Malassada
  2. ↑ Emerils.com: Malassadas
  3. ↑ Champion Malasadas: Malasadas
  4. ↑ Recipezaar: Malasadas Portuguese Pancakes
  5. ↑ Aloha World: Easy Masaladas
  6. ↑ Aloha World: Quickie Masaladas
  7. ↑ Leonard's Bakery: History of Leonard's Bakery

Traditional Malasadas Recipes

  • Malasadas are always made using the same basic ingredients.
Related Pages on Mahalo

Malasadas | How to Make Homemade Donuts | Hawaiian Food | How to Make Fried Dough | Strove Tuesday | Portuguese Food



Didn't find what you were looking for?

Ask a question about How to Make Malasadas


110 characters left.