Hawaiian Malasadas (Portuguese Doughnuts)
There are homemade doughnuts…and then there are Hawaiian malasadas. Light as a cloud with crisp golden edges and a sweet sugar coating, they’re one of Hawaii’s most iconic treats. This easy Hawaiian malasada recipe walks you through making them from scratch so you can enjoy warm, fluffy malasadas right at home!
The Secret to Soft, Pillowy Hawaiian Malasadas
Originally from the island of Madeira and brought to Hawaii by Portuguese immigrants, these irresistible treats are loved around the globe. There’s just something about a warm malasada fresh from the fryer. With its soft, pillowy center, crisp golden exterior, and generous coating of sugar, it’s the kind of treat that’s impossible to stop at just one.
Whether you’ve enjoyed them from a neighborhood bakery in Europe or Hawaii or are trying homemade malasadas for the first time, this easy recipe brings that fresh-from-the-islands flavor right into your own kitchen. And while nothing quite compares to eating one on the islands, these homemade malasadas come surprisingly close.
The first time I had one was back in 2016 in Kauai at a roadside stand. It was love at first bite–but what makes them soooo good? Simple: quality ingredients like bread flour, evaporated milk, and a heavy coating of sugar, plus a solid double rise before the fry!
Rebecca’s Recipe Review
Taste: An enriched dough gives these donuts a warm, cozy flavor and a sweet sugar note.
Texture: Dense yet fluffy, with a golden, fried exterior and crunchy sugar coating.
Ease: 5/10
Pros: When fresh, they are warm, fluffy, and melt in your mouth!
Cons: Frying can be a bit intimidating.
Would I Make This Again? Yes, I don’t always have much time to bake donuts from scratch, but it’s worth the extra effort for fresh, warm donuts on special-occasion mornings.
Simple Ingredients = Incredible Malasadas!
When it comes to baked goods, I believe even the simplest recipes can taste outstanding so long as you use quality ingredients!
These malasadas use wet ingredients that include evaporated milk, grass-fed butter for incredible richness, farm-style eggs with golden orange yolks, 100% pure vanilla (or vanilla bean paste), and water.
The dry ingredients are bread flour (King Arthur Organic is my favorite), instant yeast, sugar, and fine sea salt.
How to Make Malasadas Like a Pro
- Whisk the dry ingredients together in a mixing bowl.
- Add the water, evaporated milk, eggs, and vanilla and mix to combine.
- Add in the softened butter and knead with a dough hook for 6 to 8 minutes.
- Scrape down the bowl and cover and proof.
- Divide the dough into even portions, pinch and roll each into a ball, place on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and cover loosely with plastic wrap for a second rise.
- Add canola oil to a heavy-bottomed pot and bring to 325°F.
- Drop in 3 to 4 donuts at a time and fry for about 2 minutes per side. Use a spider strainer to flip and remove them from the oil.
- Drop hot, fresh donuts into sugar to coat and transfer to a wire rack. Enjoy warm for best texture and flavor.
- How to Fill Hawaiian Malasadas (Optional): Let them cool completely, then puncture a hole with a chopstick or paring knife and gently move it around to create a cavity within, ensuring you do not break through the sides. Fill a pastry bag with the desired filling and pipe in until the donut feels full and heavy.
Whisk together dry ingredients in a bowl.- Add water, evaporated milk, eggs, and vanilla, and mix to combine.
- Add softened butter and knead for 6 to 8 minutes.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl and shape into a ball before covering and proofing.
- Once the dough doubles in size, turn it out onto a lightly floured workspace.
- Portion the dough into balls.
- Fry the balls of dough in hot oil.
- Coat the hot malasadas in sugar.
Rebecca’s Malasada Recipe Tips
- Keep the dough soft and slightly tacky for the lightest texture.
- Let the evaporated milk and water reach the correct warm temperature before mixing so the yeast activates evenly. I combine them together and warm them in a butter pot on the stove.
- Do not overcrowd the pot. Frying in small batches keeps the oil temperature stable.
- Coat with sugar immediately after frying so it adheres.
Troubleshooting Malassadas
- If the dough feels too sticky, resist adding too much flour. Slight stickiness helps keep the malasadas light and airy.
- If the dough does not rise within the expected time, move it to a warmer environment and extend the proof.
- If the malasadas brown too quickly, lower the oil temperature slightly.
- If the centers are raw or doughy, the dough balls may be too large or the oil too hot.
- If the malasadas absorb too much oil, the oil temperature likely dropped below the target range.
Helpful Donut Tools
- Spider Strainer – For handling the donuts in the oil.
- Candy Thermometer – To monitor oil temp.
- Kitchen Thermometer – To take the temperature of the donuts.
- Dough Scraper – To help manage the dough and scrape down the bowl.
More Donut Recipes
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Malasadas Recipe
Ingredients
- 3¼ cups bread flour 420g, plus more for dusting
- 2¼ teaspoons instant yeast 7g
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar 67g
- 2 tablespoons powdered milk optional, see notes
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt 6g
- ⅔ cup evaporated milk 160mL, warmed to 100°F to 110°F
- ¼ cup warm water 60mL, 100°F to 110°F
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- ¼ cup salted butter softened, 57 grams
- 40 ounces neutral oil for frying
- ¾ cup granulated sugar 150g, for coating
Instructions
- Combine 3¼ cups bread flour, 2¼ teaspoons instant yeast, ⅓ cup granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons powdered milk (if using) and 1 teaspoon fine sea salt in the bowl of a stand mixer.
- Add ⅔ cup evaporated milk, ¼ cup warm water, 2 large eggs, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Mix on low speed until the wet ingredients are fully incorporated and a shaggy dough begins to form.
- Add the softened ¼ cup salted butter a little at a time, mixing after each addition until it is absorbed into the dough.
- Knead on medium speed for 6 to 8 minutes, until the dough becomes smooth and tacky but not wet.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl and cover it. Let it rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 60 to 90 minutes.
- Turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide into 14 equal portions (about 2.2 ounces each) and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving space between each one. Cover loosely and let rise until puffy and slightly expanded, about 30 to 40 minutes.
- Heat 40 ounces neutral oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot to 325°F-335°F.
- Fry the dough balls in batches, turning, until deep golden brown and cooked through, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. The internal temperature of the donuts should be 190℉ when done.
- Transfer to a wire rack lined with paper towels and let drain.
- Roll the warm malasadas in a bowl with ¾ cup granulated sugar until fully coated.
How to Fill Hawaiian Malasadas (Optional)
- Let them cool completely, then puncture a hole with a chopstick or paring knife and gently move it around to create a cavity within, ensuring you do not break through the sides.
- Fill a pastry bag with the desired filling (pastry cream, coconut cream, ube cream, chocolate pudding, or fruit preserves) and pipe in until the donut feels full and heavy.
Notes
- Use active dry yeast instead of instant yeast by blooming it in warm water before mixing.
- Milk powder is completely optional, and you can omit it without making any additional changes to the recipe, but it does provide added richness to the flavor.
- You can use whole milk instead of evaporated milk, though the dough will be slightly less rich.
- Add a teaspoon of ground cinnamon to the sugar coating for a cinnamon sugar version.
- These malasadas are about 4 to 5 inches across after frying; you can make them smaller by doing 16 or 18, but the frying time will need to be reduced slightly.
- These are best eaten the same day but can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day.
- We were able to successfully reheat day-old donuts in the air fryer at 350 for 3 minutes, and they regained their warm, fluffy texture.
- Nutritional information is an estimate and does not include the oil used for frying
Nutrition
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