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Savor the heavenly taste of malasadas—sweet, light, and fluffy Portuguese doughnuts. This easy, fail-proof recipe mirrors the deliciousness of Leonard's Bakery in Hawaii! With each bite, savor the irresistible sweetness and airy texture, transporting you to the sun-kissed shores of Oahu.
What Is Malasadas
Malasadas are delicious Portuguese-style doughnuts beloved in Hawaii. They’re fluffy, fried, and coated in sugar, sometimes filled with creamy delights like custard or fruit.
Found in bakeries and food trucks across the islands, they’re a favorite treat for locals and tourists alike, offering a taste of Hawaiian sweetness and tradition.
Leonard’s Bakery Copycat Recipe
If you’ve been to Hawaii, you’ve probably tasted Leonard’s Bakery’s famous Malasadas on Oahu. Trying them is a must-do in Hawaii, and once you’ve had a taste, you’ll find yourself craving them constantly, just like me.
Indulge in the irresistible delight of soft, fluffy, and sweet Malasadas with this fail-proof recipe inspired by Leonard’s Bakery. You won’t be able to resist these pillowy treats that are so easy to make.
My baker friend Kendoll and I decided to try the recipe from My Pinterventures, which is the easiest malasadas recipe ever! It’s very straightforward and doesn’t take long. The active time is pretty short, and the proofing time is about one hour.
These malasadas are like a taste of Leonard’s Bakery in every bite. They’re so satisfying! Give this easy recipe a go—I promise it won’t let you down!
Origin Of Hawaiian Malasadas
Malasadas originated in Portugal and were brought to Hawaii by Portuguese immigrants in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Oahu’s malasadas, including those from Leonard’s Bakery, reflect this heritage and have become an iconic treat on the island.
Difference Between Malasadas And Beignet
Malasadas and beignets are both fried dough treats, but they come from different backgrounds. Malasadas have Portuguese roots and are round and fluffy, often filled or dusted with sugar.
Beignets, originating from French cuisine, are square, denser, and typically served with powdered sugar. While both are delicious, they have distinct flavors and textures shaped by their cultural origins.
Malasadas: Portuguese-style fried dough, round and fluffy, often filled or dusted with sugar. Beignets: French-style fried dough, square-shaped, denser, usually served with powdered sugar, for example: New Orleans Beignets.
Frequently Asked Questions
Canola oil is the best oil for deep frying due to its neutral flavor, high smoke point (around 400°F or 204°C). It is also low in saturated fat content. I also like soybean oil, which has a neutral flavor and a high smoke point (around 450°F or 232°C).
This easy Malasadas recipe is only 238 calories per piece.
What To Serve With Malasadas
This sweet treat is best served with a cup of coffee or tea. For an afternoon tea party, I recommend the following recipes.
I hope you enjoy this post as much as I do. If you try my recipe, please leave a comment and consider giving it a 5-star rating. For more easy and delicious recipes, explore my Recipe Index, and stay updated by subscribing to my newsletter and following me on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram for new updates.
Other Recipes You Might Like
Malasadas (The Best Recipe)
Ingredients
- 1 packet active dry yeast, 1/4 oz. (5mm) or 2 1/4 teaspoons or 7 g)
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/3 cup water
- 8 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups scalded milk
- 1/2 cup butter, melted
- 8 large eggs, beaten
- oil , for frying
- sugar, for coating
Instructions
- Dissolve the yeast and 1 tablespoon of sugar in warm water. In a large mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, sugar, and salt, then make a well in the center. Add the milk, butter, eggs, and yeast mixture into the well.
- Beat thoroughly to form a soft and smooth dough. Cover and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Heat oil to 350°F (176°C).
- While the oil is heating up, shape the dough into flat round discs, pulling the dough outward and leaving a small indentation in the center.
- Place the dough into the oil and fry until browned. Drain on paper towels, then shake in a bag with sugar.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
The recipe I used for ages was from the old Hawaiian Electric cook book. I’ve had mine since the early 90’s and used it on the ship’s I worked on when I worked in the Galley.
I know for a fact that leanord bakery uses there own special blend of flours.
Also the magic is the yeast. Trick is water temp of 105-110* and 10 mins to activate the yeast and cover. Also dont use old yeast- this will kill the process.
Thanks.
ok I’ve been making these for ages, but use a smaller ice cream dishes and portion right into the hot oil= if I was to scale out, would I allow for a 2nd proof= and what weight would I go for.
Thanks.
Can Malasadas Dough recipe be made in bread maker?
You can try.
i would not even try- these are meant to be a fried product. I would not try to change the recipe, just tweek it. I grew up in Hawaii and Leanords bakery is Ledgen.
This recipe turned out great! The 8 cups was a lot of malasadas. It wasn’t as light as Leonards but looked and tasted very good.
Hi. I was wondering if I air fried them how long it would take and at what temp should I cook them at.
Sorry I am not sure I don’t use air fryer.
how do you put the filling in them once fried?
You can use an inserter to put the filling in.
i’m trying to find a recipe close to the malasadas i’ve had from Leonards, they all of course say they are close. But they are all so different. Some say to scald the milk, some say to heat up the milk but not tell what temperature. Some of the biggest differences are the use of flour and eggs. I just made a recipe that called for 4.5 cups of flour, 1/2 cup butter, 2 eggs, 1.25 c milk. other recipes call for 2.5 c flour, 3 eggs, your recipe calls for 8 C FLOUR and 8 EGGS! HOLY MOLY. Thats a lot of flour and eggs. BTW, each recipe calls for the same amount of yeast and sugar pretty much., I found the 4 c flour recipe i just did was good but heavy, not as light and fluffy, i thought that is either due to the extreme amount of flour or the milk not being “scalded” Maybe the latter if your recipe calls for 8 c flour. Why these huge differences i am wondering. Unsure which route to follow next. Thoughts?
thank you so much. i like this recipe but i was questioning the amount of flour and eggs!
sorry for the late response just saw this post i have a recipe from my grandmother who brought it over to hawaii in the late 1800s its all beating the dough by hand to get lots of air in it also uses 4-5 cups flower and 1 dozen eggs if you would like to try it i can send it to you. growing up we only had them 1 time per year fat tuesday but after my mom passedwe found another recipe from hawaii and i make them year round my grandma’s ive tried to make them other then fat tuesday and they dont come out must be my grandma and mom telling me no we only make them on tuesday before ash wednesday
Hi Edward Mattos, that is such an amazing story of such an old recipe. I grew up in Hawaii and am now in another state. Would you please share your recipe? You can email me at mahinalehua88@gmail.com
By the way, the real spelling is MALASSADAS (two S). Nobody in Hawaii spells it right but ask anyone who lives in Portugal. Aloha!
Hello Edward, I’m interested in your grandmother recipe. Can you please email that to me? Eveetrujillo@yahoo.com
Thank you,
Yvonne Kaupiko
Please share your malassadas recipe with me. My mother in law is Portuguese and I would love to surprise her with some one day. My email is kehaukaau1@aol.com
Mahalo,
Da Kaauwai’s
Hello – can the dough be frozen?
No.
Do I need to knead by hand or can I use my Kitchen Aid mixer?
Yes you can use your KA.
What is the best oil to fry them in?
I used vegetable oil.