Malasadas Recipe (Fluffy, Sugared and Fried)
By Emily Carter ·
Published
Quick answer
Stir warm milk, yeast and sugar, then mix in eggs, butter, flour and salt into a soft dough. Let it rise 1 hour until doubled, then roll, cut and fry in hot oil until deep golden. Drain briefly, roll in sugar while warm and serve right away.
Malasadas Recipe is the Hawaiian doughnut worth frying at home. Fluffy yeasted dough fried until deep golden, rolled in sugar while still warm, with a soft airy center that pulls apart in strands. They take about an hour, mostly rising time, and they disappear faster than you can fry them.
Why you’ll love it
- Fluffy and airy inside, golden and sugared outside.
- A simple yeasted dough, mixed in one bowl.
- Feeds twelve, so it suits parties and family weekends.
- Kids love rolling them in sugar and eating them warm.
- Best eaten the day they are fried, straight from the pot.
Ingredient notes
Yeast: active dry yeast proofed in warm milk is the lift. It should foam in 5 minutes, which tells you the yeast is alive and the dough will rise.
Milk: warm whole milk feeds the yeast and enriches the dough. It should feel warm to the touch, not hot, or it kills the yeast.
Butter and eggs: the richness. Melted butter and room temperature eggs make a soft, tender dough that fries up golden instead of tough.
Flour: all purpose flour gives the dough enough structure to hold its shape, while staying soft enough to puff in the oil.
Sugar for rolling: granulated sugar rolled on while the malasadas are still warm. It sticks to the surface and crackles as it cools.
The warm milk and steady oil rule that makes or breaks it
Two rules decide whether malasadas are fluffy or doughy, and both are about temperature. First, the milk must be warm, not hot. Hot milk kills the yeast, and the dough never rises. Cold milk slows the rise to a crawl. Warm to the touch is right, and the yeast should foam in 5 minutes. Second, the oil must stay at 350 degrees F. Too hot and the outside browns before the inside cooks, leaving a doughy center. Too cool and the oil soaks into the dough instead of crisping it. Fry in small batches, so the oil temperature stays steady, and lift each batch out the moment it turns deep golden.
Variations
- Filled malasadas: poke a hole in the side and pipe in custard, chocolate cream or haupia.
- Cinnamon sugar malasadas: roll in cinnamon sugar instead of plain sugar for a warm spiced coat.
- Chocolate dipped malasadas: dip the tops in melted chocolate and let it set for a richer version.
- Ube malasadas: add ube extract to the dough for purple malasadas with a vanilla like flavor.
What we learned testing it
- Letting the dough rise a full hour beat a 30 minute rise clearly in the side by side test. The full rise batch fried up light and airy, while the short rise batch stayed dense.
- Frying at 350 degrees F beat 375 degrees F. The lower heat batch cooked through to the center, while the hotter batch browned outside and stayed doughy inside.
- Rolling the dough 1 cm thick beat thicker dough. The thin batch puffed up evenly, while the thick batch stayed raw in the middle.
Read how we test recipes.
Malasadas Recipe (Fluffy, Sugared and Fried)
Makes 12 malasadas · 1 hr 40 min total · Medium
Ingredients
Equipment
Large mixing bowl · Wooden spoon · Clean kitchen towel · Rolling pin · Sharp knife · Deep pot or Dutch oven · Slotted spoon · Wire rack
Instructions
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Mix and knead the dough
Stir the warm milk, yeast and 1 tablespoon of the sugar in a large bowl and let it sit 5 minutes until foamy. Whisk in the eggs, melted butter, vanilla and remaining sugar, then stir in the flour and salt until a soft sticky dough forms. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead 5 minutes until smooth and springy.
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Let the dough rise
Put the dough in a greased bowl, cover with a clean kitchen towel and let it rise 1 hour in a warm spot until doubled in size. The dough should feel puffy and light when you press it, and spring back slowly.
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Roll, cut and fry until golden
Heat 5 cm of oil in a deep pot to 350 degrees F. Roll the dough 1 cm thick on a floured surface, cut into 12 squares and fry 2 minutes per side until deep golden, working in small batches so the oil stays hot. Lift the malasadas out with a slotted spoon and drain briefly on a wire rack.
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Roll in sugar and serve
Roll the malasadas in sugar while they are still warm, so the sugar sticks to the surface. Serve right away while they are soft and airy inside, with the sugar still crackling on the outside.
Notes
- Use milk that feels warm to the touch, not hot. Hot milk kills the yeast, while cold milk slows the rise to a crawl.
- Fry in small batches. Too many malasadas at once drops the oil temperature, and cold oil soaks into the dough instead of crisping it.
- Roll the malasadas in sugar while they are still warm. Cold malasadas will not hold the sugar, and it slides right off.
- Serve them the day you fry them. Malasadas go stale fast, and they never taste as good reheated.
Nutrition per serving
Nutrition information is being calculated.
Substitutions
- Active dry yeast
- Use instant yeast instead, in the same amount, and skip the 5 minute proof. Mix it straight into the flour.
- Whole milk
- Use evaporated milk instead, in the same amount. The dough tastes a little richer and browns a touch faster.
- Granulated sugar for rolling
- Use cinnamon sugar instead, in the same amount. The malasadas taste like warm churros.
Storage and make-ahead
Malasadas are best eaten the day they are fried. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day, and warm briefly in a low oven before serving. Do not freeze fried malasadas, they turn soggy when thawed.
Frequently asked questions
What are malasadas?
Portuguese doughnuts that became a Hawaiian favorite. Balls or squares of yeasted dough, fried until golden and rolled in sugar, with a soft airy center.
Can I make malasadas ahead of time?
You can mix the dough the night before and let it rise slowly in the fridge overnight. Roll, cut and fry it the next day, straight from the fridge.
Why are my malasadas doughy inside?
The oil was too hot, so the outside browned before the inside cooked. Fry at 350 degrees F and work in small batches so the oil stays steady.
Can I fill malasadas?
Yes. Let them cool a little, poke a hole in the side and pipe in custard, chocolate cream or haupia for a filled version.
What oil should I use for frying?
A neutral oil with a high smoke point, like vegetable or canola oil. Olive oil tastes too strong and smokes at frying heat.
