Photo by Elizabeth Coetzee, Food styling by Micah Marie Morton

A Hawaiian delicacy with Portuguese roots, malasadas are yeasted doughnuts enriched with butter, sugar, and evaporated milk. The key to great malasadas is their fluffy texture, so don’t rush the rise, and make sure your yeast is fresh. The type of yeast you use matters here. If you only have active dry yeast available, you can use the same amount, but bloom it first in the warm water until foamy. The dough must nearly double in size before being shaped and fried in hot oil until crispy on the outside and pillowy within. Once you’ve mastered the technique, experiment with different fillings and flavors. Across Hawaii, popular variations include fritters rolled in cinnamon sugar or malasadas filled with guava paste, pastry cream, or haupia (coconut pudding made with coconut milk, sugar, and cornstarch).

This malasada recipe comes from Tex Drive-In on Hawaii’s Big Island. A stand mixer with the hook attachment is the easiest way to combine the dough; if you don’t have one, a large bowl, wooden spoon, and a bit of muscle can get the job done. (Don’t try mixing the dough with a hand mixer or you may wear out the machine.) Like most fried dough creations, malasadas are best eaten within a few hours, but it’s hard to imagine they’ll last that long.

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What you’ll need

Stand Mixer
$337 $315 At Amazon
Deep Fry / Candy Thermometer
$32 $20 At Amazon
Dutch Oven, 5.5 Quarts
$420 At Amazon
Bowl Scraper
$7 $6 At Amazon

Recipe information

Total Time
2 hours 40 minutes
Yield
Makes 24

Ingredients

3 large eggs, room temperature, divided

¾ cup (150 g) sugar, plus more for coating

5 Tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature

¾ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ plus ⅛ tsp. Morton kosher salt

5½ cups (688 g) all-purpose flour, divided, plus more

4½ tsp. (2 packets) instant yeast

⅓ cup evaporated milk

2 tsp. vanilla extract

Vegetable oil (for deep-frying)

Preparation

Step 1
Combine 1 large egg, ¾ cup (150 g) sugar, 5 Tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature, and ¾ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ plus ⅛ tsp. Morton kosher salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook; beat on medium-low speed until blended. Add 5 cups (625 g) all-purpose flour and 4½ tsp. (2 packets) instant yeast; pulse to incorporate, then beat 1 minute on medium. Add 1 cup warm water (110°F to 120°F), ⅓ cup evaporated milk, and 2 tsp. vanilla extract and beat until well blended.
Step 2
Add remaining 2 large eggs and beat to combine, then repeat with remaining ½ cup (63 g) all-purpose flour. Beat until dough is smooth, soft and slightly sticky but begins to come away from sides of bowl, adding more flour by tablespoonfuls if very sticky, about 10 minutes. Scrape down dough from sides of bowl. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and a towel. Let dough rise in a warm draft-free area until almost doubled in volume, about 2 hours.
Step 3
Punch down dough. Cut into 2 equal pieces. Roll out 1 piece on lightly floured surface to 12x16” rectangle. Cut lengthwise into 3 strips and crosswise into 4 strips, making twelve 4” squares. Repeat with remaining dough.
Step 4
Pour enough oil into a large heavy pot to reach a depth of 1½”. Attach deep-fry thermometer and heat oil to 350°F. Fry 2 or 3 malasadas until puffed and golden brown, turning once, about 3 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer malasadas to paper towels or a wire rack set in a baking sheet to drain. Repeat frying with remaining dough squares, heating oil to 350°F for each batch.
Step 5
Generously sprinkle warm malasadas with additional sugar. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Photo by Elizabeth Coetzee, Food styling by Micah Marie Morton

Editor’s note: This malasadas recipe was first printed in September 2000.