Where to Find Malasadas on Oahu 3 Local Favorites

Malasadas in Hawaii (Oahu): A Portuguese Treat That Became a Local Favorite

If you have spent any time in Hawaii, you have probably seen them.

Round, golden, and covered in sugar, malasadas are one of Hawaii’s favorite sweet treats. They may look a little like a doughnut, but there is one important difference: malasadas do not have a hole. They are fried until the outside is lightly crisp and the inside is soft and fluffy. And when you get one while it is still warm, it can be very hard to eat just one!

But did you know that malasadas did not actually originate in Hawaii?

Where Did Malasadas Come From?

Malasadas are a traditional Portuguese pastry.

In the late 1800s, Portuguese immigrants came to Hawaii, including people from the Azores and Madeira. They brought their food, traditions, and family recipes with them.

Over time, those Portuguese traditions became part of everyday life in Hawaii. Malasadas were traditionally associated with Shrove Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent. In Hawaii, however, they eventually became something people could enjoy all year long.

Today, malasadas are so closely connected with Hawaii that many visitors are surprised to learn about their Portuguese roots.

And that is one of the things I love about food in Hawaii. So many of the foods we think of as “local” have stories that come from somewhere else and became part of Hawaii over time.

How Malasadas Became a Hawaii Favorite

One of the bakeries that helped make malasadas famous in Hawaii is Leonard’s Bakery.

Leonard’s opened in Honolulu in 1952. In 1953, Leonard’s began making malasadas for Shrove Tuesday after Leonard’s mother suggested bringing the Portuguese tradition to the bakery.

They were a huge hit. Leonard’s now makes malasadas every day, and the little Portuguese pastry has become one of the most recognizable sweet treats in Hawaii.

Today, there are many places around Oahu where you can enjoy malasadas, and each bakery has its own style.

Here are three places to try.

Leonard’s Bakery

When people talk about malasadas in Hawaii, Leonard’s Bakery is one of the first names that comes to mind.

The original bakery is on Kapahulu Avenue, and their malasadas are made fresh throughout the day.

You can choose the classic Original sugar, Cinnamon Sugar, or Li Hing. Leonard’s also makes filled Malasada Puffs, with fillings such as custard, chocolate, haupia, macadamia nut, and guava. There is also a fun option if you are not staying near Kapahulu. Leonard’s Malasadamobiles can be found at several locations around Oahu, including Waikele, Pearlridge, Koko Marina, Windward Mall, and near the airport. If this is your first time trying a malasada in Hawaii, Leonard’s is a fun place to start.

Leonard’s Bakery official website:

Kamehameha Bakery

If you want to explore a more local-style bakery, head to Kalihi and check out Kamehameha Bakery.

Kamehameha Bakery is especially famous for its poi-glazed doughnuts, along with local favorites like haupia malasadas. The poi-glazed doughnut is probably the treat they are best known for. Made with poi, it has a beautiful purple color inside and a sweet glaze on the outside — a distinctly Hawaii-style treat that is definitely worth trying.

This is also the kind of bakery where you may want to arrive early. They open very early in the morning, and some of their most popular items can sell out.

And while you’re there, take a look around the pastry case. You may find yourself leaving with much more than the malasadas you came for!

Kamehameha Bakery official website:

Pipeline Bakeshop & Creamery

In Kaimuki, you can find a more modern take on the malasada at Pipeline Bakeshop & Creamery.

Pipeline opened in 2016 and spent a year developing its own malasada recipe, testing more than 100 batches before settling on its signature version.

Pipeline’s malasadas have a crisp outside and a soft, fluffy inside. Instead of filling them, Pipeline focuses on the texture of the dough and flavored sugar coatings such as Classic, Cocoa, Coffee, Li Hing, and Cinnamon. And then there is the Malamode. A hot malasada is wrapped around homemade ice cream, creating that wonderful combination of warm and crispy on the outside and cold and creamy inside.

It is definitely a fun way to enjoy a malasada!

Pipeline Bakeshop offic ial website:

Three Bakeries, Three Different Malasada Experiences

What I love about trying local food in Hawaii is that there is rarely just one way to enjoy it.

Leonard’s gives you the classic Hawaii malasada experience.

Kamehameha Bakery gives you a chance to explore a longtime local bakery in Kalihi and try other Hawaii favorites, including its famous poi-glazed doughnuts.

Pipeline takes the traditional pastry and gives it a more modern twist.

So if you are visiting Oahu and wondering where to get malasadas, why not try more than one? You might even have your own favorite by the end.

A Little Family Moment

As a family photographer, I love the little moments that happen around food.

A child choosing a favorite flavor.

Powdered sugar getting everywhere.

Someone taking a bite before everyone else is ready.

Kids comparing which one they like best.

Parents laughing because there is sugar on someone’s nose.

These are simple moments, but they are often the moments families remember.

When I photograph families in Hawaii, I am not only thinking about the big beautiful views or the perfect sunset. I also love capturing the small, everyday parts of a Hawaii vacation — the things your family did together, tasted together, and laughed about together.

Maybe that is why I love malasadas so much.

They are simple.

They are a little messy.

And they are meant to be shared.

So the next time you are in Hawaii, grab a box of warm malasadas and enjoy them with your family.

Take a bite while they are still warm.

Get a little sugar on your fingers.

And don’t worry if someone gets powdered sugar on their nose.

Those little moments are part of your Hawaii memories, too.

Where to Find Malasadas on Oahu

Leonard’s Bakery

933 Kapahulu Ave.