Top 10 Malasadas on Maui

Brought here to Hawaii by the Portuguese who came to work the cane fields in 1878, Malasadas are fried pastries that taste very similar to the beignets found at Café du Monde in New Orleans. Some taste like your friendly homemade Krispy Kreme donuts. The Portuguese were mostly Catholic and made large batches of the desserts on Fat Tuesday to use up their supplies of sugar butter and lard, as those would be given up for Lent.

Malasadas on Maui

The Hawaiian version became known as malasadas with the letter “s” at the end. We adapted the recipe and claimed the tasty treats as our own. Just about everyone has his or her favorite place to indulge. We decided to search for the best malasadas on Maui. While there are a number of places which offer them, all very delicious in their unique way, it is too difficult to decide who has “the best malasadas. Go out and try some of these local malasadas and let us know which ones are the best!

Top 10 Malasadas on Maui
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Donut Dynamite

Whether you’re on the search for Maui’s best pastry chef or one of Maui’s best malasadas, you will find everything you’re looking for at Donut Dynamite in Wailuku. Malasadas, donuts, sweet and savory baked goods, bread, coffee drinks, and so much more tempting goodness is found here!

Although Donut Dynamite now has a brick-and-mortar location and supplies a bulk of Maui’s best cafes and coffee shops with wholesale goods on the daily, it wasn’t always like that! Maui’s favorite “Donut Lady” aka Madame Donut is a serious, real-deal, sweet, and savory treat entrepreneur. Wow! You won’t even truly understand what you’re getting into until you step into her shop of amazingness.

Yes, her donuts are the bomb.com, but you must try her malasadas, too. They are a sort of an artisanal version of Hawaii’s favorite baked good, and they are undoubtedly full of soul and aloha!

If you want to try every single malasada that Madame Donut makes, call ahead of time and even consider ordering online if you know you’re going for bulk. Try many malasada varieties, including chocolate mousse, haupia, guava, lilikoi, lime pie, black raspberry, and plain. Nom. Nom. Nom. Enjoy!

  • You can pre-order for next day pickup.
  • They also have incredibly tasty donuts.
  • Catering services also provided.

Address

1246 Lower Main St.,
Wailuku HI 96793

Phone

808-280-6442

Hours

Mon – Sat
7:00am – 1:00pm

Sun
closed

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02

Manuela Malasada

When you visit Maui, do yourself a favor and make the trip to Manuela Malasada in Kahului. What could be better than made-from-scratch confections that are fresh and piping hot? They can be found in a simple stand next to Costco on Haleakala Hwy., and they stay busy from opening to closing. Loyal fans swing by repeatedly to help brighten their days with deep-fried dough balls in all of their favorite flavors.

You can pretty much order whatever your heart desires from the menu, but here are some of our favorites:

  • Lilikoi – Also known as passion fruit, their Lilikoi filling has the perfect balance of sweet and tart flavors. For a slightly sour kick, choose the li-hing powder coating. If you prefer sweeter flavors, go with powdered sugar instead.
  • Bavarian Crème – For a rich comfort-food style, choose the Bavarian Crème filling. The vanilla custard flavors pair perfectly with the slightly crisp dough for a perfect balance of textures. Any of their sugar coatings work great with this filling, although cinnamon is a crowd favorite.
  • Cookie Butter – A superb filling option, Cookie Butter works incredibly well in the center of malasadas. The rich cinnamon flavor goes great with plain, powdered sugar or cinnamon coating. Or, if you’re a purist, ask for no sugar to let the sweet cookie flavor stand on its own.

Please note that they are a cash-only business and their hours are subject to change. Make sure to call and check that they’re open before you go, just in case.

Address

520 Keolani Pl.
Kahului, HI 96732

Phone

808-747-5531

Hours

Wed, Thurs, Sat, Sun 10 am – 7 pm

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03

Komoda Store & Bakery

Since November of 1916 T Komoda Bakery has been delighting customers with their amazing baked goods. This little storefront on the main drag in Makawao Town is family owned and operated, drawing customers from all over the world. They offer 30 different baked items, not the least of which is their malasadas.

They have plain or guava filled malasadas and even small ones stacked on sticks. The Malasadas look like square doughnuts without holes, but there is a subtle difference in the flavor. They are light, ridiculously tasty, and their guava filling is uniquely theirs. Pretty sweet!

You have to get to T. Komoda’s Bakery early as they do tend to sell out. Don’t be surprised to see a line out the door!

  • Komoda Bakery offers 30 variety of baked items, including their unique Guava filled malasadas.
  • Go early as they sell out.

Address

3674 Baldwin Avenue,
Makawao, HI 96768

Phone

808-572-7261

Hours

Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri
7:00am – 4:00pm

Sat
7:00am – 2:00pm

Sun
closed

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04

Home Maid Bakery

The Home Maid Bakery in Wailuku is a large commercial bakery that has been serving the people of Maui since 1960. Their retail outlet has a wide variety of pastries such as turnovers, doughnuts, and more but it’s their hot malasadas that have people coming back time after time.

Bakery manager Orlando Quemado says, “We fry up thousands of malasadas each day seven days a week. And people love them!” Their malasadas are the lowest price of all of the bakeries and restaurants who serve the donut-like treats on Maui.

Fresh hot Malasadas are available twice a day 5 am to 10 am and 4 pm to 10 pm. They are served by smiling friendly staff at the main location and their outlet in Kahului.

  • Home Maid Bakery has been serving turnovers, doughnuts, and hot malasadas since 1960.
  • Lowest price malasadas of all bakeries and restaurants.

Address

1005 Lower Main Street,
Wailuku, HI 96793

Phone

808-244-7015

Hours

Mon – Sun
5:00am – 9:00pm

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05

Morimoto

Morimoto at the Andaz features upscale Japanese food. Chef Masaharu Morimoto is known for his fabulous sushi, seafood and delectable food influenced by his mother country. He should also be given kudos for his Hawaiian-style malasadas.

For a place that emphasizes fine dining sushi, surprisingly, Morimoto staff cook up amazing malasadas. Many might think they are just square donuts, but they are much more than that. The dough has to be just right, or the results will be too heavy. The oil has to be the right temperature, or it will be greasy. Rather than filling the malasadas, Morimoto’s pastry chef enhances the flavor and light texture with three different dipping sauces; each one is delicious and completely different—Apple Banana Cheesecake, Sake Caramel, Waialua Chocolate. They are worth every calorie.

  • Morimoto is very particular in frying their malasadas. The dough has to be just right, and oil has to be right temperature.
  • No filling but sauces come in three flavors: Apple Banana Cheesecake, Sake Caramel, Waialua Chocolate

Address

3550 Wailea Alanui Dr,
Kihei, HI 96753

Phone

808-243-4766

Hours

Mon – Sun
11:30am – 2:00pm &
5:30pm -10:00pm

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Zippy’s Napoleon Bakery

Zippy’s has been in Hawaii (mostly Oahu) for 49 years. Their pride and longevity come from serving local comfort foods to generations of Hawaii residents and visitors. The only Zippy’s on Maui is situated on a back road in Kahului that can be difficult to find. They have a dine-in side and a fast food side with a fabulous bakery.

Each Zippy’s location in the chain has a Napoleon’s Bakery inside. So, you can get your malasadas to-go at the bakery counter or if dining in you can order them hot and fresh for dessert. They are best when hot out of the oven, so they aren’t sitting around in a display case. Napoleon Bakery malasadas are known for their soft texture and full flavor. You can choose plain, choke sugar, or cinnamon sugar or filled with haupia, vanilla custard, or chocolate custard. Every malasada aficionado has a favorite. Zippy’s sells a goodly amount of these tasty treats every day, all day long.

  • Zippy’s has a diner section and Napolean Bakery section. Malasadas can be ordered to-go or eaten for dessert sitting down.
  • Flavors are plain, choke sugar, or cinnamon sugar filled with haupia, vanilla custard, or chocolate custard.

Address

15 Ho’okele St,
Kahului, HI 96732

Phone

808-856‑7599

Hours

Mon – Sun
Open 24 Hours

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Sugar Beach Bake Shop

Sugar Beach Bake Shop in North Kihei has only been around for two years, and it is part of the Ululani Hawaiian Shave Ice’s growing empire and their only bakery thus far. It is located next to one of the shave ice stores and draws in locals and island visitors alike.

Alyse Jenkins is the new bakery manager and has worked in several bakeries around Maui. She claims this little spot is the busiest, “Malasadas are a big seller for us. Visitors and locals come in for them all the time!”

Stephanie and Rick Brown from Vancouver, Washington comes to Maui annually. One of their first stops is Sugar Beach Bakery for their favorite malasadas. Both say Sugar Beach Bakery’s malasadas compare favorably to Leonard’s on Oahu, which is located between Kaimuki and Waikiki. Leonard’s is widely believed to be the first bakery to sell malasadas in the state. So, this is a high compliment, indeed!

Stop by and try Chef Jenkin’s version. She rolls them in sugar or Li Hing Mui powder, which is made from dried plums. Locals eat them like candy, and some call them crack seed, a mixture of sweet, sour and salty. You don’t find that anywhere else. Make the journey to North Kihei for unique malasadas or other treats, and you won’t be disappointed.

  • Part of Ululani Hawaiian Shave Ice’s growing empire and their only bakery thus far.
  • Chef Jenkin’s malasadas come in sugar or Li Hing Mui powder.

Address

61 South Kihei Rd.,
Kihei, HI

Phone

808-757-8285

Hours

Mon – Sun
6:00am – 4:00pm

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Home Maid Café

In South Kihei in the Azeka Shopping Center makai side (water side of the street), there is a tiny little hole in the wall café called Home Maid Café. Although the name is similar to Home Maid Bakery, they are not related and are separate businesses. Besides the great prices for breakfast and lunch, Tina Cho serves up some of the best malasadas on Maui available in plain or vanilla cream filling. You have to purchase a minimum of three. They are almost crisp on the outside and soft on the inside but not doughy or yeasty. Home Maid Café’s malasadas are also made to order so that they are hot on arrival.

Salina from Southern California came in to order enough for her whole family. She compared Tina Cho’s recipe to Leonard’s on Oahu. But no need to go that far! Salina says she stops in every day while staying in Kihei, just to come pick up malasadas made by Tina. So, this is the second place in Kihei that customers thought were just as good as the famous Leonard’s Bakery in Honolulu!

  • For having the best price on Maui, you have to purchase minimum of 3 malasadas.
  • They are only made as ordered, so guaranteed that you will get fresh and hot malasadas.

Address

1280 S. Kihei Rd.,
Kihei, HI

Phone

808-874-6035

Hours

Mon – Fri
6:00am – 3:00pm

Sat
6:00am -2:00pm

Sun
closed

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Merriman’s

Peter Merriman gets so many things right because his restaurants are always packed with happy diners. So it stands to reason that he would know how to please a sweet tooth. In his Kapalua restaurant, he has six signature desserts, and it is no surprise how yummy they all are, but it’s the malasadas that people from West Maui talk about most.

The Merriman’s malasadas are smaller and lighter than most. The delectable little fried pieces of dough are filled with melted gooey Waialua white chocolate. The dipping sauce is a rich dark mocha chocolate. The white and dark chocolate combination is pure ambrosia.

  • Merriman’s malasadas come in one flavor filled with Waialua white chocolate and served with a dippice sauce of rich dark mocha chocolate.
  • People on West Maui talk about Merriman’s rich malasadas the most.

Address

1 Bay Club Pl,
Lahaina, HI 96761

Phone

808-669-6400

Hours

Mon – Sat
3:00pm – 5:00pm,
5:30pm – 9:30pm

Sat
6:00am -2:00pm

Sun
9:30am – 1:30pm,
3:00pm – 5:00pm,
5:30pm – 9:30pm

View More about Merriman’s

When you want to try one of the greatest gifts the Portuguese workers gave to Hawaii you have lots of options all over the island to choose which malasadas is right for you. You are bound to find your favorite from all these choices.

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