The Best Malasadas in Hawaii
Ever since I was a kid, my parents took me to Hawaii. I remember waking up one summer morning in the hotel room of the Sheraton Princess Kaiulani with my brother and parents. My brother and I (for some reason) desperately wanted donuts and my parents stepped out promptly to pick some up. When they returned, they were holding a pink box with blue cursive writing on it. “Leonard’s donuts!” I exclaimed, unaware. We opened the box and inside were what looked like donuts but contained no hole in the middle. “Just try it” my mom urged. I reluctantly bit into it. It was the sugariest, fluffiest, warmest most heartwarming non-donut I ever had in my life. “What is this?” I asked my parents. My dad responded, “It’s a malasada. From Leanoard’s. Best place in Oahu to get them.” That phrase stuck with me ever since. And so every time I head back to Oahu, I always have to stop by Leonard’s at least once.
This past April, my girlfriend and I decided to take a quick vacation to Hawaii. She’s never been and I wanted to show her Waikiki. The pictures featured in this article have all been taken from that trip. The first place I took her to was Leonard’s Bakery. We just had to have a malasada. We Ubered there from our AirBnb. Our Uber driver was an expat from the UK who fell in love with Hawaii after his first visit. Just imagine the cockiest, snobbiest British accent when reading this quote from him, “Let’s see here... you’re going to Leonard’s?! This early in the mornin’? HAHAHAHA Why there? It’s too early?! You’re kidding me! No but seriously, Leonard’s is great!! hahahahaha.” Not sure why he laughed and scoffed at us so much. I love malasadas and Leonard’s is THE place to go. The place has looked the same ever since the 50s and I’m glad to see it still has that classic look.
A malasada is a Portugese donut without a hole Originating on the Madeira Islands in Portugal, malasadas were made to prepare for Lent on Shrove Tuesday. They originally were made from the leftover lard and sugar in Catholic homes. It wasn’t until 1878 when Portuguese laborers from Madeira and Azores came to Hawaii that malasadas became a staple in Hawaiian culture. Light, fluffy, covered in sugar and sometimes filled with pinapple, mango, guava, malasadas have become a huge part of Hawaiian culture.
Leonard’s Bakery story according to their website:
“In June 1882 the British sailing ship ‘Monarch' brought Arsenio and Amelia DoRego from San Miguel Island, Portugal to Maui, Hawai'i under contract to work the sugar cane fields. Some 33 years later, their grandson Leonard was born. In 1946 Leonard and his wife Margaret moved to Honolulu with their daughter Diane, age 8. Leonard worked at Snowflake Bakery until he founded Leonard's Bakery℠ in 1952.Leonard and Margaret were no strangers to hard work, both coming from very large families. The bakery prospered. Not long after opening, Leonard's mother suggested making malasadas for Shrove Tuesday – a Portuguese tradition. Although thinking it may be too ethnic, Leonard's bakers complied. Malasadas were a huge hit. And, the appetite for malasadas in Hawaii was born.“
If you’re ever in the Hawaii area, check out Leonard’s bakery on Kapahulu Avenue.
https://www.leonardshawaii.com/malasadas/
P.S. - Shoutout to this woman in Japan I saw holding a Lenoard’s tote bag.
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