A warm pink box of fried dough is a very persuasive thing.
Especially when the sugar is still clinging to it.
These Portuguese-style malasadas have been coming out of the fryer since 1952. That gave Hawaii plenty of time to develop strong opinions about how many belong in one order.
You can keep yours simple and unfilled.
Or bite into one with a creamy center and immediately reconsider the rest of the box.
The coatings change. The fillings get even more tempting. Coconut, guava, and custard can all complicate what looked like a very easy snack decision.
They are served throughout the day, so there is really no wrong hour to show up hungry.
My only suggestion?
Do not count the box before you taste the first one.
A Honolulu Bakery That Has Been Making Hawaiian Favorites Since 1952
Leonard’s Bakery opened in Honolulu in 1952, beginning a family business that would become closely associated with Portuguese malasadas in Hawaii.
Leonard Rego founded the bakery after working at Snowflake Bakery, and his wife Margaret was part of the family’s move to Honolulu in 1946.
Leonard’s grandparents, Arsenio and Amelia DoRego, came from São Miguel Island in Portugal to Maui in 1882 to work in the sugarcane fields. Their grandson later brought that family connection to Portuguese food traditions into his Honolulu bakery.
Stop at the counter for a box of malasadas, or glance at the other baked goods before settling on an order.
A plain sugar malasada provides a direct introduction to the bakery’s signature dough, while an additional flavor lets you compare coatings or fillings.
Its menu also reaches beyond the fryer, with breads, pastries, cookies, and savory sweet-bread wraps.
For an early start in the city, the bakery’s morning opening makes breakfast a practical time to stop.
How A Portuguese Family Tradition Brought Malasadas To Leonard’s Bakery
Every recipe has a story, and this one connects to a holiday. In 1953, Leonard’s began making Portuguese malasadas for Shrove Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday.
In Portuguese communities, rich foods were traditionally prepared before Lent. Malasadas, made from fried dough and coated in sugar, became part of that Shrove Tuesday custom. In Hawaii, the day is also known as Malasada Day.
Leonard’s mother suggested adding the treats to the bakery’s offerings. The family gave them a try, and the pastries soon became part of the business beyond the holiday itself.
The original version is straightforward: a round Portuguese doughnut without a hole, fried until golden and finished with sugar. It is not the ring-shaped doughnut that might first come to mind when someone mentions a bakery stop.
Leonard’s now prepares malasadas daily. There is no need to wait for Shrove Tuesday to try a classic sugar-covered one.
For day-to-day snacking, though, the decision is simply whether to order the classic sugar-covered version or add another coating to the box.
Why Leonard’s Bakery Fries Its Famous Malasadas Fresh Throughout The Day
Warm dough waits for no one. Leonard’s makes malasadas continuously each day rather than producing them only for a single morning batch. Stop in the afternoon for freshly fried pastries, too.
The dough goes into the fryer as rounded pieces and emerges golden outside and fluffy inside. It is then finished with a coating, or prepared as a filled Malasada Puff, depending on the order.
The sugar is loose enough to collect on fingers and napkins, so keep one handy if you plan to eat on the go.
Orders can be placed at the bakery. Online malasada orders are temporarily suspended, but phone orders are accepted for at least one dozen malasadas when placed at least an hour before pickup. For phone orders, go directly to the cashier at pickup.
For smaller orders, choose your coatings and fillings at the counter. The original sugar coating is a simple starting point when ordering for someone who has not tried a malasada before.
Timing can still matter when a food stop is part of a busy day. Allow a little flexibility for ordering and preparation rather than scheduling your next activity for the exact minute after arrival.
Picking a coating before stepping up to order can make the decision easier. If the group cannot agree, divide the order among original sugar, cinnamon sugar, and li hing.
The Golden Sugar Coating And Fluffy Dough That Make These Malasadas Special
Picture a doughnut with no hole, a golden exterior, and a soft, airy center. That’s the basic malasada, and it is different from a typical ring doughnut.
The dough is fried until the outside takes on color while the center stays fluffy. Then comes the sugar. Leonard’s offers three classic coatings, each bringing a different finish to the same pastry.
Original sugar keeps things simple and sweet. Cinnamon sugar adds a familiar spice note that works especially well with coffee or another morning drink.
Li hing is the less familiar option for some travelers. The dried, salted plum seasoning brings a sweet, tart, and salty contrast to the doughnut’s sugar coating. One of each makes a manageable comparison if you’re curious about the range.
Follow it with a custard or guava puff, and the contrast is immediately clear.
Expect sugar on the paper and possibly on your fingers. A few napkins are a sensible addition to a box destined for a car or a nearby outdoor stop.
From Classic Sugar To Coconut Haupia And Custard Filled Malasadas
Feeling a little adventurous? Filled Malasada Puffs take the classic doughnut and add a creamy center. Leonard’s has five standard filling choices: custard, chocolate dobash, coconut haupia, macadamia nut, and guava.
Custard is a straightforward starting point for anyone who prefers a familiar dessert filling. Chocolate dobash offers a cocoa-forward alternative, while haupia brings coconut into the mix.
Guava takes the order in a fruitier direction. Macadamia nut is another option for a pastry with a nut-flavored center.
There is also a featured filling flavor, which can change. Ask about that option when ordering if you want to try something beyond the regular selection.
A mixed box works well for comparing two or three fillings without ordering multiples of the same one. Keep a plain sugar malasada in the order, too, if you want a contrast with the filled puffs.
Start with one familiar choice, add a Hawaiian-inspired flavor such as haupia or guava, and save the more unusual option for the final piece in the box.
Beyond The Famous Malasadas With Portuguese Sweet Bread And Other Bakery Treats
Malasadas grab the spotlight, but the bakery counter holds more than one kind of treat. Leonard’s also makes pão doce, Portuguese sweet bread, alongside pastries, cookies, and savory wraps.
Portuguese sweet bread is available in large and smaller loaves, as well as rolls. Its soft, lightly sweet texture suits breakfast toast or a simple snack later in the day. A loaf can also be an alternative to pastries when you’re shopping for something to take away.
Butter mochi provides a different texture. Made with mochiko rice flour, coconut, butter, and sugar, this chewy square offers a change from fried dough. Another pastry option is the creme horn, a puff pastry filled with whipped cream and finished with dark chocolate.
For something savory, consider a pão doce wrap. The menu includes Portuguese sausage wrapped in sweet bread, a smaller Pão Doce Pup, and a hot dog wrap. Choose one when a savory snack sounds better than another doughnut.
Cookies are another option, including chocolate chip, macadamia nut, and coconut macaroons.
Selection can vary, particularly for seasonal items. If a specific bread or pastry is the main reason for the visit, check availability before setting out. Otherwise, scan the counter first and let the available choices shape the order.
A sweet-bread loaf and a bag of cookies make a different combination from a box filled entirely with doughnuts.
Where To Find Leonard’s Bakery On Kapahulu Avenue In Honolulu
Getting there is straightforward from the Waikiki area. Leonard’s original Honolulu bakery is on Kapahulu Avenue, inland from the beach district and within reach of a short drive or a longer walk, depending on where you’re staying.
The shop’s regular hours are daily from 5:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Leonard’s also operates Malasadamobile locations around Oahu, including Waikele, Pearlridge, Koko Marina, Windward Mall, and the Lagoon Drive area near the airport.
Their hours differ from the main bakery, so choose the location that fits your route rather than assuming every stop follows the same schedule.
The mobile stops provide another way to fit malasadas into a day on Oahu.
Waikele and Pearlridge may suit a drive through the western side of the island, while Koko Marina is a choice when traveling around Hawaii Kai.
Windward Mall serves the Kaneohe side, and the Lagoon Drive location is close to the airport area.
Those stops focus on malasadas, so head to Kapahulu when the broader bakery selection, including sweet bread and pastries, is part of the plan.
At Kapahulu, decide on your coatings and fillings before ordering, especially if you’re buying for several people. A box with a mix of unfilled malasadas and Malasada Puffs covers more of the menu than a dozen of one flavor.
For anyone carrying the treats farther, sweet bread or cookies may be easier to save for later. Malasadas are especially appealing soon after frying, so plan your first bite accordingly.
Bring napkins, leave room for a pink box, and head to 933 Kapahulu Avenue, Honolulu, HI 96816. From there, the simplest plan is to pick a coating, add a filling if you like, and enjoy the pastry while it’s still warm.