{{Short description|Portuguese-style fried doughnut}} {{Italic title}} {{Infobox food | name = {{lang|pt|Malassada}} | image = Hugeassmalassada.jpg | image_size = 275px | caption = Malassadas being made in Rhode Island by the United Brotherhood of the Holy Spirit | alternate_name = {{lang|pt|Filhós}}, ''malasada'' | country = Portugal | region = Funchal, Madeira | creator = | type = Fried dough | served = | main_ingredient = Wheat flour, sugar, eggs, milk, yeast | minor_ingredient = Cinnamon, molasses | similar_dish = Bola de Berlim, farturas, filhós, sonho, fried dough, cascoréis da Guarda | calories = | other = }}
'''''Malassada''''' is a Portuguese fried pastry from Madeira. It is a type of doughnut, made of flattened rounds of yeasted dough, coated with sugar and cinnamon or accompanied with molasses.<ref name="dgadr">{{cite web |last1=Fernandes |first1=Daniel |title=Malassadas |url=https://tradicional.dgadr.gov.pt/pt/cat/doces-e-produtos-de-pastelaria/187-malassadas |website=Produtos Tradicionais Portugueses |publisher=Direção-Geral de Agricultura e Desenvolvimento Rural |access-date=20 October 2023 |language=pt}}</ref>
== Etymology and terminology == The term ''Malassada'' comes from Portuguese words "mal" and "assado" meaning "bad" and "roasted", referring to their unstructured shape. <ref>{{Cite web |last=Scratch|first=Bake from|date=2025-08-26|title=Malasadas - Bake from Scratch|url=https://bakefromscratch.com/malasadas/|access-date=2026-03-27|language=en-US}}</ref>
Malassadas are often called "Hawaiian donuts" because of their popularity and cultural presence in the Hawaiian islands.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Setzler|first=Kayla|date=2024-06-07|title=The malasada, Hawaii’s beloved donut, tastes of home — and maybe guava|url=https://www.courthousenews.com/the-malasada-hawaiis-beloved-donut-tastes-of-home-and-maybe-guava|access-date=2026-03-27|website=Courthouse News Service|language=en-us}}</ref>
The name {{lang|pt|malassada}} is often used interchangeably with {{lang|pt|filhós}}.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Ortins |first1=Ana Patuleia |title=Authentic Portuguese Cooking: More Than 185 Classic Mediterranean-Style Recipes of the Azores, Madeira and Continental Portugal |date=20 October 2015 |publisher=Page Street Publishing Co |location=Salem, MA |isbn=978-1-62414-194-2 |page=286 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8weJCgAAQBAJ&dq=malassadas&pg=PA286 |access-date=20 October 2023 |language=en}}</ref> However, according to the ''Direção-Geral de Agricultura e Desenvolvimento Rural'' (DGARD),{{efn|an official Portuguese governmental office that inventories and defines the many traditional foods of Portugal}} these two regional pastries are distinct―the Azorean {{lang|pt|malassada}} is made during {{lang|pt|Carnaval}},<ref name="dgadr"/> while the {{lang|pt|filhós}} of Penedono is made with brandy and olive oil instead of milk and is enjoyed year-round.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Fernandes |first1=Daniel |title=Filhoses |url=https://tradicional.dgadr.gov.pt/en/categories/desserts-and-pastry/720-filhoses |website=Produtos Tradicionais Portugueses |publisher=Direção-Geral de Agricultura e Desenvolvimento Rural |access-date=20 October 2023 |language=en}}</ref> Another similar pastry from the Central Region is {{lang|pt|Cascoréis da Guarda}}.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Fernandes |first1=Daniel |title=Cascoréis da Guarda |url=https://tradicional.dgadr.gov.pt/en/categories/desserts-and-pastry/170-cascoreis-da-guarda |website=Produtos Tradicionais Portugueses |publisher=Direção-Geral de Agricultura e Desenvolvimento Rural |access-date=21 October 2023 |language=en}}</ref>
==History== The {{lang|pt|malassada}} is believed to be derived from the {{lang|pt|filhós}} from mainland Portugal and Madeira, a product of the growing sugar industry during the sixteenth century.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Tiago |first1=Flávio |last2=Fonseca |first2=Josélia |last3=Chaves |first3=Duarte |last4=Borges-Tiago |first4=Teresa |editor1-last=Medeiros |editor1-first=Teresa |editor2-last=Moniz |editor2-first=Ana Isabel |editor3-last=Tomás |editor3-first=Licínio |editor4-last=Silva |editor4-first=Osvaldo |editor5-last=Vieira |editor5-first=Virgílio |editor6-last=Ferreira |editor6-first=Joaquim Armando |title=Turismo sénior: Abordagens, sustentabilidade e boas práticas |date=May 2021 |publisher=TU-Sénior55+, Projeto de investigação |isbn=978-989-53123-2-0 |pages=90–91 |url=https://repositorio.uac.pt/handle/10400.3/5954 |access-date=20 October 2023 |chapter=4. A look into the trilogy: food, tourism, and cultural entrepreneurship}}</ref> It was exported throughout Macaronesia, where it was introduced to the Azores and Canary Islands, reaching as far as Brazil during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Gil |first1=Ana Cristina Correia |last2=Fialho |first2=Adolfo Fernando da Fonte |last3=Chaves |first3=Duarte Nuno |title=As malassadas : itinerários insulares, das ilhas para o Mundo |journal=AGORA |date=March 2022 |issue=49 |pages=1–4 |url=http://hdl.handle.net/10400.3/6224 |access-date=20 October 2023 |publisher=Universidade dos Açores |hdl=10400.3/6224 |language=pt}}</ref>
{{lang|pt|Malassadas}} were first described in the {{lang|pt|Dicionário Houaiss da Língua Portuguesa}} in 1609, and recorded in the ledgers of the {{lang|pt|Convento da Encarnação}} in Lisbon between 1688 and 1762.<ref name="padaa">{{cite book |last1=Pinheiro |first1=Joaquim |last2=Soares |first2=Carmen |title=Patrimónios Alimentares de Aquém e Além-Mar |date=30 August 2016 |publisher=Imprensa da Universidade de Coimbra / Coimbra University Press |location=Coimbra |isbn=978-989-26-1190-7 |pages=251–252 |language=pt}}</ref> The {{lang|pt|Gastronomia Tradicional da Madeira e do Porto Santo}} describes the mal-assada ({{literal translation|badly-baked}}) referring to the "undercooked" dough inside.<ref>{{cite book |title=Gastronomia Tradicional da Madeira e do Porto Santo |date=2013 |publisher=Servico de Publicacoes da DRAC (Coord.), SRCC e DRAC |location=Funchal}}</ref> However, another version asserts it was previously made using {{lang|pt|melaço de cana}} ({{langx|pt|molasses}}), having been named {{lang|pt|melassadas}} or {{lang|pt|melaçadas}}.<ref name="dgadr"/>
Historically, {{lang|pt|malassadas}} were conventual sweets prepared for ''Terça-feira Gorda'' ({{literal translation|Fat Tuesday}}) with the intention of using all the lard and sugar in one's home before Ash Wednesday, the start of the Lenten Season which limits the use of fats and sugars as a form of fasting and penance, similar to other traditions like Pancake Day.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Vieira |first1=Michael J. |title=Malassadas and more at Somerset's Saint John of God Parish |url=https://www.heraldnews.com/story/news/local/ojornal/2022/02/17/malassadas-and-more-somersets-saint-john-god-parish/6835830001/ |website=Fall River Herald News |access-date=20 October 2023 |date=February 17, 2022}}</ref> It is a traditional confection eaten in the Azores and Madeira during {{lang|pt|Carnaval}}.<ref name="padaa"/>
==By region== ===Hawaii=== thumb|right|Hawaiian malasadas with various fillings During Hawaii's plantation era in the 1870s, plantations would import laborers from China, Japan, Philippines, Korea, and Portugal to work for them.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Setzler |first=Kayla |date=2024-06-07 |title=The malasada, Hawaii’s beloved donut, tastes of home — and maybe guava |url=https://www.courthousenews.com/the-malasada-hawaiis-beloved-donut-tastes-of-home-and-maybe-guava |access-date=2026-04-10 |website=Courthouse News Service |language=en-us}}</ref> Portuguese laborers from Madeira and the Azores started to immigrate to Hawaii to work on the plantations.<ref name="padaa"/> They brought with them their traditional foods, including fried doughnuts they called {{lang|pt|malassadas}}― now commonly spelled as '''malasadas.''' From there, malassadas started to gain popularity in Hawaii. These doughnuts are more closely related to the bola de berlim, a fried doughnut widely served on the beaches in Portugal.<ref name="CarpenterCarpenter2008">{{cite book|author1=Robert Carpenter|author2=Cindy Carpenter|title=Kauai Restaurants and Dining with Princeville and Poipu Beach|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2qXbrCo4TJsC&pg=PA26|date=30 January 2008|publisher=Holiday Publishing Inc|isbn=978-1-931752-37-4|page=26}}</ref> In the past, Catholic Portuguese immigrants shared it with friends of other ethnicities in the plantation camps.<ref name="McLagan2008">{{cite book|author=Jennifer McLagan|title=Fat: An Appreciation of a Misunderstood Ingredient, With Recipes|title-link=Fat (cookbook)|year=2008|publisher=Ten Speed Press|isbn=978-1-58008-935-7|page=[https://books.google.com/books?id=dQrFHGnyFA4C&pg=PA115 115]}}</ref>
Today, there are numerous bakeries in the Hawaiian Islands specializing in {{lang|pt|malassadas}} where it is made around the year.<ref name="Laudan1996">{{cite book|author=Rachel Laudan|title=The Food of Paradise: Exploring Hawaii's Culinary Heritage|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZnsTxepydfQC&pg=PA94|date=January 1996|publisher=University of Hawaii Press|isbn=978-0-8248-1778-7|page=94}}</ref> Some notable bakeries being Kamehameha Bakery, Leonard's Bakery, Liliha Bakery, and Pipeline Bakeshop + Creamery.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Taketa |first=Mari |date=2024-02-13 |title=8 Places to Get All Kinds of Malasadas on Fat Tuesday |url=https://www.honolulumagazine.com/fat-tuesday-malasadas/ |access-date=2026-04-08 |website=Honolulu Magazine |language=en-US}}</ref> Like Portuguese bolas de berlim, these doughnuts are made both with and without cream fillings. In Hawaii, they are sometimes filled with the traditional Portuguese custard cream, but there are also local cream varieties flavored with coconut, chocolate, lilikoi (passion fruit), guava, mango, ube, or pineapple.<ref>{{cite web |title=Malasadas {{!}} Leonard's Bakery |url=https://www.leonardshawaii.com/malasadas/ |website=www.leonardshawaii.com |access-date=20 October 2023}}</ref>
Leonard's bakery is one of the most popular spots to get malassadas. The bakery was opened in 1952 by Leonard DoRego. His grandparents, Arsenio and Amelia DoRego immigrated from San Miguel Island, Portugal to Maui, Hawai'i to work on the plantations. Leonard DoRego, their grandson was born 33 years later, and after marrying his wife Margaret, he moved to Honolulu, Hawai'i. He worked at Snowflake Bakery until he later founded Leonard's Bakery in 1952.<ref>{{Cite web |title=About {{!}} Leonard's Bakery |url=https://leonardshawaii.com/about/ |access-date=2026-04-10 |website=leonardshawaii.com}}</ref>
The current owner of the bakery is Lenny Rego III, the grandson of Leonard and Margaret Rego.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Maeda |first=Grace |date=2026-02-16 |title=For the Family Behind Leonard’s Bakery, Making Malasadas is a Sweet Labor of Love |url=https://www.hawaiimagazine.com/leonards-bakery-oahu-and-its-famous-malasadas/ |access-date=2026-04-10 |website=HAWAIʻI Magazine |language=en-US}}</ref>thumb|Assortment of Malassadas from Leonard's Bakery In Hawaii, Fat Tuesday (Mardi Gras) or Shrove Tuesday taking place before Ash Wednesday and Lent<ref>{{Cite news |last=Kamoku|first=Keila|date=February 17, 2026|title=‘Busiest day of the year’: Hawaii’s own Malasada Day|url=https://www.khon2.com/local-news/busiest-day-of-the-year-hawaiis-own-malasada-day/|work=KHON2 News}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Malasada Day {{!}} Leonard's Bakery|url=https://leonardshawaii.com/malasada-day/|access-date=2026-03-27|website=leonardshawaii.com}}</ref> is known as "Malasada Day".<ref name="McLagan2008" /> On this day, people celebrate the last day of eating richer and fatty foods by indulging in desserts.<ref name=":0" /> In Hawaii, it is especially popular to celebrate by eating malassadas, causing bakeries to have special hours and extra hands on deck on these days.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Inefuku|first=Terri|date=2020-02-24|title=5 Places to Satisfy Your Malassada Craving on Fat Tuesday|url=https://www.honolulumagazine.com/5-places-to-satisfy-your-malassada-craving-on-fat-tuesday/|access-date=2026-03-27|website=Honolulu Magazine|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2026-02-18|title=Malasada Day: Known to be Hawaii's 'Busiest day of the year'|url=https://www.khon2.com/local-news/busiest-day-of-the-year-hawaiis-own-malasada-day/|archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260228104720/https://www.khon2.com/local-news/busiest-day-of-the-year-hawaiis-own-malasada-day/|archive-date=2026-02-28|access-date=2026-03-27|work=KHON2|language=en-US}}</ref>
Malassadas play a large part in Hawaii's fundraising landscape, as a very popular treat for schools, sports teams, and non-profits to raise money.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Fox|first=Catherine Toth|date=2014-02-07|title=Got malasadas and mango chutney? It's Punahou School Carnival weekend on Oahu.|url=https://www.hawaiimagazine.com/got-malasadas-and-mango-chutney-its-punahou-school-carnival-weekend-on-oahu/|access-date=2026-03-27|website=HAWAIʻI Magazine|language=en-US}}</ref> For example, the Punahou Carnival, hosted by Punahou School, is a well known fundraising event providing rides, food, and games.<ref name=":02">{{Cite web |last=Association |first=Parent Faculty |date=2023-10-27 |title=The Magic of Carnival: Malasadas and More! |url=https://bulletin.punahou.edu/the-magic-of-carnival-malasadas-and-more/ |access-date=2026-04-08 |website=Punahou School |language=en-US}}</ref> Being one of the event's biggest money makers, malassadas are a large part of the carnival, bringing students and faculty together to prepare huge batches in preparation.<ref name=":02" />
===North America=== In the United States, {{lang|pt|malassadas}} are cooked in many Portuguese homes on Fat Tuesday. It is a tradition where the older children take the warm doughnuts and roll them in sugar while the eldest woman – mother or grandmother – cooks them.
On the East Coast, in Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts, there is a high population of Portuguese-Americans. Festivals in cities such as New Bedford and Fall River will often serve Portuguese cuisine, including {{lang|pt|malassadas}}.<ref name="SheratonAlexander2015">{{cite book|author1=Mimi Sheraton|author2=Kelly Alexander|title=1,000 Foods to Eat Before You Die: A Food Lover's Life List|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NTKNBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA274|date=13 January 2015|publisher=Workman Publishing Company, Incorporated|isbn=978-0-7611-4168-6|page=274}}</ref>
==See also== {{Portal|Portugal|Food}} * {{annotated link|Sfenj}} * {{annotated link|Sata andagi}} * Carnival of Madeira * {{annotated link|Filhós}} * Bola de Berlim - Fried doughnut, widely consumed on beaches and the third most popular pastry in Portugal * {{annotated link|Leonard's Bakery}}, famous for popularizing the malasada in Hawaii * {{annotated link|Portuguese cuisine}} * {{annotated link|Portuguese sweet bread}}
==References== {{notelist}} {{reflist}} (2010) Patrick Andrews - "Pioneering the Malasada" Queensland, Australia. 2010
==External links== * [http://leitesculinaria.com/7777/recipes-portuguese-malassadas-azorean-doughnuts.html Malassadas recipe (traditional stretched variety)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241223083538/https://leitesculinaria.com/7777/recipes-portuguese-malassadas-azorean-doughnuts.html |date=2024-12-23 }} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20091001052502/http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/malasadas-recipe/index.html Malasadas recipe (Emeril Lagasse's square version)] {{Portuguese cuisine|state=expand}} {{Doughnut}}
Category:Culture of the Azores Category:Doughnuts Category:Cuisine of Hawaii Category:Madeiran cuisine Category:Culture of Madeira Category:Portuguese cuisine Category:Portuguese desserts Category:Hawaiian desserts Category:Cuisine of New England Category:Carnival foods Category:Observances about food and drink Category:American desserts