Want to find the best malasada in Maui but don’t know where to go? Check out this post to find the best malasadas in Maui while you’re there!
Known as a one-of-a-kind snack, malasadas have been around Hawaii for a very long time. Brought from the Portuguese, the malasadas came to Hawaii around 1878 when the Portuguese immigrated over to the state during the sugar plantation era. Traditionally eaten on Fat Tuesday, the day prior to Lent, malasadas were made with the intention of using up all of the sugar and lard in one’s pantry. Which I can imagine must mean they have to be very SWEET.
In fact, although malasadas were originally made without filling when the Portuguese brought them over, over time Hawaiians adopted their own version of malasadas by adding different fillings that would complement the pastry the most.
So, if you’re looking to try the best malasada in Maui you’ve come to the right place, this post highlights which shops make the best ones and where you can find them!
Maui Bucket List Series
P.S. This is a post in my Maui Bucket List series. Here is the complete 19-part series:
Hidden Gems: 10 Magical Hidden Gems in Maui, Hawaii
Black Sand Beaches: The 7 Most Amazing Black Sand Beaches in Maui
Poke: 12 Top Places to Get Poke in Maui
Breakfast: 8 Amazing Places to Get Breakfast in Lahaina, Maui
Coffee Shops: 7 Cozy Coffee Shops in Lahaina, Maui
Restaurants: The 12 Best Restaurants in Maui with a View
Accommodation: 10 Unique Places to Stay in Maui on a Budget
Sea Turtles: The 12 Best Places to See Sea Turtles in Maui
Surfing: The 10 Best Surf Spots in Maui
Road to Hana: The 7 Best Stops on the Road to Hana in Maui
Sunsets: 8 Incredible Places to Watch the Sunset in Maui
Waterfall Hikes: The 7 Best Waterfall Hikes in Maui
Vegan Food: 8 Incredible Vegan Restaurants in Maui
Instagram: 10 Incredible Maui Instagram Spots
Cheap Food: 10 Amazing Cheap Eats in Maui
Grocery Stores: The 8 Top Lahaina Grocery Stores You Need To Visit
Ka’anapali Restaurants: 9 Amazing Ka’anapali Restaurants You Don’t Want to Miss
Lahaina Restaurants: The 12 Coolest Restaurants in Lahaina on Front Street
Instagram Captions: 100 Media-Inspired Hawaii Captions for Your Instagram
Malasadas in Maui Map
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Donut Dynamite (malasadas in maui)
Started by the Madame Donut, Donut Dynamite is a precious bakery in Maui that’s known for its oh-so-luscious doughnuts. Madame Donut herself is actually a chef that’s publicly known for her handcrafted artisanal doughnuts. She was on the Cooking Channel for a competition called Donut Showdown and she won the entire thing. In addition to that, she was also a competitor on MasterChef which alone says everything. Not every baker like her gets to make it on national TV so if she’s been on it twice then her doughnuts HAVE TO BE GOOD.
So, if you’re looking to try malasadas handcrafted by someone who’s been on national TV, I highly recommend the Donut Dynamite. As a well-rounded Chef, Madam Donut is committed to featuring locally sourced ingredients in all of her baked goods. Therefore, with that being said, you can trust that her doughnuts are made for the good of others and not just for herself.
Manuela Malasada (malasadas in maui)
Manuela Malasada is another great place to try a malasada in Maui. Known as a food truck in Maui, this place is famous for serving homemade malasadas you’ll rave about from days on end. Similar to other malasadas, the ones you’ll find here at this food truck are made with powdered sugar, cinnamon or li hing mui. Li Hing Mui is a special powder from China that’s made with dried salted plums. It gives the malasadas a distinct sweet and sour taste with a hint of salt.
So, if you’re looking to try a malasada that’s out of the box, I highly recommend getting one at Manuela Malasada with li hing mui. Like me, it might be outside your comfort zone but I still think you should give it a try.
Komoda Store and Bakery (malasadas in maui)
Looking for some homemade fresh goods with fresh island ingredients? Then look no further than Komoda Store and Bakery! It’s a true Maui favorite from what I’ve heard with the line to the shop going all the way out the door. In fact, out of everything they sell, the Komoda Store and Bakery sells out of their doughnuts and malasadas the most.
So, if you’re planning to try a malasada at the Komoda Store and Bakery, I highly recommend getting their early. Before noon is better than later, but even earlier is recommended.
Home Maid Bakery (malasadas in maui)
Known as the “Home of the Crispy Manju”, the Home Maid Bakery is another great place where you can try a malasada in Maui! The bakery itself has been around Maui since 1960 and it still provides the best baked goods using the highest quality of raw ingredients with no added preservatives.
So, if you’re looking to try a malasada from a bakery that’s been on the island longer than you have, I highly recommend the Home Maid Bakery. They offer two options for you to choose from: Sugar Malasadas and Custard Cream Filled Malasadas, so you might as well try one of each.
Sugar Beach Bake Shop (malasadas in maui)
Known for handcrafting baked goods from the freshest ingredients, the Sugar Beach Bake Shop is another great place to try malasadas in Maui! The bakery itself follows a very vegetarian friendly diet by using ingredients such as sweet cream butter, fresh-picked lilikoi, Dole bananas, pineapples and lemon zest. In fact, you can expect these ingredients to be used in some of their desserts like their key lime pies, macaroons, and malasadas.
Some attendees have even went so far as to note that the malasadas are not even as expensive as the some of the other shops. The ones they have are really cheap so you’ll get a good bang for your buck.
So, if you’re looking for a bakery that sells some cheap malasadas, I highly recommend the Sugar Beach Bake Shop. The customer service there is top-notch and the lilikoi malasadas are a hit!
Zippy’s Napoleon Bakery (malasadas in maui)
Started by brothers Francis and Charles Higa in 1966, Zippy’s Napoleon Bakery is another great place to try malasadas in Maui! Zippy’s itself is the go-to place for hearty comfort food but it’s bakery is another story. For instance, customers are able to order custom cakes online if you choose to and visit the bakery to pick it up. In addition, their malasadas even have their own twist to them since they’re a mochi and a malasada in one. The bakery itself calls them Mochizadas which is pretty good branding if you ask me.
So, if you’re looking to try a malasada that has a twist to it, I highly recommend Zippy’s Napoleon Bakery. It’s the only one I know so far that calls its malasadas a different name and past attendees have even labeled it for having the “Best Malasadas on the Island“.
Merriman’s (malasadas in maui)
Known for having the most breathtaking oceanfront setting at the Kapulua Resort, the Merriman’s is another place you need to visit for malasadas in Maui. Peter Merriman is the restauranteur of the place and he’s known for bringing his unique style of Hawaiian Regional Cuisine to the menu. In fact, as a pioneer of the “Farm to Table” concept, Peter only serves the freshest products to his customers.
So, if you’re looking to try some fresh malasadas on a breathtaking oceanfront setting, I highly recommend checking out Merriman’s at the Kapulua Resort. You need to however book a reservation weeks in advance but the service is great!
Morimoto (malasadas in maui)
Using high-quality fresh ingredients, Morimoto Maui is another great place where you can try malasadas in Maui. The malasadas there are served with strawberry and vanilla sauce and many guests have found it to be very tasty. Past attendees have even said the service itself was quite outstanding so you can’t go wrong for choosing this place.
Therefore, if you’re looking to try some sushi in addition to malasadas while you’re in Maui, I highly recommend Morimoto Maui. The malasadas especially are light as air there and they taste like magic.
Overall, I really hope you enjoyed this post on where to find the best malasadas in Maui! Please let me know in the comments down below which place you would like to visit the most! I would love to hear from you. 🙂
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