This recipe, adapted from the one my dad’s mom used to make in the Azores, has a flood of memories attached to it. I would sleep over at her house many a Friday night and on Saturdays she’d make these for my cousins, Fatima and Joe, and me. Hot out of the sugar-cinnamon bowl is the only way to eat them. In the Azores, some cooks shape these over their knees until they’re practically the size of lunch plates, just like my grandmother used to do. Others stretch and flop them out in their hands. I’ve made these smaller so they’re easier to work with, and fiddled with the recipe a touch, but beyond that, welcome to my childhood.–David Leite
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Malassadas | Portuguese Doughnuts
Equipment
- Deep-fry or candy or instant-read thermometer
Ingredients
For the doughnuts | malassadas
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for the bowl
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 package active dry yeast, (2 1/4 teaspoons or 1/4 ounce)
- 1/3 cup plus 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons warm water, 110°F (43°C)
- 3 large eggs
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for the work surface
- Nonstick cooking spray
- Vegetable oil, for frying
For the cinnamon sugar
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
Make the doughnuts | malassadas
- Heat the milk, butter, and salt in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until it just begins to steam and form bubbles around the edges, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool until lukewarm.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, dissolve the yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar in the warm water. Let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the remaining 1/3 cup sugar and the eggs on medium-high until thick and luscious looking, about 5 minutes.
- Switch to the dough hook, add the milk mixture, the yeast mixture, and the flour, and mix on low speed until a soft dough forms, about 7 minutes, adding more flour if needed. The dough should be just slightly tacky but not sticky.
- Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface, shape into a ball, and place in a lightly buttered large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm, draft-free spot until double in size, about 2 hours.
- Lightly coat a 13-by-18-inch rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray and turn the dough onto the pan. Press and poke it with your fingers, much like making focaccia, to help stretch it until it's about 1/2 inch thick. Lightly coat the top of the dough with cooking spray, loosely cover the pan with plastic wrap, and let the dough rest at room temperature until double in size, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
Make the cinnamon sugar
- Mix together the sugar and cinnamon in a shallow bowl.
Fry the doughnuts | malassadas
- Fill a medium saucepan with 3 inches of oil and heat over medium-high heat until it reaches 350°F (177°C) on a deep-fry or candy or instant-read thermometer. Monitor the heat to keep a steady temperature.
- Using scissors or your hands, cut or pull a 2-to-3-inch piece of dough from the baking sheet and stretch it into a 4-to-5-inch circle, then lower it into the oil and fry, turning frequently, just until golden brown on both sides and cooked through, 45 seconds to 1 1/2 minutes, depending on the size. Drain the doughnut on paper towels for 30 seconds and then toss in the cinnamon sugar. Repeat with the remaining dough. Devour warm.
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Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe Testers’ Reviews
I think I have a love for Portuguese desserts because I seem to try my hand at a different Portuguese recipe every Valentine’s Day. This year, I made these malassadas, and they did not disappoint!
The dough came together exactly as the instructions say. My dough was tacky to the touch. I made a mistake with the first rise and only let it go 1 1/4 hours…ooops! I guess I was overly anxious to get these in my tummy and I miscalculated the 2-hour rise. Regardless of that fact, my dough did continue to double on the second rise and these were a cinch to fry and coat with sugar. I bet if I let the first rise complete the full 2 hours, my malassadas would have been slightly more puffy and airy, but these were still really delicious and enjoyed by the family.
I used olive oil to fry these and they weren’t oily at all. I coated a half batch with plain sugar and a half batch with cinnamon sugar. They were both great.
I plan on making these again. Thanks to David for sharing his childhood recipe!
Welcome to my childhood! David, where have you been until now? I just discovered your site a few days ago! I was looking for a pastéis de nata recipe WITHOUT cream. I found several with cream, and while they were not so bad, they were too heavy and nothing like the ones I ate in Lisbon a few weeks ago. Then I found your recipe… fantastic! And so well explained! Most chefs on the web don’t explain their recipes well, as if they’re afraid of revealing their secrets. Yours, instead, accompanies you step-by-step… amazing! I’ve started peeking at your other recipes and I can’t believe it… you have the recipe for Krapfen! In my hometown of Bergamo, Italy, we’d buy them at the amusement park. Unfortunately, in Tuscany where I’ve lived for more than 20 years, they don’t make them. (There’s a savory version called Donzelle or Zonzelle, which are good, but they’re not the same!) When I prepare your recipe, I’ll upload pictures. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, David!!! You took me back to my childhood and adolescence. Now, with a better spirit, I can prepare for work.
Giovanna, thank you so much for your wonderful comment! I’m thrilled that the pastéis de nata recipe brought back such great memories for you.
As for the Krapfen, while I don’t have that specific recipe on the site, I do think you might enjoy these malassadas. Though they’re not exactly the same, I think they could be a great substitute and just as nostalgic! I’d love to hear what you think if you decide to give them a try.
Thanks again for your comment. I’m so happy I could help bring a little taste of your childhood back to your kitchen!
Hi i wanted to know if you make the dough the night before and pouf it in the morning would they still come out good. Thank you kindly, Rose.
Rose, I like the way you think. Overnight dough can be a baker’s best friend—when it works. I haven’t tested this malassada dough with such a long, cold rise, but I’ve done the same overnight stay in the fridge for many other breads. If you refrigerate it right after kneading, it should slow the yeast enough to keep things in check. In the morning, you’d just bring it back to room temp and let it puff up until doubled before frying.
If you give it a whirl, please let me know how they turn out—you might be pioneering the Lazy Morning Malassada Method!
I was watching Cooks Country recently and they were making Malassadas. I have never heard of them so after the program I was inspired to learn more. My research began which is led me to you and your Malassada recipe. Well, today I made them using your written guidance. Honestly the end result is worth waiting on two long rise times in getting to the final product. The dough was very nice to me unlike some other pastry dough I have worked with. I attached a picture of my Malassadas . I am very proud given this was my first attempt. My Malassadas look very similar to the pictures on your site. What do you think? Thank you for sharing your recipe. I will definitely make them again 😊
john, you should be proud! Those look perfect! I’m so glad you found the recipe on my site. And I hope you continue cooking and baking from Leite’s Culinaria.