Best Malasadas in Maui: Top 6 Places You Can’t Miss Out On!
Hello, fellow malasada enthusiasts!
My boyfriend and I embarked on a culinary journey through Maui. Our target: finding the best malasadas in Maui. Local wisdom, endless reviews, and some trial and error taught us the importance of freshness in this delectable sugar-dusted fried dough – a Hawaiian malasada delight.
Our taste adventure guided us across the island, with pitstops at best Maui bakeries specializing in hot, made-to-order malasadas. The quest led us to identify our top picks, across the bustling center and the serene landscapes of West Maui.
Quick Warning: never eat cold malasadas! It robs you of the divine experience fervent fans rave about.
After our intense and delicious work, we’ve curated a list of the best spots to grab a malasada. Each offers distinct flavors, unbeatable freshness, and a good deal for your dollar. And, to ensure you relish every bite, we’re sharing tips to avoid rookie mistakes – no more cold malasadas for us!
Let’s dive together into this gastronomic escapade and track down the best sweets in Maui – let’s find the top-notch Portuguese donuts Maui style! After all, part of the joy in Hawaii food travel lies in exploring local Maui desserts, the must-try foods in Maui, and indulging in the local food Maui boasts. Embrace the Maui culinary scene as we explore where to eat in Maui and enjoy the local Hawaiian cuisine. Join us in our Maui malasada tours – it’s all part of the fun!
Komoda Store and Bakery – Best Malasadas in Maui
Komoda Store and Bakery has been an island institution for nearly one hundred years and looks the part, too, with their old-school building and dim lights. They also serve the best malasadas on Maui, freshly baked and delicious even when a day old.
Try their unique guava-flavored malasadas, filled with an irresistible passion fruit jelly that tastes as Hawaiian as it sounds. And at $1 a piece for a large, delicious pastry, you’re in for a real treat.
You can also try their crowd favorite malasadas on a stick, cream puffs, coconut turnovers, danishes, and donuts, all of which are light, fluffy, and best enjoyed warm.
However, even if you don’t get fryer-fresh pastries, they resell leftover bakery items at half-off the next day, which are still plump and tasty.
Whether you try the malasadas or other baked goods, you’ll love them and return to the quaint Makawao Town for more.
- They sell nearly thirty sweet and savory items freshly baked every day.
- There’s always a long line here, and you can get malasadas till 9 am before they sell out.
- The bakery stays open Monday to Tuesday and Thursday to Saturday from 7 am to 5 pm.
Address: 3674 Baldwin Ave, Makawao, Maui, HI.
Home Maid Cafe – Best Fresh Malasadas Maui
An unassuming hole-in-the-wall breakfast place, Home Maid Cafe’s malasadas are anything but. Since they’re all the rage in South Kihei, locals and tourists frequent the cafe for malasadas prepared fresh every morning and on order.
We called ahead and placed our malasadas order (you need to get a minimum of three), which they fried on the spot and served hot. Eating them fresh was incredible, coated with powdered sugar or a vanilla cream filling – we were swooning with each bite!
We loved Home Maid Cafe’s delicious malasadas and casual vibe, as they’re a must-visit spot for some of the best fresh malasadas in Maui.
- Come early to get malasadas fresh, as they sell out early.
- Their prices are low for the trio order of malasadas.
- Try their breakfast classics like pancakes, eggs, and french toast while you wait for the malasadas to fry.
Address: 1280 S Kihei Rd on South Kihei rd, Kihei, Maui, HI.
Sugar Beach Bake Shop – Best Malasadas in Kihei Maui
Located across the street from the beach, this relatively new bakery is the talk of the town for its freshly baked goods and piping hot malasadas. Sugar Beach Bake Shop is a sister bakery to Kihei’s favorite Ululani’s Shave Ice, so you can expect excellent sweets here.
However, get here between 6 am to 9 am for fresh malasadas, as they sell out like hot cakes (literally).
We got lucky and arrived just in time to try the decadent malasadas, coated in plain sugar, cinnamon sugar, and Li Hing Mui (dried plum powder). Words don’t do justice to how good these malasadas are; crisp on the outside and cloud-soft on the inside!
If you’re unfortunate enough to arrive late, try their range of excellent sweet and savory baked goods and breakfast items, like banana bread, key lime pie, sticky buns, quiche, and spam musubi.
We loved Sugar Beach Bake Shop for its cute interior, the heavenly aromas filling it, and the best malasadas in Kihei.
- The service is excellent, and the two women running it are very kind.
- The prices are reasonable here.
- There’s ample space to park in the street outside.
Address: 61 S Kihei Rd, Kihei, Maui, HI.
Home Maid Bakery – Best Malasadas Bakery Maui
Not to be confused with its namesake, Home Maid Cafe, this commercial-scale bakery has been around since 1960. Home Maid Bakery’s piping hot malasadas are a town favorite for their crunchy outsides, cloud-like insides, and delicious fillings
You can get the plain malasadas rolled in powdered sugar or with the custard cream filling, both of which are mouth-watering desserts. Pair the rich custard malasadas with their quality coffee for a perfect balance of sweet and bitter.
They also bake excellent fresh treats like Manju (fruit-filled crispy pastry), mochi, donuts, and pies every day, so make sure to try those.
We loved everything at Home Maid Bakery, from their quick service and delicious variety of baked goods to the best malasadas bakery in Maui.
- A single sugar-coated malasada costs $1.25, and a dozen costs $15.
- Fresh malasadas are available from 5 am to 10 am, then again from 4 pm to 9 pm.
- Their coconut anpan and cake-like mochi are unmissable treats.
Address: 1005 Lower Main St, Wailuku, Maui, HI.
Related: Best Bakery in Maui
Manuela Malasadas – Best Food Truck Malasadas in Maui
This pink-and-blue food truck is a must-visit on your Maui trip for its incredible malasadas, filled with classic Hawaiian flavors like lilikoi and local favorites like ube and bavarian.
We drove by Manuela Malasadas in Lahaina and saw their cartoon sign claiming their malasadas to be ‘Maui’s Ultimate Donut.’ The sign didn’t lie either – the malasadas were super soft and chewy, and the fillings were fresh and not too sweet.
Some other great flavors include green tea (matcha), haupia, and guava. But try the plain ones first to appreciate the well-fried dough truly.
We loved this pop-up truck, a staple for the town of Lahaina and its incredible malasadas.
- There’s usually a line outside this food truck so make sure to go early in the day.
- A filled malasada costs $2, and the bakery stays open seven days a week.
- They were featured on HGTV for their incredible malasadas!
Address: 243 Lahainaluna Rd, Lahaina, Maui, HI.
Maika’i Lani Malasadas – Best Malasadas in Lahaina Maui
Since their opening in 2017, the malasadas at Maika’i Lani have been a hit. They make the best homemade malasadas as a family-run venture operating in a tent on church grounds. In addition, the fried delicacy is fried on the spot as you wait in line.
Try their half-and-half, which is half sugar and half filled donuts, to enjoy the best of both worlds. All the fillings tasted terrific, but we loved the chocolate, lilikoi, and guava ones.
However, they’re open on odd timings in the week; Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays from 7:30 am – 11 am, so make sure to visit during this time slot before they sell out.
Don’t leave Maui without trying the best malasadas in Lahaina and having the pleasure of supporting a terrific local pop-up.
- Their malasadas stay fresh for almost two days (unbelievable, I know!) so buy in bulk.
- Their mango and pineapple flavors are made from Hawaiian-sourced fruits.
- Half a dozen malasadas cost $14.
Address: 520 Wainee St, Lahaina, Maui, HI.
Where to get malasadas in Maui
| Name of the Place | Description | Highlights | Operating Hours | Address |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Komoda Store and Bakery | An island institution for nearly a hundred years, known for its best malasadas on Maui. | Serves various pastries such as malasadas on a stick, cream puffs, coconut turnovers, danishes, and donuts. Leftover pastries sold at half price the next day. | Monday to Tuesday and Thursday to Saturday, 7 am – 5 pm | 3674 Baldwin Ave, Makawao, Maui, HI |
| Home Maid Cafe | An unassuming breakfast place known for malasadas prepared fresh every morning. | Serves malasadas coated with powdered sugar or a vanilla cream filling. Also offers breakfast classics. | Not provided | 1280 S Kihei Rd on South Kihei rd, Kihei, Maui, HI |
| Sugar Beach Bake Shop | Known for freshly baked goods and piping hot malasadas. | Offers malasadas coated in plain sugar, cinnamon sugar, and Li Hing Mui. Also offers sweet and savory baked goods and breakfast items. | Not provided | 61 S Kihei Rd, Kihei, Maui, HI |
| Home Maid Bakery | A commercial-scale bakery known for crunchy, cloud-like malasadas and delicious fillings. | Offers plain malasadas and those with custard cream filling. Also serves fresh treats like Manju, mochi, donuts, and pies. | Fresh malasadas available from 5 am – 10 am, then again from 4 pm – 9 pm | 1005 Lower Main St, Wailuku, Maui, HI |
| Manuela Malasadas | A food truck known for its incredible malasadas, filled with classic Hawaiian flavors. | Offers malasadas with various fillings like lilikoi, ube, bavarian, green tea, haupia, and guava. | Open seven days a week | 243 Lahainaluna Rd, Lahaina, Maui, HI |
| Maika’i Lani Malasadas | A family-run venture known for the best homemade malasadas. | Offers sugar and filled donuts, with special mention of chocolate, lilikoi, and guava fillings. | Open on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays from 7:30 am – 11 am | 520 Wainee St, Lahaina, Maui, HI |
Top Malasadas in Maui
Wrap Up: The Best Malasadas on Maui
Most people head to Oahu for a Hawaiian food tour and to try the local cuisine. However, we want you to avoid falling for this tourist trap and head to Maui first, at least for terrific malasadas, which no one does better than the local bakeries, food trucks, and pop-ups here.
Malasadas are one of those eat-it-to-believe-it treats that never fail and will make you swear off a regular donut for the rest of your life.
Want to try the best malasadas in Kihei? Head to Sugar Beach Bake Shop and Home Maid Cafe.
Looking for a food truck serving piping-hot malasadas? Don’t miss Manuela Malasadas in Lahaina.
Need a dose of malasadas in Lahaina? Head to Maka’i Lani Malasadas for incredible ones.
So get ready to meet your new favorite dessert!
FAQs
Where to get malasadas in Maui?
Maui’s malasadas are terrific, and you can find the best ones at T Komoda Store and Bakery in Makawao Town. Also visit Home Maid Cafe and Sugar Beach Bake Shop in Kihei, Home Maid Bakery in Wailuku, Manuela Malasadas and Maka’i Lani Malasadas in Lahaina, Maui.
What is the difference between a donut and a malasada?
Malasadas are Portuguese sweets brought over from Portuguese plantation workers in Hawaii. They include a yeasted dough ball without a hole cakier than a donut, made from more eggs and milk than its counterpart.
What does malasada mean in English?
The Portuguese malasada translates literally to ‘badly-fried’ in English. We’re not sure why they’re called this, but the puffy balls of fried dough are anything but bad!
What are stick donuts and where can I find them on Maui?
Stick donuts, also known as malasadas, are a popular Hawaiian treat made from yeast dough and fried until golden brown. You can find delicious treats like classic malasadas and guava malasadas at Sugar Beach Bakery in North Kihei or Aloha Malasadas in West Maui.
What makes the malasadas on Maui stand out from the rest?
The malasadas on Maui use only the freshest ingredients to create tropical fruit flavors that satisfy any sweet tooth. Cream filled malasadas are a must-try for anyone looking for an extra indulgent treat.
Where is the best place to get authentic Hawaiian-style stick donuts?
For an authentic taste of Hawaii, head to Big Island where you’ll find some of the most delicious treats around. I actually wrote a blog post about the best malasadas on Big Island, if you want to know more about that. However, if you’re staying on Maui, Sugar Beach Bakery and Aloha Malasadas both offer mouth-watering options that will transport your taste buds straight to paradise.
Why should I try stick donuts while visiting Hawaii?
Stick donuts (malasadas) are a beloved Hawaiian dessert with a rich history dating back over 100 years. They’re made fresh daily using traditional recipes passed down through generations of bakers. Whether you prefer classic or cream-filled varieties, these delicious treats are sure to satisfy your sweet tooth while giving you a true taste of Hawaii’s culinary culture.
Where can I find Leonard’s malasadas in Maui, and how does it compare to other local favorites like Donut Dynamite and Manuela Malasada?
While Leonard’s Bakery is famous for its malasadas on Oahu, you can’t find Leonard’s malasadas in Maui. However, there are excellent alternatives like Donut Dynamite for artisanal donuts and Manuela Malasada food truck for a authentic Hawaiian flavors. Both are local favorites known for their delicious pastries that rival the taste of Leonard’s.
What should I try when visiting Big Island or Star Noodle on my trip to Hawaii during Fat Tuesday while exploring the island of Maui?
On your visit to Maui during Fat Tuesday, indulge in some guava malasada at places like Komoda Store and Bakery or Sugar Beach Bake Shop. Afterward, have a meal at the popular Star Noodle establishment which offers amazing local dishes with an Asian fusion flare. When venturing out to Big Island from Maui, make sure to try some chocolate-filled malasadas as well as other traditional Hawaiian treats unique to each island within Hawaii.
Last Updated on July 24, 2023 by Brigitte