Malassadas: Azorean Fried Dough

"Amazing for a few hours. Terrible the next day."

Malassadas is a very traditional Azorean dessert.

It’s made from a special dough, shaped almost like it has a hole in the middle, then fried and covered in sugar. Simple. No cream. No filling. Just fried dough and sugar.

Here’s the important part. You need to eat it fresh. Same day. Preferably within hours. Fresh, it’s soft, slightly crispy on the outside, sweet and dangerously easy to finish.

The next day? Dry. Heavy. Sad. So if you see it warm and fresh, go for it. If it’s from yesterday… maybe skip it.

Malasadas are actually tricky to find in supermarkets. It’s not something you regularly see on shelves.

The most common way to eat proper malassadas? Homemade. If you have a family member who makes them, you’re lucky.

They’re especially common during religious festivities like Espírito Santo celebrations across the island. You’ll also see them more often around Carnival and Easter time.

Outside those moments, they’re not that easy to find.

When you see fresh ones, warm and soft, don’t think twice.