Malasadas (Mardi Gras)
intro
Pillowy, hole-free fried dough rolled in spiced cinnamon sugar: a soft, rich Mardi Gras treat adapted from Portuguese confections, beloved at US Carnival celebrations.
Ingredients
Steps
Activate the Yeast
In a small bowl, combine warmed 38°C (100°F) whole milk, 1 teaspoon (approx 4g) of the dough sugar, and active dry yeast. Stir gently to combine, then let rest for 5-7 minutes in a warm, draft-free spot until the mixture forms a ½-inch thick frothy, foamy layer to confirm yeast is active. If no foam forms, replace the yeast before proceeding.
Mix and Knead Dough
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the remaining dough sugar, all-purpose flour, and fine sea salt. Add the foamy yeast mixture, room-temperature shelled eggs, melted cooled butter, and vanilla extract. Mix on low speed (speed 2 on most household stand mixers) for 8 minutes, until the dough pulls cleanly away from the bowl sides and forms a smooth, soft, slightly tacky ball that does not stick to lightly floured fingers.
Set Dough to Rise
Coat the inside of a large clean glass bowl with 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil, place the kneaded dough ball into the bowl, and turn once to coat the entire dough surface in oil to prevent skin formation. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and a clean cotton kitchen towel, then set in a 24°C (75°F) draft-free spot for 1 hour 30 minutes, until the dough doubles in volume and leaves a slow-rebounding indent when pressed with a floured finger.
Roll and Cut Dough Rounds
Punch the risen dough firmly to release all trapped air, then turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface. Roll the dough to a uniform ½-inch thickness, then use a 3-inch round cookie cutter to cut 12 even circles, re-rolling dough scraps only once to avoid tough pastry. Place the cut dough rounds 2 inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet, cover loosely with a clean towel, and let rise for 30 minutes until puffy and ¾-inch thick.
Heat Oil and Fry Malasadas
Heat 1.9 liters of neutral vegetable oil in a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven to 175°C (350°F), clipping a candy thermometer to the pot edge to monitor and maintain consistent heat. Working in batches of 3 malasadas at a time to avoid dropping oil temperature, fry for 1.5 minutes per side until deep golden brown on both sides, with an internal temperature of 93°C (200°F). Use a slotted metal spoon to transfer cooked malasadas to a wire rack set over a baking sheet to drain for 1 minute.
Coat Malasadas in Spiced Sugar
While the malasadas are still warm, combine the 200 grams of coating sugar, ground cinnamon, and ground nutmeg in a shallow wide bowl. Toss each warm malasada in the spiced sugar mixture until fully coated on all sides, then return to the wire rack for 2 minutes to let the sugar set. Serve immediately for the softest, fluffiest texture.
Tips
2.For consistent proofing in cold Winter kitchens (below 24°C/75°F), place covered dough in a turned-off oven with the interior light on; this creates a draft-free, 24–27°C (75–80°F) environment perfect for even rising.
3.Always coat malasadas in spiced sugar while they are still hot and steamy straight from the fryer; cooled dough will not hold the sugar coating, leading to bare patches and loose, falling sugar.
OMG these were the star of our neighborhood Mardi Gras potluck this past weekend! The spiced sugar coating with that hint of nutmeg and cinnamon is chef’s kiss, I didn’t come home with a single leftover. My kids kept sneaking them off the platter before we even left the house, total game changer. Only note is I let my dough rise a little longer than directed because my kitchen was chilly, and they came out perfectly fluffy!
SO good. I’ve made regular malasadas before for Fat Tuesday but the spiced sugar mix here takes them to a whole new level. Crispy on the outside, light and airy inside, not too greasy at all if you keep your oil temp steady at 350F like the recipe says. Will be making these every Mardi Gras from now on, no question.
I was super nervous to make fried dough for the first time ever because I thought it’d be way too hard for a medium difficulty recipe, but the step by step instructions were so clear! Mine came out a little lumpy looking but they tasted amazing, my roommates devoured half the batch in 10 minutes flat. Definitely less intimidating than I thought it would be!
Made these for our office Mardi Gras lunch and people were asking me for the recipe before I even set the plate down! The only swap I made was using a little cardamom in the spiced sugar because I didn’t have allspice, and it worked beautifully. 10/10, would recommend to anyone who needs a showstopper for a holiday get together.
My teen daughter is obsessed with all things Mardi Gras after her trip to New Orleans last year, so I made these for her Fat Tuesday celebration with her friends. She said they tasted exactly like the ones she got at a bakery down in the French Quarter! Total win for dad points, even if I did get sugar all over my kitchen counter in the process. Worth every minute of cleanup.
Wait a second, has anyone tried making the dough ahead of time and refrigerating it overnight? I want to make these for a brunch but don’t want to wake up at 5am to wait for the dough to rise. Would that mess up the texture at all?
I’ve been making malasadas for Fat Tuesday for 20+ years and I have to say, this spiced sugar blend is a total game changer. I always used plain cinnamon sugar before, but the mix of cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and a tiny pinch of clove? *Chef’s kiss*. My husband said these are the best batch I’ve ever made, so I owe you one!
These are dangerously good. I had to send the rest of the batch to work with my partner because I would’ve eaten every single one myself if they stayed in my house. The crisp exterior, the fluffy inside, that warm spiced sugar? I’m already dreaming about making them again next year. Pro tip: don’t skip the pinch of salt in the sugar, it makes all the flavors pop so much more!
Has anyone tested this with a 1:1 gluten free flour blend? I have celiac and have been craving malasadas something fierce since Mardi Gras season started, but I don’t want to waste ingredients if the texture is going to be off.
Made these in my tiny dorm kitchen with a cheap deep fryer I got off Amazon and they still slapped! Didn’t have a stand mixer so I kneaded the dough by hand for like 10 minutes, and it still got that perfect fluffy texture. Way easier than I thought it would be for a 2+ hour recipe, most of that is just waiting for dough to rise anyway.
Just pulled my first batch out of the fryer and OMG. The whole house smells like warm spice and fried dough, it’s heavenly. I rolled half in the spiced sugar and half in a plain cinnamon sugar for my picky eaters, and even the plain ones are next level. So excited to bring these to my Mardi Gras parade watch party tomorrow!