Why You Might See Malasadas Everywhere In 2022

Every year, food trends come and go. In 2021, we saw — and ate — plenty of culinary crazes. There were the TikTok food trends, from delightfully fluffy cloud bread to indulgent baked feta pasta to the obsession with turning everything into a charcuterie board. There was the rise of healthier alternatives, like the Impossible Burger and plant-based products galore. And there was the increased interest in meal delivery services — from Hello Fresh to Blue Apron — which made busy weeknight dinners a breeze for even the most amateur of chefs.

But what will 2022 bring? While no one can really see into the foodie future, Yelp recently released its annual "The Food and Dining Trends of 2022" report. One of the items on the list of foods that the website predicts will be big next year? Malasadas. 

If you've never heard of those before, don't worry — because soon you'll probably see them all over your Instagram feed and popping up at local bakeries and grocery stores. Here's what you need to know about the soon-to-be-trendy treat.

One of the biggest predicted food trends of 2022 doesn't come from the continental United States. Rather, it comes from the Rainbow State. Unless you're from Hawaii — or have vacationed there — you may be unfamiliar with malasadas. Popular in Hawaiian bakeries, malasadas are fluffy pastries that are similar to doughnuts, but without the hole. 

The name "malasada" has Portuguese origins and actually means "poorly cooked" (via Eater). Some believe the pastries got their name because of the chewy center that's encased by a crispy exterior. To make malasadas, which started at Leonard's Bakery in Oahu back in 1953, the dough is rolled into balls and deep fried before it's coated in cinnamon and sugar for added sweetness (via Hawaii Magazine).

What makes them such a hot topic for the coming year? According to Yelp's report, the website expects malasadas to "shake up the dessert scene," with searches on Google for the pastries up 130%. A blogger for Mic even claims that they had to wait 25 minutes in line at Leonard's to get their hands on a box of the good stuff.