Take The Hawaii Donut Trail For A Delightfully Delicious Day Trip
By Megan Shute|Published January 30, 2019
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Megan Shute
Author
With more than 10 years of experience as a professional writer, Megan holds a degree in Mass Media from her home state of Minnesota. After college, she chose to trade in her winter boots for slippahs and moved to the beautiful island of Oahu, where she has been living for more than five years. She lives on the west side but is constantly taking mini-road trips across the island and visits the neighboring islands whenever she can getaway. She loves hiking, snorkeling, locally-grown coffee, and finding the best acai bowl on Oahu.
Ah, the donut — one of America’s favorite treats. Joyous were the days our parents used to bring home donuts on a Saturday morning, accompanied by cartoons, of course. And even more magnificent are the days where office meetings are made more bearable due to that one co-worker who always brings donuts in. If you love donuts as much as we do, you’ll want to embark on this epic donut trail across the island of Oahu for one of the sweetest experiences possible. Measuring in at 46 miles and less than two hours of drive time, you’ll want to pack up all your friends for this delightfully delicious day trip. Click here to access the editable Google map route.
Note: Hawaii does donuts a little differently than the mainland, so you will see malasadas, coco puffs, and more on this epic list. Not only does extending our definition of the word donut result in the most delicious day trip possible, but it’s more characteristic of Oahu’s unique food scene. If you only want traditional donuts, sorry.
Nowhere does malasadas better than Leonard’s Bakery, a Honolulu staple since 1952. The treat became popular after Leonard’s mother suggested making malasadas for Shrove Tuesday, a Portuguese tradition. The bakers thought it was too ethnic, but they tried it all the same, and Hawaii fell in love.
This Honolulu pastry shop serves up a variety of both sweet and savory donuts, but is perhaps best known for its scrumptious — and adorable — elephant, bear, bunny, and turtle-shaped Japanese anpan (gooey red bean paste stuffed bread rolls). Order a few of these, plus a few of their savory donuts to break up your sugary day a little. Might we suggest their vegetable curry or green tea donuts?
Creative flavor combinations with island influences are the name of the game at Purve. Are you going to try a lemon glazed donut with li hing mui, a chocolate glazed donuts with mac nuts and caramel drizzle, or perhaps a peanut butter glazed donut with jelly drizzle? With just one bite of these melt-in-your-mouth donuts, you’ll be hooked. Plus, the donuts and the shop are totally Instagrammable!
Next up is the straightforward, no-frills Mr. Donut’s. Serving up scrumptious old-fashioned donuts, pastries, and coffee starting at 5 a.m., this humble little bakery is one of our favorites. The donuts are cheap, delicious, and sure to satisfy any cravings you might have for sugar — no matter what time of day you visit. While they officially close at 4 p.m., rumor has it that Carlos often opens up shop while he’s baking late at night.
This long-running, no-frills bakery is known for its specialty poi-glazed donuts, malasadas, and fritters. Since Kamehameha Bakery opened its doors in 1978, it’s become one of Honolulu’s favorite donut shops, and it’s easy to see why. After just one bite of their iconic poi-glazed donut, you’ll become a lifelong customer. You’ll find classics here, too.
If you’ve never had a famous coco puff from Honolulu’s famous Liliha Bakery, you’re totally missing out. The exact recipe is a highly guarded secret, though you can find imitations online. A full-service bakery, coffee shop, and diner located in Honolulu, Liliha Bakery has been a community staple since its doors were opened in 1950. In addition to their famous coco puffs, the cafe serves up traditional Hawaiian breakfast favorites and diner classics 24/7.
You’ll have to drive out of the way to reach Kaneohe-based Deluxe Pastry Shop, but trust us, this underrated spot is worth the effort it takes to get here. This hole-in-the-wall bakery is known for their long johns. We just hope the craving doesn’t strike on Monday or Tuesday when they’re closed.
Located in an unassuming strip mall in Mililani is Sugar Coated Hawaii, our last stop for the day. Offering a mouthwatering assortment of donuts, cupcakes, cakes, and other sweets, this bakery has it all. Owned by a former accountant, Sugar Coated is constantly experimenting with new flavor combinations and even takes custom orders.
95-1057 ʻĀinamakua Dr., Mililani, HI 96789
So, what are you waiting for? Grab a couple friends and embark on the sweetest day trip you’ll ever take. Well, except for maybe the Oahu shave ice trail.
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