A deep-fried version of classic French toast stuffed with peanut butter, then topped with butter and condensed milk. This easy Hong Kong-style French Toast recipe is ready in 10 minutes with simple ingredients! A delicious breakfast, snack, or dessert idea that's family-friendly and restaurant-quality.
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Hong Kong-style French toast is made of fluffy milk bread stuffed with peanut butter, then coated in egg and deep-fried until golden. It's typically served with butter and sweetened condensed milk.
You'll often find this Asian toast dish at Hong Kong-style cafés (aka "cha chaan teng" in Cantonese). These casual cafés serve East-meets-West comfort food, such as ham and egg sandwiches or macaroni soup with a Chinese twist as Hong Kong was once colonized by Britain.
I love this dish as a snack, especially with a warm Hong Kong-style milk tea. It's also my husband's favorite and he orders it all the time!
Why This Recipe
- After coating the sandwich in egg, we stand it upright on a plate to prevent the bread from sticking and tearing.
- I've tested this with both smooth and crunchy peanut butter, and I recommend smooth peanut butter. Crunchy peanut butter contains bits that can tear the bread as you spread it.
- Most Hong Kong French toast recipes turn out burnt; keeping the oil between 250-300ºF and frying the sandwich briefly on all sides ensures an even golden crust.
Ingredients & Substitutes
Please scroll to the recipe card below for exact measurements.
- Milk Bread: This is white milk bread (aka shokupan) that is about ¾-inch thick, typically found at Japanese or Chinese bakeries. The bread can also come unsliced and you can slice it yourself. Substitutions: Use Texas toast white bread, or thick regular white bread.
- Smooth Peanut Butter: To add that nutty taste. Avoid using crunchy peanut butter. Substitution: Nutella.
- Large Eggs: To coat the sandwich and to create that golden color.
- Neutral Oil: Use high-smoke-point oils like avocado, peanut, vegetable, canola/rapeseed, or sunflower oil. Avoid extra-virgin olive oil (smokes at high heat).
- Butter: This is a topping, I like using unsalted butter but you can use salted butter.
- Condensed Milk (aka Sweetened Condensed Milk): This is traditionally served with the French toast to add a creamy sweetness to the toast. Substitution: Condensed coconut milk, whipped cream, honey, or maple syrup.
Instructions
Below are step-by-step instructions on how to make Hong Kong-style French toast:
- Spread the peanut butter: Spread a thin, even layer of peanut butter on two slices of bread, covering from edge to edge. Leave the third slice plain.
- Assemble the sandwiches: Stack the two peanut-buttered slices together with the peanut butter sides facing up. Place the plain slice on top and gently press to adhere the layers. Repeat with the remaining sandwich.
- Trim the crusts: Use a bread knife to slice off the crusts, creating neat squares.
- Coat in egg: In a large shallow bowl, beat the eggs until smooth. Lightly coat each sandwich in the egg mixture, avoid overcoating, or it will become too soft to handle.
- Rest the sandwiches: Stand the coated sandwiches upright on a plate while preparing the next steps.
- Fry until golden: Heat vegetable oil in a heavy-bottomed pan over low-medium heat, around 250-300ºF. Fry each sandwich on all sides until golden brown - about 1-2 minutes on the wide sides and 30 seconds on the edges. Serve hot with butter and condensed milk.
Expert Tips
- Use omega-3 enriched eggs for a rich, golden color.
- Spread the peanut butter evenly over the entire slice so the layers stick together properly.
- Trim the crusts evenly to allow the sides to absorb the egg coating.
- Lightly coat the sandwich with egg - avoid soaking it, or it will become too soft to handle.
- Use a heavy-bottomed pan to maintain steady oil temperature.
- Fry one sandwich at a time and avoid overcrowding the pan.
- Ensure the oil is properly heated before frying - aim for 250-300ºF using a digital thermometer.
- Watch the frying process closely; it's fast, and the toast can burn easily.
Variations
- Almond Butter or Nutella version: Replace the peanut butter with smooth almond butter or Nutella.
- Dairy-free version: Replace the milk bread with regular white bread. Use condensed coconut milk and use vegan butter.
Pairing Suggestions
Hong Kong-style French toast pairs well with:
- Beverages: Hong Kong-style Milk Tea (here's my earl grey version), Tea, Coffee, Boba tea, or Juice.
- Breakfast Carbs: Crepes, Waffles, or Pancakes.
- Breakfast Proteins: Breakfast Sausage, Fried Spam, Ham, or Cooked Eggs.
- Fruit: Bananas, Berries, or Peaches.
- Baked Goods: Cookies, Pastries, or Cakes.
Storage & Reheating
- Leftover Hong Kong-style French Toast can last up to 4 days when stored in an airtight container in the fridge. To enjoy, reheat in the microwave, air fryer, or on the stovetop until heated through.
- Freezer-friendly? Hong Kong-style French toast is not ideal for freezing as it will turn soggy.
FAQ
Hong Kong French Toast can be made up to 2 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge. To enjoy, reheat in the microwave, air fryer, or on the stovetop until heated through.
Hong Kong-style French toast can be cooked in an air fryer for a lighter version. Preheat the air fryer to 400ºF for 5 minutes. While it heats, assemble the sandwiches as directed in the recipe card - but do not coat them with eggs yet.
Once preheated, lightly spray the air fryer basket with a neutral oil. Coat the sandwiches with the beaten eggs and place them flat in the basket. Air fry for 5-6 minutes until golden, then flip and air fry for an additional 2-3 minutes until evenly browned.
I don't recommend baking Hong Kong French Toast as it won't taste as crispy.
More Like This
📖 Recipe
Easy 10-min. Hong Kong-style French Toast
Ingredients
- 6 pieces milk bread or Texas toast bread
- 4 tablespoon smooth peanut butter
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup vegetable oil or any neutral oil
Toppings:
- 2 tablespoon butter or as needed
- sweetened condensed milk as needed
Instructions
- Spread a thin, even layer of peanut butter on two slices of bread, covering from edge to edge. Leave the third slice plain.
- Stack the two peanut-buttered slices together with the peanut butter sides facing up. Place the plain slice on top and gently press to adhere the layers. Repeat with the remaining sandwich.
- Use a bread knife to slice off the crusts, creating neat squares.
- In a large shallow bowl, beat the eggs until smooth. Lightly coat each sandwich in the egg mixture, avoid overcoating, or it will become too soft to handle.
- Stand the coated sandwiches upright on a plate while preparing the next steps.
- Heat vegetable oil in a heavy-bottomed pan over low-medium heat, around 250-300ºF. Fry each sandwich on all sides until golden brown - about 1-2 minutes on the wide sides and 30 seconds on the edges. Serve hot with butter and condensed milk.
John Schmidt
Very easy to make. Also tastes well with Brioche bread if Milk Bread is not available. I made it for my Chinese mother-in-law when she was not feeling well and it made her day.
Christie Lai
Thanks for making my recipe, John! So happy it was easy to make and thanks for sharing that substitute idea. Glad my recipe made her day 🙂
V
Why did my French toast come out soggy? It doesn’t hold its shape like yours
christieathome
There are various factors as to why it came out soggy and didn't hold shape: 1) the peanut butter was not spread well enough to make the slices of bread stick together 2) the sandwich was not lightly coated in the egg and it was oversoaked 3) if it was oversoaked, it would come out soggy and would not retain its shape. Hope this helps for next time!
Natasha
Thank you for recipe.
christieathome
You're very welcome Natasha, glad you enjoyed it and thanks for the review!
Kate
Ok so I’ll try it with Nutella and another recipe added half cup evaporated milk with the 2 eggs so I’ll try it that way also. 🙂
christieathome
Thanks Kate! I hope you enjoy the recipe!
Belle
Got the seal of approval from my notoriously picky brother. Little fuss ,very tasty.
christieathome
Thanks so much for making my recipe, Belle! I'm so glad you and your brother enjoyed it 🙂
DW
I had it before but I don't know the receipt, that's a Great One 😀
christieathome
Thank you so much! Glad I could share this recipe with you!
Karina
Thank you for this great recipe, reminds me of my travels to HK 🙂 l going to make it this weekend.
Diana C
Yum! Needed new breakfast ideas for the family and this one really hit the spot, thank you!
I especially like the tip on not over spreading the peanut butter, couldn’t help myself on first attempt!
christieathome
Hi Diana! Thank you so much for making my recipe and I am so glad it hit the spot! I hope you're keeping well during these times and family is also well too! Wishing you a very happy new year ahead 🙂 - Christie
Heidi | The Frugal Girls
Okay, so I really need to try fried French Toast. This is such an epic way to elevate the flavors!!
Michelle | Sift & Simmer
I love HK style french toast! My friend introduced it to me years ago in University, and I always think of her when I make it! I love it with condensed milk 🙂