Crispy, golden French toast is filled with warm peanut butter and topped with butter and sweetened condensed milk. This easy Hong Kong-style French toast recipe is ready in just 10 minutes. The bread stays soft and fluffy inside while the outside fries up crisp.
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Hong Kong-style French toast (西多士) is a popular Chinese dish served at Hong Kong-style cafés, known as cha chaan tengs. It's made with thick milk bread filled with peanut butter, coated in egg, fried until golden, and typically topped with butter and sweetened condensed milk.
It's my husband's favorite order at Hong Kong cafés, and I love enjoying it as a snack or dessert with a warm Hong Kong milk tea.
I found that a quick, light dip in the egg keeps the bread from absorbing too much before frying, helping the outside stay crisp instead of turning soggy or greasy.
Ingredients & Substitutes
Exact ingredient amounts are listed in the recipe card at the bottom of this page.
- Milk Bread: I prefer ¾-inch-thick white milk bread, aka shokupan, from an Asian bakery for a soft and fluffy interior. Substitute with Texas toast or thick-cut white bread.
- Smooth Peanut Butter: Use smooth or creamy peanut butter because it spreads easily without tearing the soft bread.
- Large Eggs
- Vegetable Oil: Use a neutral, high-smoke-point oil for frying. Canola or peanut oil also works.
- Butter: I prefer unsalted butter, but salted butter works too.
- Sweetened Condensed Milk: Traditionally drizzled over Hong Kong-style French toast for a rich, creamy sweetness. Substitute with condensed coconut milk, honey, or maple syrup.
Expert Tips
- Use slightly stale bread so it holds its shape better when coated in egg.
- Dip the bread quickly to prevent it from absorbing too much egg and becoming soggy.
- Fry one sandwich at a time to prevent the oil temperature from dropping too much.
- Maintain the oil at 350°F for a crisp, golden exterior without excessive oil absorption.
- Drain on a wire rack instead of paper towels to prevent trapped steam from making the toast soggy.
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 from edge to edge. Leave the third slice plain.
- Assemble the sandwiches: Stack two peanut-buttered slices with the peanut butter sides facing up, then place a plain slice on top. Gently press the layers together. Repeat with the remaining 3 slices to make the second 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 the bread, 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 and top: Heat vegetable oil in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat until it reaches 350°F. Fry each sandwich until golden brown on all sides. Lift out with tongs and rest on a wire rack to drain. Return the oil to 350°F before frying the remaining sandwich. Serve immediately with butter and a drizzle of sweetened condensed milk.
Storage & Reheating
- Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the fridge.
- Freezer: I don't recommend freezing because the bread becomes soggy after thawing.
- Reheating: Reheat in an air fryer or oven at 350°F for 3-5 minutes until hot and crisp.
Variations
- Alternative Spreads: Replace the smooth peanut butter with creamy almond butter, cookie butter, or Nutella.
- Dairy-Free: Use thick-cut dairy-free white bread, vegan butter, and sweetened condensed coconut milk.
- Air-Fryer Method: Work quickly to coat the sandwich, spray all sides evenly with cooking oil, and air-fry directly on a heavily greased basket grate at 375°F for 4 minutes per side until golden and crisp.
Pairing Suggestions
Serve Hong Kong French Toast with:
- Hong Kong Milk Tea: The strong, creamy tea balances the rich, sweet French toast.
- Fresh Mixed Berries: Their tart, fresh flavor cuts through the richness of the fried bread.
- Fried Spam: The salty, savory Spam contrasts nicely with the sweet peanut butter and condensed milk.
FAQ
Yes. Fresh bread works, but slightly stale bread holds its shape better and is easier to handle after coating in egg.
The bread may have absorbed too much egg, or the frying oil may not have been hot enough. Lightly coat the sandwich and make sure the oil reaches 350°F before frying.
Yes. Shallow-fry the sandwich in hot oil, turning it with tongs to evenly brown the top, bottom, and narrow sides.
More Like This
📖 Recipe
10-Minute Easy Hong Kong-Style French Toast
Ingredients
- 6 slices milk 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 from edge to edge. Leave the third slice plain.
- Stack two peanut-buttered slices with the peanut butter sides facing up, then place a plain slice on top. Gently press the layers together. Repeat with the remaining 3 slices to make the second 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 the bread, 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 medium heat until it reaches 350°F. Fry each sandwich until golden brown on all sides. Lift out with tongs and rest on a wire rack to drain. Return the oil to 350°F before frying the remaining sandwich. Serve immediately with butter and a drizzle of sweetened 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 🙂