Vietnamese egg coffee (cà phê trứng) is a Hanoi speciality made by whipping egg yolk with sweetened condensed milk into a thick, custard-like cream, then spooning it over a small, intensely strong cup of Vietnamese coffee. The result is rich, sweet, and unlike any other coffee drink — a dessert and a coffee in one cup.
Vietnamese Egg Coffee at a Glance
| Vietnamese name | Cà phê trứng |
| Origin | Hanoi, Vietnam (1940s) |
| Base coffee | Strong drip (Robusta), espresso, or Moka pot |
| Egg component | Whipped egg yolk + sweetened condensed milk |
| Flavor | Rich, custardy, sweet, intensely caffeinated |
| Served | Hot (cup in hot water) or iced |
| Caffeine | High (strong coffee base) |
Why Egg in Coffee? The Origin Story
Egg coffee was invented at Giảng Café in Hanoi in the 1940s during French colonization. During the wartime years, fresh milk became scarce and expensive. Nguyễn Văn Giảng, a bartender at the Sofitel Metropole Hotel, used whipped egg yolk and sweetened condensed milk as a substitute — and accidentally created one of the most distinctive coffee drinks in the world.
The drink became a Hanoi institution. Giảng Café still exists on Hang Gai Street and is now run by the founder’s son. Visitors line up to drink egg coffee served in small glasses set inside cups of hot water to keep them warm.
Is Vietnamese Egg Coffee Safe?
The egg yolk is not fully cooked in traditional recipes — it is whipped with sweetened condensed milk. The high sugar content and the brief warming effect from the hot coffee reduce risk, but there is a small raw-egg concern.
To make it fully safe:
- Use pasteurized eggs — widely available in US supermarkets, labeled “pasteurized in shell”
- Temper the egg yolk — gently warm the yolk and condensed milk in a bowl over a pot of simmering water (double boiler) for 2–3 minutes before whipping, until it reaches 160°F/71°C
- Use the freshest eggs possible — crack the egg just before using
Most people in Vietnam use standard fresh eggs and have done so for decades without incident. Using pasteurized eggs or tempering is the easiest way to eliminate any concern.
Ingredients
For the coffee:
- 1 serving of very strong coffee (2 tablespoons of Vietnamese Robusta, brewed via Moka pot, phin filter, or 2 shots of espresso)
- No milk
For the egg cream:
- 1 fresh egg yolk (discard the white, or save for another use)
- 2–3 teaspoons of sweetened condensed milk
- Optional: a pinch of vanilla extract or a few drops of vanilla bean paste
How to Make Vietnamese Egg Coffee
Step 1 — Brew the coffee
Brew a very small, very strong cup of coffee. A phin filter with Robusta beans is traditional, but 2 shots of espresso or a Moka pot work perfectly. You want roughly 60–80ml of concentrated coffee.
Pour into a small heatproof glass or cup. Set the glass inside a small bowl of hot water to keep it warm while you prepare the cream.
Step 2 — Make the egg cream
Put the egg yolk and sweetened condensed milk in a small, deep bowl.
Using a handheld electric mixer (or a very energetic whisk), beat the mixture on high speed for 5–8 minutes until it is:
- Pale yellow
- Tripled in volume
- Thick, mousse-like, and ribbon-forming
This step is non-negotiable. A partially whipped mixture will not hold its shape and will sink into the coffee immediately. Fully whipped, the cream floats on top.
Pasteurized egg tip: Pasteurized eggs can be slightly harder to whip. Use room-temperature eggs and an electric mixer for best results.
Step 3 — Assemble
Spoon or pour the whipped egg cream slowly over the back of a spoon onto the surface of the hot coffee. The cream should sit as a thick, distinct layer on top — not dissolve immediately.
Serve immediately. The glass should sit in a small bowl of hot water.
How to drink it
Do not stir. Drink it from the top, letting the creamy egg foam and the bitter coffee hit your palate at different ratios with each sip. This is how it is done at Giảng Café. As you get toward the bottom, the boundary between cream and coffee blurs — that final blended sip is the richest of all.
Iced Vietnamese Egg Coffee
The iced version is less traditional but has become widely popular outside Vietnam.
- Brew strong coffee and pour over a glass of ice to chill rapidly (or use cold brew concentrate)
- Prepare the egg cream exactly as above
- Spoon over the chilled coffee
- Drink immediately (the cream melts faster on cold coffee — drink quickly)
The iced version is lighter and less intense than the hot version. Cold brew concentrate works especially well — it rounds out the sweetness without the sharpness of hot-brewed coffee.
Vietnamese Egg Coffee vs. Other Condensed Milk Coffee Drinks
| Drink | Coffee | Condensed Milk | Milk | Egg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Egg coffee (cà phê trứng) | Very strong Robusta/espresso | Whipped into the cream | No | Yes (whipped) |
| Vietnamese iced coffee (cà phê sữa đá) | Phin Robusta | Stirred in | No | No |
| Café bombón | Espresso | Layered below | No | No |
| Café con leche | Espresso or strong drip | None | Steamed hot milk | No |
Tips and Variations
Coconut egg coffee: Replace a teaspoon of condensed milk with coconut cream in the egg mixture. Earthy, slightly tropical, very popular.
Salted egg cream: Add a pinch of sea salt to the egg mixture before whipping. The contrast with the sweetness is remarkable.
Double-boiler safety method (full recipe): Beat yolk + condensed milk together, then place the bowl over barely simmering water and beat for 2–3 minutes until pasteurized (thermometer: 160°F/71°C), then remove from heat and continue beating until cooled, thickened, and mousse-like.
No espresso machine? Use a Moka pot on the smallest setting for a 2-serving batch, or brew the strongest possible French press using twice the normal coffee dose.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do Vietnamese put eggs in coffee? Egg coffee originated in Hanoi during the 1940s when fresh milk became scarce during the wartime years. A bartender named Nguyễn Văn Giảng whipped egg yolk with sweetened condensed milk as a milk substitute, and the resulting drink became a Hanoi institution.
Is Vietnamese egg coffee safe to drink? The egg yolk is not fully cooked in traditional preparation. Using pasteurized eggs (available in most US supermarkets) or tempering the yolk briefly over hot water eliminates the raw-egg risk. Vietnamese people have consumed egg coffee using fresh standard eggs for decades.
What does Vietnamese egg coffee taste like? Rich, creamy, and intensely sweet from the condensed milk, with deep coffee bitterness underneath. The texture of the whipped cream is reminiscent of tiramisu — mousse-like and smooth. It tastes more like a coffee dessert than a standard cup of coffee.
How are you supposed to drink Vietnamese egg coffee? Do not stir. Drink directly from the top, letting the creamy egg foam mix naturally with the coffee in varying ratios. The experience changes dramatically from the first sip (mostly cream) to the last (mostly coffee). At traditional Hanoi cafés, the glass is served inside a bowl of hot water to maintain temperature.
Explore more: Vietnamese Coffee: The Complete Guide | Vietnamese Iced Coffee (Cà Phê Sữa Đá) | Café Bombón (Condensed Milk Espresso) | Cold Brew Coffee Recipe | Getting Started with Home Espresso