Kaya Toast (Toast with Coconut Jam and Butter)

A recipe for Kaya Toast (Toast with Coconut Jam and Butter)! This breakfast treat from Singapore and Malaysia is perfect for pairing with coffee and eggs.

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This recipe contains undercooked or raw eggs. Consuming raw eggs may increase your risk of foodborne illness, particularly with certain medical conditions.

I recently had a couple extra jars of homemade Kaya and it was perfect for making Kaya Toast! Kaya Toast is an easy, yet incredible breakfast dish popular in the Kopitiam (coffee shops) of Singapore and Malaysia.

Two slices of toasted bread are formed into a sandwich with creamy Kaya (srikaya, seri kaya, a rich caramelized coconut egg jam) and cold salted butter. It is often paired with half-boiled eggs (Telur Kopitiam) and black coffee (Kopi-O) or tea.

The freshly toasted bread melts to butter slightly and blend the flavors together. Dip the slices straight into runny eggs seasoned with a little dark soy sauce and ground white pepper to create a wonderful combination of sweet, salty, and savory.

A Few Tips

Toast the bread slices either in a toaster, under the broiler, or on a grill. Cooking over a charcoal grill would be perfect for adding a more smoky flavor.

You want to heat the eggs just long enough to barely set the whites, but still have a runny yolk for dipping the sweet Kaya Toast.

To achieve this half-boiled texture, bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Immediately remove from heat and gently add the eggs. Cover and allow to steep for 7 minutes.

Carefully crack each egg into a small bowl, using a spoon to scoop out any remaining egg white. Add a small splash of dark soy sauce and pinch of ground white pepper.

The exact amount of time may vary based on the size and type of egg. I used large brown eggs.

Want something even more decadent? You can also use the Kaya as a filling for Hong Kong French Toast.

Notable Ingredients for Kaya Toast

Kaya is a caramelized coconut spread popular in Southeast Asia. You can use store-bought or homemade. The thickness and color may vary a bit based on region and family. I have a recipe for homemade Kaya from the cookbook, Chinese Heritage Cooking From My American Kitchen. Sift and Simmer also has a beautiful, vibrant Kaya Pandan Coconut Jam.

Dark Soy Sauce is also known as sweet soy sauce, black soy sauce, or thick soy sauce. It is available in markets with East/Southeast Asian ingredients or on Amazon at a higher price: Pearl River Bridge Superior Dark Soy Sauce.

Looking for more recipes from Singapore and Malaysia?

Try my:

• Teh Tarik (Malaysian Pulled Tea)
• Claypot Chicken Rice
• Roti Canai (Malaysian-Style Paratha Roti)

This recipe was originally posted in June 2017 and updated April 2022.

Kaya Toast (Toast with Coconut Jam and Butter) Recipe

Adapted from Penang Local

Print Pin

5 from 5 votes

Kaya Toast (Toast with Coconut Jam and Butter)

A recipe for Kaya Toast (Toast with Coconut Jam and Butter)! This breakfast treat from Singapore and Malaysia is perfect for pairing with coffee and eggs.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine Singaporean

Keyword bread, breakfast, butter, coconut, Kaya, Malaysia, Malaysian, Singapore, toast

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 7 minutes

0 minutes

Total Time 17 minutes

Servings 2 Servings

Ingredients

• 2 large eggs
• Dark soy sauce
• Ground white pepper
• 4 slices white bread
• 1/3 cup (80 milliliters) Kaya coconut jam
• 2-3 tablespoons (30-43 grams) cold salted butter
• Coffee for serving

Instructions

• Bring a medium pot of water to a boil.
• Once boiling, remove from heat and gently add the eggs. Cover and set aside for 7 minutes.
• Carefully crack each egg into a small bowl, using a spoon to scoop out any remaining egg white. Top with a small splash of dark soy sauce and pinch of ground white pepper.
• Toast the slices of bread using a toaster, broiler, or grill until golden brown.
• Cut off the crusts and spread a layer of kaya over the top of each slice.
• Thinly slice the butter and arrange over the kaya on half of the bread slices. Cover the buttered pieces with the other slices, kaya-side down, to form sandwiches.
• Cut each sandwich into two equal pieces to form four small sandwiches in all.
• Serve immediately with the half-boiled eggs and coffee.