Bac Xiu Recipe

Vietnam's milky, sweet white coffee — a Saigon original. More milk than coffee, deeply comforting, and one of the fastest-growing Vietnamese coffee trends.

Try It at Hanoi Drip

What Is Bac Xiu?

Bac Xiu (bạc xỉu) is a Vietnamese white coffee — a milky, lightly caffeinated drink that originated in Saigon's Chinese-Vietnamese community. The name comes from Cantonese: 'bak siu' meaning 'a little white'. It's one of the most beloved drinks in southern Vietnam.

Unlike Ca Phe Sua Da (Vietnamese iced coffee), which is coffee-forward, Bac Xiu is milk-forward. The ratio is roughly 3:1 condensed milk and hot water to coffee. The result is a sweet, creamy, lightly coffee-flavoured drink — somewhere between a café au lait and a warm milk tea.

Bac Xiu has seen a surge in popularity outside Vietnam in recent years, driven by its approachable sweetness and beautiful layered appearance when made iced. It's perfect for people who love Vietnamese coffee but find Ca Phe Sua Da too strong.

How to Make Bac Xiu at Home

Bac Xiu is one of the easiest Vietnamese coffee drinks to make at home. The key is using a very concentrated phin shot — you want the coffee to be present but not dominant.

Ingredients (1 serving): 3–4 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk · 1 tablespoon (15ml) strong Vietnamese robusta phin coffee · 80–100ml hot water or warm whole milk

Step 1 — Brew a concentrated phin shot: Use 15–20g of medium-coarse ground robusta and only 30–40ml of hot water. This gives you a very concentrated shot that will flavour the milk without overpowering it.

Step 2 — Prepare the base: Add 3–4 tablespoons of sweetened condensed milk to your glass or cup.

Step 3 — Add hot water or milk: Pour 80–100ml of hot water or warm whole milk over the condensed milk. Stir to combine. Using warm milk instead of water makes the drink richer and creamier.

Step 4 — Add the coffee: Pour the small phin shot on top. Stir gently, or leave it to layer for a beautiful two-tone presentation.

For iced Bac Xiu: Follow the same steps but use cold milk instead of hot, and pour over a glass of ice. The layered effect is especially striking when served iced.

Tips: Vietnamese sweetened condensed milk (Longevity brand) is more authentic than Western brands. Adjust the coffee amount to taste — some people prefer just a teaspoon for a very mild drink, others use a full phin shot for more coffee character.

Bac Xiu vs Ca Phe Sua Da vs Regular Coffee

Bac Xiu

Milk-forward. 3:1 milk to coffee ratio. Sweet, creamy, mild caffeine. Perfect for those new to Vietnamese coffee or who prefer a lighter drink.

Ca Phe Sua Da

Coffee-forward. 1:1 coffee to condensed milk ratio. Bold, sweet, strong caffeine. The classic Vietnamese iced coffee experience.

Ca Phe Den

Black phin coffee. No milk, no sugar. Bold, earthy, full-strength robusta. For those who want the pure Vietnamese coffee experience.

The Story Behind Bac Xiu

Bac Xiu originated in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) among the city's Chinese-Vietnamese (Hoa) community, who adapted the phin coffee tradition to suit a preference for milder, milkier drinks. The name 'bạc xỉu' is a Vietnamese phonetic rendering of the Cantonese 'bak siu' (), meaning 'a little white' — referring to the high milk content.

The drink became popular in Saigon's street cafés (quán cà phê) and has been a staple of southern Vietnamese coffee culture for generations. It's particularly popular among women and older drinkers who find Ca Phe Sua Da too strong.

Outside Vietnam, Bac Xiu has gained significant attention in recent years through social media, where its beautiful layered appearance — especially in the iced version — has made it a popular drink to photograph and share. Search interest for 'bac xiu recipe' has grown 45% in the past year.