Honey butter toast is delightfully crunchy on the outside and tender on the inside. It’s a 1-bowl, 6-ingredient recipe that’s easier to make than French toast but just as delicious.
(Love making mornings special? Try ube pancakes and mochi muffins!)
Honey butter toast is a popular treat in Japan, Korea, Singapore and other parts of Asia.
It originated in Japan, where it’s known as Shibuya toast, honey toast, brick toast and hanito.
According to Wikipedia: “The bread is hollowed out and then cut into small cubes. The cubes and the loaf shell are then caramelized, by brushing them with a butter and honey mixture and placing them into the oven until golden.”
It’s then stuffed with all the fillings and toppings you can imagine.
However, It wasn’t until Arôme Bakery in London came out with a simpler variation that it shot to TikTok fame.
And now here we are!
This honey butter toast recipe is simple, easy to make, and so good.
Let’s get to it.
Why you’ll love butter and honey toast
If you love breakfast and brunch like I do, you would love making honey toast bread.
- Easy to make. These are incredibly easy to make. Definitely so much easier than French toast. No dipping in cream, no frying, you just need to spread the sugar honey butter mixture on bread and bake.
- Simple ingredients. Plus, you’ll only need 6 ingredients and you most likely already have them in your pantry.
- Amazing crunch. Unlike French toast or bread pudding, honey butter toast is crunchy outside and fluffy inside. It’s a delight to eat. There’s no oiliness to it, either.
- Easy to make a big batch. And because you don’t have to fry each piece one by one like pancakes, it’s so easy to make a big batch, perfect for when you have company over.
How to make
Honey butter bread is one of the most delicious ways to start your day. Easy to make too.
Ingredients
You’ll need the following:
- Bread — honey butter toast is traditionally made with Japanese milk bread or Hokkaido milk bread. They’re not always easy to find though, so I usually use challah or brioche. You also want a full loaf that you can slice yourself.
- Butter — I use unsalted butter since I always have a stash for baking but you can also use salted, just halve the salt in the recipe.
- Brown sugar — light or regular brown sugar works.
- Honey — the kind of honey you use will make a huge difference. And make sure you’re using real honey, not the kind with corn syrup. When buying honey, confirm that the ingredient list only says honey and nothing else.
- Ground cinnamon — adds a pop of warm, comforting flavor to the toast.
- Salt — helps cut through the sweetness of the butter mixture while enhancing the overall flavors of the recipe.
Baking tools
I use a small bowl and 9×13 inch baking tray.
You’ll need tongs as well.
How to make
Preheat oven to 325F. Line a 9×13 inch baking pan with parchment paper and set aside.
Put all ingredients in a small bowl.
Stir until incorporated.
Spread a thin layer of honey butter mixture on the top, sides and bottom of each slice of bread.
Place on your prepared baking sheet.
Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the bottom turns golden brown (you’ll need tongs to take a peek). Flip each slice and continue baking until the other side is golden, too, 5-7 minutes.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for a few minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool until crunchy and crispy, 8-10 minutes. Enjoy!
Expert baking tips
Easy, right? Here are tips for perfect honey butter toast every time.
- Use the right kind of bread. If you can find it, use Japanese milk bread or Hokkaido milk bread. They’re hard to find where I am though, so I use challah or brioche bread. What you need to keep in mind is to choose a sturdy but tender bread and to stay away from crusty bread.
- Keep the slices thick. You’ll want to slice your loaf of bread 2-inches think. Thick slices will make sure you have that nice crispy exterior while keeping the insides soft and tender.
- Keep the butter spread thin. You don’t want to be heavy-handed when spreading your butter mixture. You only need a thin layer on each side of the bread slice. Too much and you won’t get that crunch.
- Give the toast time to get crispy. Don’t worry if your bread slices are soft out of the oven. Transfer them to a wire rack to cool and when they do, they will become nice and crispy!
- Enjoy fresh. It’s best to enjoy honey butter toast the same day you made them.
Recipe FAQs
There are two ways to make this recipe ahead of time:
– You can make the butter mixture up to a week ahead then allow to come down to room temperature when you’re ready to use.
– You can also spread the mixture on your sliced bread, keep the bread covered in the fridge, and bake the next day. Don’t keep it for longer though because we don’t want the bread slices getting too soggy.
You can choose to trim the bread slices so they’re perfectly square.
I don’t bother because the toast tastes as delicious without trimming and, frankly, those edges are my favorite parts!
These are best enjoyed fresh.
If you have leftovers, I suggest keeping them in an airtight container on the counter and eating them the next day.
You can top honey butter toast with all the sweet things and make it a dessert:
– Whipped cream
– Vanilla ice cream
– Chocolate syrup or salted caramel sauce
– More honey
We personally love topping it with something a little tarter, like Greek yogurt, then fresh fruit.
More Japanese-inspired recipes
I’ve always been obsessed with Japanese dessert recipes. Check these out:
We love making this honey butter toast recipe.
It’s perfect for Mother’s Day, Valentine’s Day, Christmas, Easter and even just on a regular Saturday that you want to make extra special.
Happy baking!
Did you make brown sugar honey toast? I’d love to hear all about it! Leave a comment or a star rating below. You can also tag me on Instagram or Facebook. I’d love to see your creations!
You can also find me on Pinterest, Twitter and YouTube.
Honey Butter Toast
Equipment
Ingredients
- ¼ cup unsalted butter softened
- 4 tbsp brown sugar
- 5 tsp honey
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 loaf bread (milk bread, brioche, challah) sliced into 2-inch thick pieces
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325F. Line a 9×13 inch baking pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- Put all ingredients in a small bowl and stir until incorporated.¼ cup unsalted butter, 4 tbsp brown sugar, 5 tsp honey, ¼ tsp ground cinnamon, ¼ tsp salt
- Spread a thin layer of honey butter mixture on the top, sides and bottom of each slice of bread.1 loaf bread (milk bread, brioche, challah)
- Place on your prepared baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes or until the bottom turns golden brown (you’ll need tongs to take a peek).
- Flip each slice and continue baking until the other side is golden too, 5-7 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for a few minutes.
- Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool until crunchy and crispy, 8-10 minutes. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- If you can find it, use Japanese milk bread or Hokkaido milk bread. They’re hard to find where I am though, so I use challah or brioche bread. What you need to keep in mind is to choose a sturdy but tender bread and to stay away from crusty bread.
- You don’t want to be heavy-handed when spreading your butter mixture. You only need a thin layer on each side of the bread. Too much and you won’t get that crunch.
- Don’t worry if your bread slices are soft out of the oven. Transfer them to a wire rack to cool and when they do, they will become nice and crispy!
- See post for more tips, FAQs and step-by-step photos.
Nutrition
Nutritional information are estimates only.
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