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Bạc Xỉu: Vietnamese White Coffee Recipe

Bạc xỉu is a Vietnamese milk-forward coffee associated with Saigon, now Ho Chi Minh City. This iced version combines a small portion of strong phin coffee with fresh milk, sweetened condensed milk and ice. Stir before drinking to blend the layers.

By Ali Can DoralarReviewed by Online Coffee Guide editorial teamPublished Updated 5 min read
A glass of iced milk-forward Vietnamese coffee with a small dark coffee layer and a phin nearby
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Drink Snapshot

Caffeine
Phin unmeasured; espresso option ~85 mg85 mg applies only to 40 g espresso
Calories
Estimated 155 kcalDefined home servingIncludes milk and a small allowance for plain brewed coffee.
Serving, sugar and sources
Serving
1 drink: 40 ml (1.4 US fl oz) brewed phin coffee, 120 g (½ US cup) milk, 25 g (1¼ US tbsp) condensed milk and 100 g (3.5 oz) ice
Made with
Strong coffee, whole milk and sweetened condensed milk
Sugar
Estimated 20 g total. Includes both condensed-milk sugars and naturally occurring milk sugar.
Preparation
About 3 minutes with brewed, cooled coffee ready

Ingredient estimates for this home serving; the 400 ml (13.5 US fl oz) glass leaves room for ice and stirring. See the full calculation or label comparison.

Key Takeaways
  • Choose bạc xỉu when you want sweet milk to lead and coffee to provide a roasted accent.
  • For a stronger coffee presence, move toward Vietnamese iced coffee rather than adding more sweetness.
  • Prepare and cool the phin coffee ahead of assembly so the ice chills the drink without melting too quickly.
On This Page8 Sections

Bac Xiu vs. Vietnamese Iced Coffee

Bạc xỉu makes milk the main event. Vietnam Tourism describes it as a milkier relative of cà phê sữa đá and connects it with Ho Chi Minh City. Its pale color comes from the milk, rather than a special pale-roasted coffee bean.

Bac Xiu vs Vietnamese Iced Coffee
Bac Xiu vs Vietnamese Iced Coffee
DrinkThe useful distinction
Bạc xỉuA larger sweet milk base with a smaller coffee portion; this recipe includes fresh whole milk
Vietnamese iced coffeeTypically strong coffee with sweetened condensed milk over ice, with coffee more prominent
Iced latteEspresso and milk over ice; condensed milk is not required
Dirty coffeeHot espresso poured onto cold milk for temperature and layer contrast; usually served without ice

Vietnamese producer Lacàph publishes a hot version using condensed milk and water, while chef Tu David Phu's Saigon-style version includes fresh whole milk. The iced recipe below is our measured home version with fresh milk.

Local coffee maker Lacàph connects bạc xỉu to Saigon’s Chinese Vietnamese community. It explains the longer name, bạc tẩy xỉu phé, as a milky glass with a little coffee, a name that puts the milk-first character at the heart of the drink.

Cộng's C+ instant bạc xỉu mix is a packaged alternative with coconut milk powder and creamer; its ingredient list also declares milk protein. Use its packet directions rather than substituting the powder for the separately brewed coffee or fresh milk in the recipe below.

What Does Bạc Xỉu Taste Like?

Bạc xỉu opens with cold, creamy milk and the concentrated sweetness of condensed milk. The coffee threads a roasted, gently bitter note through it, leaving a milky finish with enough coffee flavor to keep the sweetness interesting. Stirring the layers brings those flavors together.

I would choose a chocolatey phin coffee for bạc xỉu because its cocoa-like bitterness gives the sweet milk a clear contrast.

Iced Bac Xiu Recipe

Makes one drink in a 400 ml (13.5 US fl oz) glass. The three-minute preparation starts with coffee already brewed and cooled. Use a scale for the two milks: thick condensed milk is especially awkward to measure accurately by eye.

Recipe

Iced Bạc Xỉu

Makes:
1 drink in a 400 ml (13.5 US fl oz) glass
Time:
3 minutes; brewing and cooling are additional

Ingredients

  • 40 ml (1.4 US fl oz) brewed, cooled phin coffee
  • 120 g (½ US cup) cold whole milk
  • 25 g (1¼ US tbsp) sweetened condensed milk
  • 100 g (3.5 oz) ice cubes

Equipment

  • Scale
  • Graduated liquid measure
  • Spoon
  • 400 ml (13.5 US fl oz) serving glass
  • For brewing ahead: phin and separate heatproof coffee cup

Method

  1. Mix the milks. Stir 25 g (1¼ US tbsp) sweetened condensed milk and 120 g (½ US cup) cold whole milk together in a 400 ml (13.5 US fl oz) glass until evenly combined.
  2. Add ice and coffee. Add 100 g (3.5 oz) ice, then pour in 40 ml (1.4 US fl oz) brewed, cooled phin coffee.
  3. Stir and serve. Stir through the whole glass before drinking. Serve promptly while cold.

Estimated nutrition: 155 kcal and 20 g total sugar. Per glass, using whole milk and 25 g (1¼ US tbsp) sweetened condensed milk.

Recipe notes

Measure the 40 ml (1.4 US fl oz) coffee after brewing. Weigh both milks for the recipe. Contains milk.

For the coffee, follow the Vietnamese phin brewing guide. Brew into a separate heat-safe vessel, cool the coffee, then measure the required 40 ml (1.4 US fl oz) of collected coffee. This is not the brewing-water input: the grounds retain some water, and a full phin batch may supply more than one drink. Nguyen Coffee Supply's guide provides the equipment-specific brewing sequence.

Iced bạc xỉu preparation: mix whole milk and condensed milk, add ice and cooled phin coffee, then stir the whole glass.
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Mix the two milks first, then stir through the coffee and ice before drinking.

Choosing Coffee and Adjusting the Milk

Use coffee with enough concentration to remain noticeable in the milk. A Vietnamese robusta or arabica–robusta blend is an option. Roast, beans and brewing all affect its bitterness and aroma. The broader Vietnamese coffee guide explains those choices.

No phin? Try 40 g of prepared espresso, weighed after extraction, in place of the 40 ml (1.4 US fl oz) phin portion. This is a practical alternative with a different extraction and caffeine basis. Do not substitute a 40 g dry coffee dose. The espresso guide covers preparation.

The condensed milk supplies concentrated sweetness and body; whole milk supplies most of the drink's milk volume. Evaporated milk is unsweetened, so it is not a direct replacement for sweetened condensed milk.

I stir the layers before deciding on more condensed milk. The glass can look beautifully divided, but the first properly mixed sip is what tells me whether I want it sweeter.

Choosing Coffee and Adjusting the Milk
Choosing Coffee and Adjusting the Milk
If your drink is…Change one thing next time
Too sweetReduce condensed milk from 25 g (1¼ US tbsp) to 15 g (2¼ US tsp); retain the whole milk and coffee
Too weak or wateryStart with cold milk and cooled, concentrated coffee; avoid extra water or waiting for all the ice to melt
Unevenly sweetDissolve the condensed milk into the fresh milk before adding ice, then stir the finished drink
Too coffee-forwardReduce the coffee portion slightly; adding extra condensed milk would also increase sweetness

Calories, Sugar and Caffeine

The recipe has an estimated 155 kcal and 20 g total sugar. Most of both comes from the two milks. Using 15 g (2¼ US tsp) condensed milk instead of 25 g (1¼ US tbsp) reduces the estimate to 120 kcal and 14 g sugar, with the coffee portion unchanged.

The separate 40 g espresso alternative has a reference estimate of 85 mg caffeine, using USDA generic espresso composition. The main phin recipe has no measured caffeine value.

Serving assumptions and calculation

USDA SR28 lists whole milk at 61 kcal and 5.05 g total sugar per 100 g, and sweetened condensed milk at 321 kcal and 54.4 g sugar per 100 g. The 120 g whole milk contributes 73.2 kcal and 6.06 g sugar; 25 g condensed milk adds 80.25 kcal and 13.6 g sugar. Their subtotal is 153.45 kcal and 19.66 g sugar. The rounded 155 kcal estimate allows for a small contribution from plain brewed coffee; its precise energy depends on preparation. Ice contributes neither. Removing 10 g condensed milk subtracts 32.1 kcal and 5.44 g sugar. The espresso-only caffeine example is 40 g × 212 mg per 100 g = 84.8 mg.

Contains milk. Replacing only the fresh milk with a plant drink does not make the recipe dairy-free; conventional condensed milk also contains dairy. Use both suitable alternatives and their labels if adapting it. Keep dairy cold and assemble when ready to drink.

Questions About Bac Xiu

Is bac xiu the same as a latte?
No. Both can be milk-forward, but this bạc xỉu recipe combines phin coffee with fresh and sweetened condensed milk. A standard iced latte uses espresso and milk without requiring condensed milk.
Can you make bac xiu hot?
Yes. Hot preparations exist, including condensed-milk-and-water versions. The recipe on this page is an iced fresh-milk version.
Does bac xiu have less caffeine than Vietnamese iced coffee?
Only if its coffee portion supplies less caffeine. More milk softens flavor but does not remove caffeine. Compare the same brewed coffee and its measured portion rather than the drink's color.
Should I stir the layers in bạc xỉu?
Yes for this recipe. Stir through the glass before drinking to distribute the coffee and sweet milk.

Editor's Take

Sources and Further Reading

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