Gyeran-Ppang, or Korean Egg Bread

Soft, slightly sweet, and baked with a whole egg inside — this Korean egg bread is a cozy breakfast or snack you can whip up in about 35 minutes. Made with unfussy pantry ingredients (even pancake mix!) and baked in baking cups, it’s the easiest way to enjoy this beloved Korean street treat at home.

On cold afternoons in Seoul, we'd warm our hands over a gyeran-ppang (계란빵) cart and wait for that first bite; soft, lightly sweet bread with a silky egg nestled inside. That taste stuck with us, so we set out to recreate it at home — no street-cart mold, no fancy pan required. Our solution? A set of baking cups and a few tweaks.

Instead of chasing complicated batters, we use what most kitchens already have — pancake mix. Yup, you heard us right!

With a few small tweaks, you’ll get that same sweet-savory flavor and soft texture you’d find at a Korean street stall. This gyeran-ppang is unfussy, cozy, and reliably savory every time.

It’s one of those comforting Korean breakfasts that make chilly mornings feel special, right up there with other beloved Korean street foods and the recipes in our Korean breakfast collection.

What You’ll Need

Before you start, grab a few everyday ingredients from your pantry — nothing fancy here: flour base (we use pancake mix), milk, eggs, a touch of sugar, and a sprinkle of cheese for that street-cart flavor.

Step-by-Step: How to Make Korean Egg Bread (Gyeran-Ppang)

Once you’ve gathered your batter ingredients, everything comes together quickly. The key is to keep the batter loose enough to pour — think pancake consistency.

Then pour it into muffin cups about halfway up; that gives the egg room to rise as it bakes.

Drop a whole egg into each cup and give the yolk a short poke with a toothpick to prevent steam bursts. Then comes the fun part: toppings. Sprinkle cheese and parsley.

Slide the tray into a 375°F (190°C) oven and watch the tops turn golden while the egg gently sets in the middle. When they puff up and smell buttery-sweet, they’re done. Let them rest a few minutes before serving.

Whenever we bake gyeran-ppang, it reminds us of the warm, chewy Hotteok (Korean Sweet Pancakes) We used to grab from winter street stalls; different texture, same kind of homey sweetness. If you enjoy old-fashioned Korean market snacks, try our soft and airy sulppang made with makgeolli as well.

Helpful Tips for Best Results

• Choose the right pan. Baking cups give the ideal height for the egg to rise and set. If using a muffin tray, choose small eggs since the cavities are shallower.
• Mind your batter-to-egg ratio. This recipe fills 8 baking cups, about 12 muffin cavities, or 5–6 mini loaf pans. Fill halfway (or one-third for muffin trays) so it doesn’t overflow.
• Don’t skip the vanilla. A small splash adds a subtle aroma that makes gyeran-ppang smell like it came straight from a Seoul cart.
• Toppings are your playground. We usually use shredded cheddar, but mozzarella, ham and cheese, bacon, or crumbled sausage all work beautifully. For something unexpected, try a drizzle of pesto and a few cherry tomato slices — a fun East-meets-West twist.

• Yield: 8
• Prep: 10 minutes
• Total: 35 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups (190 g) pancake mix
• 1/2 cup (70 g) fine cornmeal
• 2-3 tbsp (25–35 g) sugar
• 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk
• 2 tbsp (30 g) unsalted butter, melted
• 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract
• 9 medium eggs, divided (adjust the amount depending on bakeware size)
• pinches of salt
• 1/2 cup (60 g) shredded cheddar cheese, or other meltable cheese
• 2 tsp (2 g) dried parsley flakes

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 375˚F.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the pancake mix, cornmeal and sugar. Then, stir in milk, melted butter, an egg, and vanilla extract until everything is well mixed. The batter should be a bit runny, easy to pour.
3. Fill each baking cup or mini loaf pan halfway with the batter. If using a muffin pan, fill each cavity one-third full. Place one egg in each cup or muffin cavity, making sure it doesn't overflow. Sprinkle a tiny pinch of salt on top of each egg.
4. Gently pierce each egg yolk with a toothpick to prevent it from exploding during baking. Sprinkle cheese and dried parsley flakes, or any topping of your choice, over the eggs.
5. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the bread comes out clean. Let them cool a bit before enjoying them warm.

Notes

If you use a muffin tray, choose small to medium eggs due to the smaller cavity size. You’ll need more than 12 eggs to evenly distribute the pancake batter. This recipe fills 8 baking cups, over 12 muffin cups, or 5-6 mini loaf pans. Adjust the number of eggs based on the bakeware you use.