A hydrogen-bonded organic framework (HOF-8) was utilized as a precursor to prepare carbon-based oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalysts. It was found that pretreatment of HOF-8 with potassium iodide (KI) before pyrolysis would readily modulate the structure and composition of the resultant carbon-based catalyst, achieving an enhanced electrocatalytic performance comparable to that of a commercial Pt/C catalyst in the ORR.