Learn how to make Authentic Thai Iced Tea from scratch using this very simple recipe. The resulting Thai Tea is refreshing, creamy and packed with flavours that are very traditional. Here is how to make it
Try my other tea recipes like Saffron Tea and Strawberry Tea as well.
By this time, most of you know my love for Summer drinks.
As it is very necessary to hydrate yourself, I keep making varieties of drinks from different parts of the world, to satisfy my thirst and also my taste buds.
As in Winters, Masala Chai or Homemade Indian Style Cappuccino are my best buddies, in Summers I tend to avoid them due to the scorching heat outside and rely on iced tea and coffees more often.
The other day when I was making my usual Ice Tea, I instantly remembered this Thai Iced Tea that I enjoyed in one of the Thai restaurants back in Bangalore.
So I gave my usual Ice Tea a break and made this super simple and quick Thai Tea.
Just your simple Iced Black Tea with condensed milk, it gives my inner foodie so much satisfaction, that I started making it very often.
Even my kiddo liked it better than our usual iced tea, because of its creamy texture, maybe!
Nowadays, apart from sipping on it in between my meals, I also prepare this tea whenever I make a Thai style meal like Panang Curry or Thai Basil Chicken.
Here are some other Iced Tea recipes, that you might like to try this Summer – Mango Iced Tea and Passion Fruit Iced Tea.
About the recipe
This drink is locally called as Cha Yen and is no more restricted to Thailand now.
This sweet creamy drink has now become popular in Thai restaurants worldwide, thanks to its refreshing taste and easy process.
Strong, concentrated, and delish, Thai Iced Tea has a dollop of sweetened condensed milk made more flavourful with water, cardamom, star anise, cinnamon and black tea leaves – a true blue Thai treat!
Thai Tea recipe is definitely a different beverage that will surprise your palate this summer.
Plus making this drink at home from scratch is super easy and just takes a few minutes.
Trust me guys, once you start to make it at home, there is no looking back.
You can save dollars by making it at home and can devour gallons of it without thinking twice.
And plus it gives Starbucks a run for its money!
This Thai Tea Recipe is
- Refreshing
- Chilled
- Strong
- Creamy
- Easy to make
- Traditional
- Economical
Ingredients
This tea is made up of strongly brewed black tea. Some spices like star anise and cardamom are added to it.
It is sweetened with condensed milk and some sugar and then served in a glass over lots of ice.
Sometimes vanilla, orange blossom water, and crushed tamarind seeds are added to it too.
Some people add boba pearls to it and then it’s called bubble tea.
There is also a green version of this tea called Thai Green Tea.
It’s actually green in color and the process to make it is quite similar to this one.
Except that the tea leaves to make Thai green tea are different.
Which creamer is best to make this tea?
Different people have different choices of cream.
You can use half and half, full cream, coconut cream, evaporated milk, or sweetened condensed milk as your choice of creamer.
I am a big fan of using condensed milk in my Thai Tea as it gives it a very earthy kind of sweetness and a creamy texture to the tea and I have seen most vendors using condensed milk as their choice of creamer too.
But if you are looking for a low cal option, try using low-fat milk instead.
Why is this tea orange in Color?
The color of the Thai tea mix is from the yellow dye added to the tea which makes the brewed tea orange.
How long does it last?
Ideally, this tea is brewed fresh. But you can definitely refrigerate it for up to 2-4 days.
Just add it over a glass filled with ice and add condensed milk to sweeten.
Process
To make Thai Iced Tea, tea leaves are steeped in boiling water along with spices like cinnamon and cardamom
You can also add star anise if you wish to, but I for some reason do not like it’s flavor so skipped it.
Once you cool the tea, all you need to do is add ice cubes or crushed ice in glasses, add the tea in it and top it with condensed milk and it’s ready.
The vendors in Thailand steep the tea, add condensed milk and evaporated milk to it and while the tea is still hot, they pour the tea from one tumbler to another from a distance.
This makes a nice froth over the tea.
They then pour this frothed tea over a glass filled with ice.
Drizzle some more evaporated milk on top and then serve it.
Check out this video of a street vendor serving Thai Tea at her stall.
You can also use black tea bags instead of loose tea and save yourself the straining process.
Calories
The calorie count in Thai Tea ranges from 300-400 calories in one serving.
You can reduce the calories in your tea by either reducing the amount of condensed milk and sugar used or by replacing condensed milk with low-fat milk.
Does this tea have caffeine?
The base of this tea is Black tea which has 50-90 mg of caffeine per cup of tea.
But since there are other ingredients added in the cup to make this tea, the amount is reduced to 30-50 mg of caffeine per cup.
How to make it Vegan?
To make Vegan Thai Iced Tea, you can replace condensed milk with coconut cream or cashew milk or for that matter any vegan milk or cream.
It’s as easy as that 🙂
Where to buy Thai Tea mix?
I used these tea leaves which I sourced from Amazon.
It has a hint of vanilla, star anise, and very typical orange color which is what you will find in the tea served at traditional Thai restaurants.
But don’t be disheartened if you are not able to source this tea. Any black tea will do in this recipe.
You can add a few drops of vanilla extract and one-star anise to make the taste closer to the real deal and the color will not affect the taste in any which ways.
Check your nearest Asian store as well to source this mix.
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Step By Step Recipe
Heat water in a pan along with cardamom and cinnamon.
Once the water comes to a boil, switch off the heat. Add the tea leaves and sugar and let them steep for 2-3 minutes.
Strain the tea.
Add ice in glasses.
Pour the tea until the glass is 3/4th fun.
Top with condensed milk or the whitener of your choice. Stir well and serve.
Thai Iced Tea Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 cups Water
- 2 Cardamom (Crushed)
- 1 inch Cinnamon (Crushed)
- 4 tsp Thai Tea Mix
- 1/4 cup Sugar
- 1/4 cup Condensed Milk
Instructions
- Heat water in a pan along with cardamom and cinnamon.
- Once the water comes to a boil, switch off the heat.
- Add the tea leaves and sugar and let them steep for 2-3 minutes.
- Strain the tea.
- Add ice in glasses.
- Pour the tea until the glass is 3/4th full.
- Top with condensed milk.
- Stir well and serve.
Amrita Iyer
Bookmarking this recipe Neha!Its gorgeous!
Neha Mathur
Thnx. Do try. You will love it.