
Quench your thirst in a sweet and creamy way! This Thai tea recipe is incredibly simple to put together and will satisfy your sweet tooth craving! Make this popular Thai drink right at home.
Why is Thai Tea Orange?
Traditional Thai tea is made from black tea leaves, condensed milk, and crushed ice. Deliciously simple ingredients. But you may be wondering, but wait… why is it orange then?!
As Thai tea become more popular and Westernized, spices and food coloring were added to make it stand out from other teas. Nowadays it’s hard to find Thai tea without these adjustments.
For this recipe, we’ll be making the popular non-traditional (Westernized) version of Thai tea

What’s the Difference Between Thai Tea & Black Tea?
As we discussed, Thai is made of black tea leaves. The major difference between black tea and Thai tea is the various spices mixed in, such as star anise crushed tamarind, and cardamon seeds, amongst other spices.
To make this Thai tea recipe as simple as possible, I’m using Pantai pre-made Thai tea mix. It combines the black tea, spices, and food coloring needed to make such a delicious Thai tea!
Assembling Your Thai Tea Recipe
- How Long to Steep the Tea: There’s debate on how long to steep your tea leaves before they turn bitter. For this Thai tea recipe, I recommend bringing your water to a boil, adding the leaves, then allowing it to steep for 5 minutes before straining it for best results!
- Cool Off Period: Once the tea leaves are removed, allow your tea to cool down for at least 30 minutes.
- Making Your Drink Sweet & Creamy All at Once: I love using condensed milk in my Thai tea because it’s a 2-for1 creaminess and sweetness. If you’d like more creaminess without so much sugar, you can mix in half and half or evaporated milk with your evaporated milk.
You could even do boba at home with Homemade Tapioca Boba, Strawberry Matcha Latte, or Vietnamese Avocado Smoothie recipe!
Let's Get Cooking!
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Thai Iced Milk Tea Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 cups water
- 1 cup Thai tea mix
- 6 - 8 tablespoons condensed milk
- ¼ cup evaporated milk
- ice cubes
Instructions
- In a pot, bring water to a boil then add tea leaves. Turn off the heat and allow the tea to steep for 5 minutes.
- Using a sieve or cloth filter, strain the tea leaves from the water and allow the tea to cool for at least 30 minutes.
- Prepare the Thai tea by stiring together the tea, 6 tablespoons of condensed milk if you like it less sweet or more if you like it sweeter, and the evaporated milk.
- Divide the Thai tea into glasses and finish with ice. Stir & enjoy immediately!
Notes
- Condensed Milk: I don't have much of a sweet tooth, but sweetener is needed in the recipe to be flavorful. I tend to add just enough condensed milk to be lightly sweet, however, if you enjoy an extra sweet version, add more!
- Key Tips:
- Flavorful Tea Without Becoming Bitter: Steep the tea leaves as recommended and no longer, otherwise, you may end up with a bitter drink. Then, allow the tea to cool.
- Dairy-Free: Authentic Thai tea recipes call for evaporated milk or condensed milk, however, you can swap it out for coconut milk for a creamy dairy-free version
Nutrition
Exact calculations may vary. For the most accurate nutritional information, use your preferred nutrition calculator, actual ingredients, and quantities used for the recipe. Please consult with your physician or registered dietitian if more precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.
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