How to Make Milk Tea

Make your own milk tea with high-quality tea, rich creamy milk, and sweetened with delicious sugar. This recipe is easy to follow and is the perfect way to start your day or the best afternoon tea!

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Preparing a cup of tea is the perfect way to start your day. I love the process of making my tea and adding in a splash of milk. I don’t often sweeten my drinks in the morning, but save the sweet for the afternoon or evening cup. It is a daily ritual that I look forward to.

There are so many teas and I love to choose one for my day. Sometimes I want a strong cup of English Breakfast, or sometimes I want a kick of spice to enjoy. Often I love flavored tea such as Lady Grey. With milk tea, the options are before you, and it is up to you to make your perfect cup!

Here I will guide and provide you with instructions and measurements, but go with your heart. Add more milk, or more sugar if you desire, or garnish with a sprinkle of cinnamon.

What is Milk Tea?

Defining milk tea is fairly straightforward. Any tea with added milk is defined as milk tea. That can include bubble tea, chai tea, and Thai iced tea. Any milk can be used along with additional ingredients that can add sweetness, flavors, and texture. This drink served hot or iced, is a favorite around the world.

Why You Will Love Milk Tea

• Creamy
• Decadent
• Comforting
• Can Contain Caffeine

What is in Milk Tea?

The main ingredients in milk tea are just milk and tea. Nothing else has to be added. However many milk tea recipes include sugar and spices. Milk teas such as bubble tea also include toppings such as tapioca pearls.

Ingredients

• Tea – I like to use black tea such as Assam or Earl Grey, but green tea and oolong are also delicious with milk. More of my favorite black teas include English breakfast tea, Irish Breakfast tea, and Ceylon tea.
• Milk – Any type of milk can be used including half and half and cream. I prefer to use non-dairy milk and full-fat oat milk is my favorite. Feel free to use what milk you like best.
• Sugar – white granulated sugar is perfect for milk tea. It is a staple in most pantries making it easily accessible. Brown sugar, maple syrup, and honey are also great options. A fun milk tea to try is Okinawa milk tea which uses black kokuto sugar. 

Health Benefits of Milk Tea

True tea comes from the plant Camellia Sinensis and from which we get black tea, green tea, oolong tea, white tea, and pu-erh tea. Herbal tea which is not truly tea at all but a tisane. Tisanes are any root, petals, or other plants that are infused with water to make tea. Studies have shown that both teas and tisanes contain many health benefits if enjoyed in moderation.

All true teas contain caffeine while most tisanes or herbal teas do not.

How to Make Milk Tea

• Prepare Tea Start by bringing water to a boil (212°F if using an electric kettle). Prepare your teapot by warming it with a bit of water swishing it around and pouring it out. Next, add tea to your teapot and pour hot water over the tea. Cover and steep your tea for 5 minutes. Strain out tea leaves.
• Pour Tea Pour tea into your tea cup leaving enough room for milk. Stir in sugar and pour milk on top. 
• Enjoy Relax and enjoy your tea!

Milk Tea Recipe

Kitchen Tools

• Infuser or Tea Strainer
• Kettle
• Teapot
• Tea Cup

Ingredients

• Tea
• Milk
• Sugar

Instructions

1. Bring water to a boil.
2. Warm teapot by swishing around warm water and pouring out.
3. Add tea to the teapot, and pour over hot water.
4. Cover and steep for 5 minutes.
5. Strain out tea leaves.
6. Pour the tea into a tea cup.
7. Spoon in sugar and stir to dissolve.
8. Top with milk.
9. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

• Use any milk you like.
• Any type of sweetener can be used in this recipe including honey and maple syrup. Or chose to use none at all.
• Switch it up with various teas. Any black tea, green tea, or oolong should work well in this recipe. 
• To make your tea stronger, use more tea! It is not recommended to steep tea longer as it will make your tea bitter.

Variations

There are so many milk tea variations. 

• Bubble Tea is an extremely popular drink containing boba balls. 
• Marsala Chai is another popular milk tea that also includes warm spices along with plenty of milk and brown sugar. 
• Herbal milk Teas are also delicious when done correctly. Lavender milk tea is my favorite herbal milk tea and I make a cup almost every afternoon.
• Tea Lattes are also considered milk teas and are topped with warm foamy milk. 

More Recipes You Will Love

• Cinnamon Milk Tea
• Assam Milk Tea
• Pumpkin Spice Chai Latte
• Rose Milk Tea

I hope you enjoy this tea recipe. Leave a comment below and let’s connect!