Thai Iced Tea

Make this delicious and refreshing drink at home! Thai iced tea is a popular drink made with black tea, spices, and hints of vanilla. It is then topped with creamy milk and sugar for the coldest and most refreshing drink! Learn how to make this simple 4 ingredient recipe in minutes!

What is Thai Iced Tea

Known in Thailand as Cha Yen, this tea is a popular drink sold by street vendors and might not be exactly the drink you would order in the States today. There are many stories of how this tea started, its rise to popularity, and the ingredients in it. It is also interesting that in the morning it is often drunk hot (Thai Tea) with or without a pastry. This beloved beverage is made with strong black tea, spices, and milk. Served over ice this iced tea is delicious and refreshing. It can be enjoyed on its own or, as the perfect complement to a flavorful meal.

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Why You Will Love Thai Tea

• Amazing Flavor of Tea, Warm Spices, and Vanilla
• Stunning Color
• Easy to Make
• Customizable
• Economical

Taste

This delicious black tea is flavored with spices and hints of vanilla. It is a rich and creamy drink due to the use of sweetened condensed milk and evaporated milk. It is a sweet and creamy tea with bright bold flavors and coloring! This drink is cold and refreshing any time of year.

Thai Tea Ingredients

• Thai Tea Mix – There are several tea mixes available with either loose Thai tea leaves or tea bags. The mix will contain the tea, spices, and vanilla flavoring for your tea. Most Thai tea mixes contain dye but there are a few that use turmeric or no coloring at all in their mix. (Though be aware that the  tea mix without the coloring will not have the well-known statement bright orange hue!)
• Sweetened Condensed Milk – Most often sweetened condensed milk is used in this recipe. If you want to make this dairy-free or vegan, try coconut-sweetened condensed milk.
• Milk – Often evaporated milk is used, but you can also use other types of milk. Note that some kinds of milk will make a richer tea such as evaporated milk or whole milk. You can also use plant-based milk as a vegan and dairy-free option.
• Water – Use filtered or spring water for the best taste! 
• Ice – A full glass of ice makes the drink recipe so cold and refreshing!

Thai Iced Tea Recipe

Ingredients

• Thai Iced Tea Mix
• Sweetened Condensed Milk
• Milk
• Water
• Ice

Instructions

1. Bring water to a boil on the stovetop.
2. Add in tea and steep for 5 minutes. Let the tea cool down completely.
3. Strain out tea and mix in sweetened condensed milk.
4. Fill the serving glass with ice.
5. Pour tea over ice.
6. Top with milk.
7. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes and Tips

• Substitute sweetened condensed milk for a non-dairy version using coconut milk sweetened condensed milk instead.
• Swap out the sweetened condensed milk with granulated sugar or simple syrup.
• Use non-dairy milk such as oat milk, soy milk, or almond milk.
• For a citrus-flavored variation, leave out milk and add lemon slices.

Storage for Make Ahead

Components of this tea can be made ahead of serving. Prepare only the tea in advance. The tea can be refrigerated for several days. When you are ready to serve simply pull the tea out and continue the rest of the recipe steps.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Iced Thai Tea Made of?

Made with a strong black tea base, spices such as star anise, cinnamon, and cardamon are added along with vanilla. It is then sweetened with sweetened condensed milk and topped with creamy milk.

Why is Thai Iced Tea so Orange?

The use of dye in the tea mix results in a bright orange tea. Some mixes or fully from scratch recipes might use turmeric or another natural food coloring but food dye is the most common.

Is Thai Iced Tea Healthy

Usually, this tea is made with lots of milk and sugar, and a dye is used to make the statement bright orange color. You can however make this tea a bit healthier by substituting it with planted-based milk such as almond milk and reducing the sugar.

Calories

This recipe contains approximately 284 calories. However, if you chose any of the variations that could result in a lower or higher amount of calories.

Caffeine

Yes, Thai Iced Tea contains caffeine. The base of this tea is a black tea that contains caffeine.  (Most often Ceylon tea) Each mix recipe is a little different and can use a variety of black teas. It is impossible to tell the exact amount of caffeine per cup without knowing which black tea is being used.

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