Thai iced tea is a unique beverage that features the creaminess of milk combined with sweetness and various spices. Fans of Chai tea will surely love this drink since it uses some of the same spices. But, unlike Chai tea, which is normally served hot, this tea is refreshing and cold, which makes it great for summer days or anytime you want a tasty drink.
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What is Thai iced tea?
Thai ice tea is a type of cold tea drink that relies on mixing in a lot of milk to give it a creamy texture. The added spices give Thai tea a bit of a spicy undertone, while the milk and ice make it refreshing and perfect for a hot summer day or night.
? Thai Iced Tea Recipe Video
What is the difference between Thai Tea, Milk Tea, and Boba Tea?
Thai tea, milk tea, and boba tea (or bubble tea) share some similarities but have some important distinctions. To start, they all involve brewing tea. They also all use a form of milk to give the tea a creamy texture and taste.
Thai tea and milk tea are almost the same thing. The main difference is that Thai tea is served iced while milk tea is served hot. Both versions use various spices during the brewing process to give them a spicy, sweet flavor.
Boba tea is similar to Thai tea in that it is served cold or over ice. Boba tea does not use spices, which makes it a generally sweeter tea with no added spice flavor.
Both boba tea and Thai tea can be very refreshing and a great drink to serve on a hot summer day.
?Thai iced tea ingredients
When you make this Thai iced tea recipe, here’s what you’ll need to have on hand.
- Loose-leaf black tea - If you can’t find this at your local store, you can order online.
- Pod star anise
- Pods cardamom
- Cinnamon stick - In a pinch, you could use powdered cinnamon for the flavor, but it can make it a bit gritty.
- Vanilla bean - If you can’t find a vanilla bean at your local store, you could order it or sub in vanilla extract instead.
- Tamarind powder - This is optional and can be added to your taste or use our recommended amount.
- Boiling water
- Sugar
- Milks - This recipe uses both sweetened condensed milk and evaporated milk or whole milk.
How to make Thai iced tea
When you want to make the best Thai iced tea recipe, follow these easy steps:
- First, steep the tea, star anise, cardamom, cinnamon stick, vanilla bean, tamarind powder, and almond extract (if using) in the boiling water for 5 minutes.
- After 5 minutes, strain the tea and allow it to cool completely.
- Next, stir the sugar and milk in a pot until completely dissolved.
- When the milk is ready, take two tall glasses and fill them with ice cubes or shavings to the top.
- Finally, fill ¾ of the glass with tea and then top off the glass with the milk.
Thai Iced Tea in the Instant Pot
If you would like to make a large batch of Thai Iced Tea in the Instant Pot you will only steep the tea in the Instant Pot. Add 4 cups of water to the Instant pot and just double the spices for 4 glasses of Thai Tea.
Pressure cook on high for 15 minutes followed by a natural pressure release. Keep it aside to cool.
Double the evaporated milk, condensed milk and sugar and mix them well. Fill the glasses with ice then fill 3/4 cup of the the tea followed my a drizzle of the milk .
How to drink Thai iced tea
Thai iced tea is an interesting drink because you can serve it as a part of a formal dinner or very casually.
If you want to serve it as a fancy drink, you should use glasses and ice shaving or crushed ice. You may also want to add tapioca balls to the glass, which would transform it into a type of Thai iced tea bubble tea.
But you don’t need to be super fancy with your Thai iced tea. You could just serve it in a plastic, disposable cup. Or, like they do in Thailand, you could serve it in a plastic bag! (We only recommend this if you don’t mind a bit of a mess since it is not always easy to serve like this.)
Recipe variations
Thai iced tea can have a few different variations that can make it fit more with your diet and needs.
One change you can make when making Thai ice tea is picking a different milk. Traditionally, it is made with evaporated milk, but you could use any variety of milk you prefer, such as:
- Half and half
- Plant based milks like almond or oat
- Sweetened condensed milk
- Whole milk
You may even decide you want to skip the milk altogether.
You could try to play around with the base tea if you like. If you are missing some of the spices, you may find that using chai tea, which uses similar spices to Thai tea, would work well as a base. This will alter the flavor some, but it could still work for a cool, Thai iced tea.
Does Thai iced tea have caffeine?
Yes, Thai iced tea recipes generally have caffeine. You could use decaffeinated black tea, but it is often harder to find that in loose leaf form.
What tea to use to make Thai iced tea?
Thai iced tea traditionally uses black tea as the base. It offers a strong brew and flavor that the milk, sugar, and spices help to balance out.
How to store Thai tea?
When you’ve made Thai tea, you can store it easily in the fridge for a few days. Before storing, pour the tea into a sealable container. You can then pour into glasses to serve.
Ideally, you should store premade tea separately before mixing in the milks and sugar. This can let it store for longer periods of time. You can then mix in the milks and sugar before serving.
Can I refrigerate Thai tea?
Yes, Thai tea should be stored in the fridge when you make more than you need.
What to serve with Thai tea?
You can serve Thai iced tea anytime you want a refreshing drink, like over the summer or on a warm spring or fall day. It’s about as refreshing as our Mango Lassi, Mango Juice, and Green Tropical Smoothie.
Some of our favorite food pairings include:
?Pro Tips to make the best Thai tea
When making the best Thai tea, be sure to use these tips to make it great:
- Make sure you use a micro strainer to remove the tea and spices from the brew.
- When filling the glass with ice, make sure to fill it to the top.
- To make it vegan, use a plant-based milk instead of the other milks.
Let us know what you think
If you make this delicious recipe, let us know how it went! When you make this, be sure to take a pic and tag us on Instagram @dbellyrulesdmind or Facebook @thebellyrulesthemind!
More recipes to try
Thai Iced Tea Recipe
Thai iced tea is a unique beverage that features the creaminess of milk combined with sweetness and various spices. Fans of Chai tea will surely love this drink since it uses some of the same spices. But, unlike Chai tea, which is normally served hot, this tea is refreshing and cold, which makes it great for summer days or anytime you want a tasty drink.
Ingredients
- loose-leaf black tea 2 tbsp
- star anise 1 pod
- cardamom 2 pods
- cinnamon stick 1/2
- vanilla bean 1/8
- Tamarind powder ¼ teaspoon or to taste, optional
- boiling water 1 cup
- sugar 1 tablespoon
- sweetened condensed milk 1 tablespoon
- evaporated milk or whole milk 2 teaspoon
Instructions
- First, steep the tea, star anise, cardamom, cinnamon stick, vanilla bean, tamarind powder, and almond extract (if using) in the boiling water for 5 minutes.
- After 5 minutes, strain the tea and allow it to cool completely.
- Next, stir the sugar and milk in a pot until completely dissolved.
- When the milk is ready, take two tall glasses and fill them with ice cubes or shavings to the top.
- Finally, fill ¾ of the glass with tea and then top off the glass with the milk.
Thai Iced Tea in the Instant Pot
If you would like to make a large batch of Thai Iced Tea in the Instant Pot you will only steep the tea in the Instant Pot. Add 4 cups of water to the Instant pot and just double the spices for 4 glasses of Thai Tea.
Pressure cook on high for 15 minutes followed by a natural pressure release. Keep it aside to cool.
Double the evaporated milk, condensed milk and sugar and mix them well. Fill the glasses with ice then fill 3/4 cup of the the tea followed my a drizzle of the milk .
Notes
- Make sure you use a micro strainer to remove the tea and spices from the brew.
- When filling the glass with ice, make sure to fill it to the top.
- To make it vegan, use a plant-based milk instead of the other milks.
Recommended Products
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Evaporated Milk -
365 by Whole Foods Market, Organic Condensed Milk, Sweetened, 14 Ounce
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Vanilla Bean
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Rani Tamarind Powder
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Loose Leaf Tea
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McCormick Cinnamon Sticks, 8 oz
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Rani Star Anise Seeds, Whole Pods
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Rani Green Cardamom Pods Spice (Hari Elachi) 2oz (56gms) ~ Natural | Vegan | Gluten Free Ingredients | NON-GMO
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