Recipe

Thai Iced Tea

Bold brewed tea with warm spice, sweet creaminess, and plenty of ice for that classic Thai restaurant sip at home.

By Matt Campbell

•

4.8

A tall glass of Thai iced tea with a creamy top layer, lots of ice, and condensation on the glass on a bright kitchen counter

Thai iced tea is one of those drinks that makes a regular Tuesday feel like you just sat down at your favorite spot and ordered the whole menu. It is bold, sweet, and creamy, with a little warm spice vibe that keeps it from tasting flat. The best part is you can absolutely make it at home without hunting down hard-to-find ingredients.

This version uses strong black tea steeped with a little spice, sweetened while hot, then chilled and finished with condensed milk and a splash of cream. It pours up a gorgeous golden-amber color, hits you with cozy vanilla and star anise notes, and stays refreshingly cold over a scandalous amount of ice. Taste as you go. You are the boss of the sweetness.

Black tea bags, sugar, sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, star anise, and vanilla on a tidy kitchen counter with warm natural light

Why It Works

Big tea flavor by brewing it strong enough to stand up to ice and dairy.
Creamy, dessert-like finish with sweetened condensed milk plus optional evaporated milk or half-and-half.
Adjustable sweetness so it can be classic-sweet or more lightly sweetened.
Real-life friendly because you can make the tea base ahead and assemble in 2 minutes.

Pairs Well With

Storage Tips

Store the tea base: Pour cooled brewed tea (including the dissolved sugar and vanilla) into a sealed jar or pitcher and refrigerate for up to 3 to 4 days. Keep it covered so it does not pick up fridge odors, and keep it separate from dairy so it stays fresh and easy to customize.

Store the dairy: Keep condensed milk and evaporated milk (or half-and-half) in their containers in the refrigerator and add them per glass right before serving.

Assembled drinks: Once it is poured over ice and mixed with dairy, it is best within 30 to 60 minutes. After that, the ice dilution starts stealing the magic.

Common Questions

Why does Thai iced tea taste different at restaurants?

Most restaurants brew a super-strong tea blend, then sweeten it generously and finish with creamy dairy. The key is strength plus sweetness. If yours tastes weak, brew longer or use more tea bags.

Do I need special Thai tea mix?

Nope. Thai tea mix is great if you have it, but you can get a very close, totally satisfying result with basic black tea and a little spice and vanilla. The color may be more golden-amber than neon-orange, but the flavor will still be right where you want it.

If I have Thai tea mix, how do I use it?

Use 3 to 4 tablespoons Thai tea mix for 4 cups water. Steep 8 to 10 minutes, then strain very well (the leaves are fine). Sweeten while hot and proceed as written.

How do I keep it from getting watery?

Use lots of ice and brew the tea strong. You can also chill the tea fully before pouring so the ice does less melting work.

Can I make it dairy-free?

Yes. Swap the condensed milk for sweetened condensed coconut milk and use oat milk or coconut milk for the creamy top. It stays rich and tastes amazing.

A spoon stirring a glass of Thai iced tea as creamy milk swirls into the amber tea over ice

Matt Campbell

I have always had a huge passion for the culinary arts, people, working as a team, and so on. I wanted to pursue my love for cooking initially at Virginia Commonwealth University with a culinary arts degree; however, I instead decided to apply myself and acquire more practical skills. My end goal is to eventually open my own restaurant or similar establishment.

Kitchen Essentials

Medium saucepan or kettle
Heatproof measuring cup or bowl
Fine-mesh strainer (helpful for spices)
Pitcher or jar for chilling
Tall glasses for serving

I started making Thai iced tea at home because I kept ordering it every time I grabbed takeout, and it was turning into a full-time habit. The first couple tries were too shy on tea, then too sweet, then weirdly flat. The fix was simple: brew the tea like you mean it, add a tiny bit of warm spice, and chill it fully before it hits ice. Now it is my favorite “I want a treat but I still have laundry” drink.

Thai Iced Tea

(4.8 Reviews)

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes (plus chilling)

Servings 4 drinks

Ingredients

4 cups water
6 black tea bags (or 2 tablespoons loose-leaf black tea)
1 star anise pod (optional)
1 small cinnamon stick (optional)
1/2 cup granulated sugar (adjust to taste)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk, plus more to taste
1/2 cup evaporated milk or half-and-half (for topping, optional but classic)
Ice, lots

Black tea bags steeping in a small saucepan with star anise and a cinnamon stick on a home stove

Instructions

Brew the tea strong. Bring 4 cups water to a simmer. Turn off the heat, add the tea bags plus star anise and cinnamon (if using). Steep for 8 to 10 minutes.
Sweeten while hot. Remove the tea bags. Discard the spices, or strain the tea if any bits broke apart. Stir in the 1/2 cup sugar until fully dissolved, then stir in the vanilla.
Chill. Pour the sweet tea into a pitcher or jar and refrigerate until cold, at least 1 hour. If you are in a hurry, set the pitcher in an ice bath and stir for a few minutes.
Build each glass. Fill tall glasses with ice. Pour in cold tea, leaving about 1 to 2 inches at the top. Plan on roughly 1 cup tea per glass before the dairy, depending on your glass size.
Add the creamy sweetness. Stir in 1 tablespoon sweetened condensed milk per glass (more if you want it classic-sweet). Top with a splash of evaporated milk or half-and-half for that creamy layer.
Taste and adjust. Want it sweeter? Add a little more condensed milk. Want it stronger? Use less ice next time or steep a minute longer. Serve immediately.

Tips and Variations

For deeper flavor: Add 2 whole cloves or 2 cracked cardamom pods to the steep. Keep it subtle so it stays “Thai iced tea” and not overly spiced.
Make it less sweet: Start with 1/3 cup sugar in the tea base, then sweeten each glass with condensed milk to taste.
Dairy-free version: Use sweetened condensed coconut milk and top with oat milk or coconut milk.
Extra cold trick: Freeze some of the brewed tea in an ice cube tray and use those cubes instead of plain ice.
Batch for guests: Keep the tea base chilled in a pitcher, then set out condensed milk and evaporated milk so everyone can customize.

Chilled amber tea being poured from a pitcher into a glass packed with ice on a bright kitchen counter

Nutrition information is estimated.

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Thai Iced Tea

Why It Works

Pairs Well With

Recommended

Creamy Homemade Horchata

Homemade Coffee Creamer

Homemade Baileys Irish Cream

How To Make Lemonade

Storage Tips

Common Questions

Why does Thai iced tea taste different at restaurants?

Do I need special Thai tea mix?

If I have Thai tea mix, how do I use it?

How do I keep it from getting watery?

Can I make it dairy-free?

Thai Iced Tea

Ingredients

Instructions

Tips and Variations