If you’ve ever ordered Thai milk tea alongside your favourite pad Thai or green curry, you’ll know exactly why it’s so popular. This vibrant orange drink is rich, creamy and sweet, with a distinctive spiced black tea flavour that’s instantly refreshing over ice.
The good news is that you don’t need to visit a Thai restaurant to enjoy it. With just a handful of ingredients, you can make authentic Thai milk tea at home in under 15 minutes. Whether you’re cooling down on a hot day or simply craving a cafe-style treat, this easy recipe tastes just like the real thing.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This homemade Thai milk tea surprisingly easy to make, so don’t be intimidated! If this is your first time trying it, here’s why I think you’ll absolutely adore this recipe:
- Authentic! Just like your favourite Thai restaurant – Rich, creamy and perfectly balanced with a bold tea flavour and vibrant orange colour.
- Quick and easy to make – With just a handful of ingredients and less than 15 minutes, you can enjoy authentic Thai milk tea whenever the craving strikes.
- Easy to customise – Adjust the sweetness, creaminess or tea strength to make it exactly how you like it.
- Refreshing – Served over plenty of ice, it’s the ultimate drink for hot summer days or to pair with your favourite Thai dishes.
- Budget friendly – Make multiple servings at home for a fraction of the cost of buying it from a café or restaurant.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Thai tea leaves – Use a Thai tea mix, such as ChaTraMue or Pantai, for the authentic flavour and signature orange colour.
- Water
- Caster sugar – Sweetens the tea while it’s brewing. You could omit if you prefer.
- Sweetened condensed milk – Essential! Stirred into each glass to add sweetness and richness. Adjust the amount to suit your taste.
- Evaporated milk – Poured over the finished drink for its creamy, silky texture and classic Thai milk tea flavour.
Equipment You’ll Need
You don’t need any special equipment to make Thai milk tea at home. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Medium saucepan
- Fine mesh sieve
- Cheesecloth or a reusable coffee filter (for straining the tea)
- Large jug or heatproof container
- Tall serving glasses
- Long spoon for stirring
These tools make preparing homemade drinks and everyday recipes a breeze. You can shop my favourite kitchen essentials here.
How to Make Thai Milk Tea
Step 1: Brew the tea by adding the water, Thai tea leaves and caster sugar to a medium saucepan. Stir well to ensure all of the tea leaves are moistened.
Step 2: Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. As soon as it reaches a boil, turn off the heat and leave the tea to steep for 10 minutes. You can steep it for up to 30 minutes for a stronger flavour, but avoid leaving it much longer as it may become bitter.
Step 3: Pour the tea through a fine mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth or a reusable coffee filter to remove all of the tea leaves. Allow the tea to cool to room temperature, or refrigerate until well chilled.
Step 4: Add 1-2 tablespoons of sweetened condensed milk (or to taste) to a tall glass. Pour in 250-300 mL of the chilled Thai tea and stir until the condensed milk has completely dissolved.
Step 5: Fill the glass with ice, then top with around 125 mL of evaporated milk. Stir well before serving and enjoy immediately.
Tips for the Best Thai Milk Tea
- Don’t over-steep the tea – Steeping the tea for around 10 minutes creates a rich, full-bodied flavour without becoming bitter. You can leave it for up to 30 minutes if you prefer a stronger brew, but much longer than that may affect the taste.
- Strain the tea well – For a smooth drink, strain the tea through a cheesecloth or reusable coffee filter lined inside a fine mesh sieve to remove any fine tea particles. Alternatively, use a brand new Chux cloth to line your mesh sieve – this is what I do!
- Chill the tea before serving – Cold tea prevents the ice from melting too quickly, giving you a stronger, more flavourful drink.
- Adjust the sweetness to your taste – Start with 1 tablespoon of sweetened condensed milk and add more if you prefer a sweeter drink. Every brand of Thai tea mix can vary slightly in strength, so don’t be afraid to tweak it.
- Stir before drinking – The condensed and evaporated milk will naturally settle, so give your Thai milk tea a good stir before enjoying every sip.
- Use plenty of ice – Thai milk tea is traditionally served over a generous amount of ice, making it extra refreshing while helping to balance the rich, sweet flavours.
Storage
Once strained, the Thai tea concentrate can be stored in an airtight container or jug in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. When you’re ready to serve, simply pour the chilled tea into a glass, stir through sweetened condensed milk to taste, then top with ice and evaporated milk.
I don’t recommend storing the tea once the milk has been added, as it’s best enjoyed freshly assembled. If making multiple servings, keep the tea concentrate refrigerated and prepare each glass individually for the freshest flavour and best presentation.
FAQs
What is Thai milk tea made of?
Thai milk tea is traditionally made with a strongly brewed Thai tea mix, sugar, sweetened condensed milk and evaporated milk. The tea blend gives the drink its distinctive spiced flavour and vibrant orange colour.
Can I make Thai milk tea ahead of time?
Yes! The brewed tea concentrate can be made several days in advance and stored in the fridge. When you’re ready to serve, simply stir in sweetened condensed milk, add ice and finish with evaporated milk.
Why is Thai milk tea orange?
Traditional Thai tea mixes contain added food colouring, which gives the drink its iconic bright orange appearance. This is completely normal and is what you’ll find in most Thai restaurants.
Can I make Thai milk tea less sweet?
Absolutely. Since the condensed milk is added to each individual glass, you can easily adjust the sweetness to suit your taste. Start with a small amount and add more if needed.
Can I use regular black tea instead of Thai tea?
Regular black tea will make a nice milk tea, but it won’t have the same flavour, aroma or signature orange colour as authentic Thai tea. For the best results, use a Thai tea mix. My favourite brand is ChaTraMue.
Can I serve Thai milk tea hot?
Yes! Although it’s most commonly enjoyed over ice, you can also serve Thai milk tea warm. Simply skip the ice and stir the condensed and evaporated milk into the freshly brewed tea.
More Homemade Drinks You’ll Love
If you enjoyed making this Thai milk tea, here are a few more homemade drinks to try. Whether you’re after a refreshing iced drink, a cosy café-style favourite or a fun twist on matcha, these recipes are just as easy to make at home.
- Honey Cinnamon Matcha Latte – A lightly sweetened matcha latte with warm cinnamon and honey.
- Vanilla Malt Matcha Latte – Creamy, nostalgic and perfect if you love café-style matcha drinks.
- Iced Matcha with Salted Cream Cheese Foam – A rich, creamy matcha topped with an irresistible salted cream cheese foam.
📖 Recipe
Thai Milk Tea
Ingredients
For the Thai Tea
- 50 g Thai tea leaves
- 1.25 L water
- 100 g caster sugar
To Serve (Per Glass)
- 1-2 tablespoon sweetened condensed milk or to taste
- 250-300 mL Thai tea concentrate
- Ice
- 125 mL evaporated milk
Instructions
- Add the water, Thai tea leaves and caster sugar to a medium saucepan. Stir well to moisten all of the tea leaves.
- Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, turn off the heat and allow the tea to steep for 10 minutes (or up to 30 minutes for a stronger flavour).
- Strain the tea through a fine mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth or a reusable coffee filter into a large jug or heatproof container. Allow to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until chilled.
- To serve, add 1-2 tablespoons of sweetened condensed milk to a tall glass.
- Pour in 250-300 mL of the chilled Thai tea concentrate and stir until the condensed milk has dissolved.
- Fill the glass with ice, then top with around 125 mL evaporated milk. Stir well before serving.
Notes
- Steep the tea for around 10 minutes for the best balance of flavour. You can steep it for up to 30 minutes if you prefer a stronger brew, but avoid leaving it much longer as it may become bitter.
- Adjust the amount of sweetened condensed milk to suit your preferred level of sweetness.
- Store the brewed tea concentrate in the refrigerator for up to 5 days and assemble each drink just before serving.
- Authentic Thai tea mixes contain food colouring, which gives the drink its signature bright orange colour.
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