Thai Iced Tea
Did you try Thai iced tea? It’s orange and super tasty. You can make it at home easily.
When I was little, my mom would make this for me on hot days. The creamy, sweet flavor always made me smile big.
Let’s learn how to make this cool drink that comes from Thailand! You will love how it looks and tastes. It’s like a hug in a cup when it’s hot outside.
What is Thai Tea Made of?
Thai tea mix has special black tea called Camellia sinensis, plus spices and food coloring that make it turn bright orange when milk is added.
I’m using Chatramue or Pantai brands, which are good quality and flavour. You can find this tea at Asian grocery stores or online shops. The real stuff tastes way better than making it with just regular tea!
Why You’ll Love Thai Iced Tea?
- It looks so cool with orange at the bottom and white on top!
- The sweet and creamy taste feels like dessert in a cup.
- You can make it at home cheaper than buying it at restaurants.
- Kids and adults both think it’s super yummy.
- The caffeine gives you a little energy boost for your day.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Thai Tea Mix: This is the orange stuff that makes the drink special. You can buy it at Asian stores or online.
- Sugar: Makes your drink sweet and happy. Brown or white sugar both work good!
- Condensed Milk: This thick, sweet milk makes the tea extra creamy and rich tasting.
- Evaporated Milk: Not as sweet as condensed milk but still makes the drink creamy and yummy.
- Ice Cubes: Lots of ice makes this drink super refreshing when days get hot and sticky.
Equipment You’ll Need
- Pot or Kettle: You need this to boil water for your tea. Any size works fine!
- Strainer: This catches all the tea leaves so they don’t go in your cup. Nobody likes drinking leaves!
- Tall Glasses: Clear ones show off the pretty orange and white layers best. My grandma’s glass cups work great!
- Long Spoon: You need this to stir your drink and mix all the yummy parts together.
How to Make Thai Iced Tea?
First, you need to brew the tea and add sweet stuff. Then you cool it down and add the milk on top. The fun part is watching the colors mix when you stir it!
Step 1: Boil some water in your pot. When bubbles come up, turn off the heat. Four cups of water work well for making lots.
Step 2: Add half a cup of Thai tea mix to the hot water. The water turns orange super fast! Let it sit for 5 minutes.
Step 3: Put in 4-6 spoons of sugar while the tea is hot. Stir it lots so the sugar melts all the way. More sugar makes tea sweeter!
Step 4: Pour the tea through a strainer into another container. This gets rid of all the tea leaves and stuff.
Step 5: Let your tea cool down for 30 minutes. You can put it in the fridge to make it cold faster.
Step 6: Fill glasses with lots of ice cubes. Ice should fill most of the glass to make the drink extra cold.
Step 7: Pour the orange tea over the ice until the glass is almost full. Leave room at the top for milk!
Step 8: Slowly pour condensed milk and evaporated milk on top. Use about 2 spoons of each kind of milk.
Step 9: Take a picture because it looks so pretty with layers! Then stir it up and drink it all down.
Tips for the Best Thai Iced Tea
- Make tea stronger than you think you need. The ice will water it down later when you drink it.
- Let the tea cool before adding ice or the ice will melt too fast. Nobody likes watery tea that tastes boring!
- Store extra tea in your fridge for up to three days. I make big batches on Sunday for the whole week.
- Pour the milk very slowly over the back of a spoon to make the pretty layers show up better.
- Don’t skip the sugar while the tea is hot! It won’t mix in good if you try to add it later.
Variations and Substitutions
- Boba Addition: Add some chewy boba pearls to the bottom of your glass. I tried this at a party, and everyone wanted some!
- Coconut Milk Version: Use coconut milk instead of regular milk for a tropical flavor. It tastes like vacation in your mouth!
- Less Sweet Option: Cut the sugar in half and use just evaporated milk without condensed milk. Still yummy but not so sweet!
- Coffee Mix: Add a shot of coffee to your Thai tea for extra wake-up power. My sister does this before her morning jogs.
- Warm Version: Skip the ice and just add warm milk to make a cozy drink for cold days.
Common Questions
Thai Iced Tea
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Thai tea mix
- 4 cups water
- 6 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons condensed milk
- 2 tablespoons evaporated milk
- 3 cups ice cubes
Instructions
- Boil water in a pot until bubbles pop up all over. Turn off the heat fast.
- Drop Thai tea mix into hot water. The water turns orange right away! Let it sit for 5 whole minutes.
- Put sugar into the hot tea. Stir lots and lots so all sugar melts away.
- Pour tea through a strainer to catch all the leafy bits. The tea should look clear and bright orange now.
- Cool tea down for 30 min. Putting it in the fridge makes cooling happen quicker.
- Fill glasses with ice cubes until they’re almost full. More ice makes the drink extra cold!
- Pour orange tea over ice until the glass gets almost full. Keep some room at the top!
- Drizzle condensed milk and evaporated milk slowly on top. They make pretty white clouds in the orange tea.
- Then stir everything together and enjoy the yummy drink.
Notes
- Best served very cold with lots of ice for the most refreshing taste.
- Tea can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Add more or less sugar based on how sweet people like their drinks.
- The condensed milk makes this very rich – use less for a lighter version.
- Pour milk slowly over the back of a spoon to create better layering effect.
