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Creamy Thai Tea with Condensed Milk

A sweet, rich, and gently spiced drink that brings the café experience home using simple pantry ingredients.
Prep Time 2 hours 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 2 servings
Course: Beverage, Dessert
Cuisine: Thai
Calories: 240

Ingredients
  

For the Thai Tea Base - Option 1
  • 4 cups boiling water
  • 2/3 cup Thai tea mix (e.g., Pantai) Use a good brand for bold flavor
  • 1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk (or granulated sugar) Optionally adjust for desired sweetness
  • Ice For serving
  • 1/4 cup half and half or light cream (or alternatives) Evaporated milk or full-fat oat milk can also work
For the Thai Tea Base - Option 2
  • 4 cups water
  • 4 bags black tea (e.g., Lipton) A Thai blend like Harney & Sons Thai Silk is suggested
  • 1 bag chai tea bag (optional) Or use one more black tea bag for stronger flavor
  • 2 star anise
  • 1 to 2 whole cloves 1 for milder, 2 for spicier
  • 1 cardamom pod
  • 1 stick cinnamon
  • 1 to 2 teaspoons ground turmeric (optional) For color and flavor
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk (or granulated sugar)
  • Ice For serving
  • 1/4 cup half and half or light cream (or alternatives) Evaporated milk or full-fat oat milk can also work

Method
 

Steep the Tea Base
  1. For Option 1, pour boiling water over the Thai tea mix and stir. Let it steep and cool for 2 hours.
  2. For Option 2, combine water, tea bags, spices, and turmeric in a pot, bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to simmer gently for 3 minutes.
Strain the Tea
  1. Once the tea has cooled, strain it into a measuring cup or pitcher using a fine-mesh strainer.
Build the Glasses
  1. Fill each glass halfway with ice, pour in the tea, and stir in half and half.
Finish and Serve
  1. Serve immediately, stirring well to combine flavors.

Notes

This drink is perfect for warm afternoons and can be adjusted for sweetness and creaminess. For dairy-free options, use sugar and full-fat oat milk.