Lychee Milk Tea Recipe

Brew the tea

Bring 2 cups water to a near boil. Remove from heat, add 2 tsp black tea (or 2 tea bags) and steep 4–5 minutes for a robust flavor. Strain leaves (or remove bags) and return tea to the pot.

While tea is still warm, stir in 2 tablespoons granulated sugar until dissolved. Taste and adjust sweetness if desired. Chill tea to room temperature, then refrigerate until cold (about 20–30 minutes) or use an ice bath to cool faster.

Prepare lychee syrup

Reserve 3 tablespoons of the syrup from the canned lychees. If your canned lychees come with a lot of liquid, measure and set aside 3 tablespoons; discard or save extra for another use.

Make lychee purée

Place 1 cup canned lychees (drained) and the reserved 3 tablespoons syrup into a blender. Purée until smooth. If you prefer small fruit bits, pulse briefly to leave some texture. Taste and add up to 1 tablespoon more syrup if you want it sweeter or more lychee flavor.

Assemble the drink

Fill two serving glasses with 1/2 cup ice each (total 1 cup). Divide optional cooked tapioca pearls between glasses if using (about 1/4 cup per glass).

Divide the chilled tea evenly between the glasses (about 1 cup of tea total, 1/2 cup each). Add half of the lychee purée to each glass (about 1/4 cup purée per glass) and gently stir to combine.

Top each glass with 1/2 cup milk (adjust to taste) and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract split between the two (or stir vanilla into the milk before pouring). Stir gently to create a marbled look, or fully combine for a uniform color.

Taste and adjust sweetness with additional reserved syrup or sugar if needed. Garnish with 2 fresh lychee halves or a few canned lychee pieces on a skewer. Serve immediately with a wide straw if using tapioca pearls.