Iced Thai Tea Recipe

Bring water to a simmer

Pour 6 cups of water into a medium saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer over medium-high heat.

Add tea and aromatics

When the water is simmering, add 6 tablespoons of Thai black tea and the optional aromatics (2 star anise, 2 lightly crushed cardamom pods, and 1 tablespoon tamarind or orange peel). Stir once to submerge.

Simmer to steep

Reduce heat to low and simmer the tea and aromatics for 5 minutes, then turn off the heat and let steep another 10 minutes for full color and flavor (total steep time ~15 minutes).

Strain and sweeten while hot

Strain the tea through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a heatproof pitcher to remove leaves and spices. While the tea is still hot, add 3 tablespoons granulated sugar and 4 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk. Stir until fully dissolved and integrated.

Cool to room temperature

Let the sweetened tea cool to room temperature (about 20–30 minutes). For faster cooling, place the pitcher in an ice bath or refrigerate until chilled (about 20 minutes).

Prepare glasses

Fill 4 serving glasses with 1/2 cup ice cubes each (total about 2 cups of ice across glasses).

Assemble iced Thai tea

Pour the chilled sweetened tea evenly into the prepared glasses, about 3/4 cup (6 ounces) per glass, leaving room at the top for cream.

Add evaporated milk

Pour 1/4 cup evaporated milk (or whole milk/half-and-half) over the top of each glass so it swirls and creates the classic layered effect. If you prefer sweeter or richer, drizzle an additional tablespoon of sweetened condensed milk across the top of the four glasses (optional).

Stir and serve

Serve immediately with a straw or stirrer so each drinker can mix the cream into the tea to taste. Adjust sweetness or milk to taste if desired.