Thai Tea Recipe

Heat water

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

Add tea and spices

When water reaches a boil, add 6 tablespoons of Thai black tea leaves (or Thai tea mix), 2 star anise, and 2 lightly crushed cardamom pods. Reduce heat to low so the liquid is at a low simmer.

Simmer

Simmer the tea and spices, uncovered, for 5–7 minutes. Stir once to ensure even extraction. Taste at 5 minutes — tea should be strong and fragrant; simmer up to 7 minutes for a bolder flavor.

Sweeten

Remove the pan from heat. Immediately stir in 3 tablespoons granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until dissolved. If using orange food coloring (traditional bright color), add 1 teaspoon now and stir to distribute.

Strain

Pour the tea through a fine-mesh sieve or a cheesecloth-lined strainer into a heatproof pitcher to remove tea leaves and spices. Press gently on solids to extract liquid but avoid forcing bitter sediment through. Discard solids.

Cool

Allow the strained sweetened tea to cool at room temperature for 20–30 minutes, then refrigerate until chilled (about 30–60 minutes) if you prefer iced Thai tea. For immediate service, proceed with tea warm but use less ice.

Prepare glasses

Fill four tall glasses with about 1/2 cup (about 1/2 cup each) ice or enough to come halfway up the glass (roughly 1/2 cup per glass; total 2 cups used).

Divide tea

Pour the chilled (or warm, if preferred) strained tea evenly into the four glasses, filling each about 3/4 full.

Top with condensed milk

Spoon 1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk into each glass (total 1 cup). Let it sink and create a layered effect. For a lighter finish, stir gently to combine. For traditional layered presentation, do not stir yet.

Finish with half-and-half

Float or drizzle about 1/4 cup half-and-half over each glass (total 1 cup). The heavier condensed milk will remain toward the bottom and the pale cream will create a milky top layer.

Serve

Serve immediately with a long spoon or straw so each drinker can stir to combine. Adjust sweetness or cream by adding more half-and-half or condensed milk to taste.