Thai Iced Tea Recipe

Brew the tea

Bring 900 ml (about 3 3/4 cups) of water to a rolling boil in a kettle or saucepan. Add 6 tablespoons Thai black tea leaves (or packaged Thai tea mix). Reduce heat to low and simmer gently for 3–5 minutes to extract color and flavor (longer will be stronger and more tannic).

Steep

Turn off the heat and let the tea steep for an additional 10 minutes with the lid on to deepen flavor and color.

Strain and cool

Strain the tea through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a heatproof container. Press lightly on leaves to extract liquid but not too much to avoid bitterness. Allow the tea to come to room temperature, then chill in the refrigerator until cold (about 30–45 minutes).

Mix milks

In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine 120 ml sweetened condensed milk and 120 ml evaporated milk. Whisk or stir until smooth and fully combined. This mixture will be used to sweeten and create the creamy layer characteristic of Thai iced tea.

Adjust sweetness (optional)

Taste a little of the chilled brewed tea. If you prefer extra sweetness or the tea mix is not very sweet, prepare the sugar syrup (see next section) or add more condensed milk to taste.

If you want a smoother dissolved sweetness, make a simple syrup by combining 50 g granulated sugar with 50 ml water in a small saucepan. Heat gently while stirring until sugar fully dissolves. Cool to room temperature before adding to the tea. Add syrup to taste — typically 2–3 tablespoons (30–45 ml) for the full batch if additional sweetness is desired.

Assemble

Fill 4 tall glasses with ice (about 1 cup ice per glass). Pour chilled Thai tea evenly into the glasses, filling about 3/4 full.

Add milk layer

Divide the condensed-evaporated milk mixture evenly among the glasses (about 60 ml per glass). Pour slowly over the back of a spoon or down the side of the glass to create a layered effect if desired. Alternatively, top each glass with 15 ml whole milk or half-and-half for a lighter finish.

Stir and serve

Stir gently to combine before drinking (or serve with a straw so guests can stir themselves). Serve immediately while cold.

Storage

Brewed tea (unsweetened) can be refrigerated up to 3 days. Pre-mixed milk-sweetener is best used within 24 hours. Assemble with ice just before serving.