Lavender Milk Tea Recipe

Boil water and infuse

Bring 2.5 cups of water to a rolling boil in a small saucepan or kettle.

When boiling, remove from heat and add the black tea leaves and dried lavender buds directly to the hot water.

Cover the pot and steep for 4 minutes for brisk flavor; steep up to 6 minutes if you prefer stronger lavender presence. Avoid steeping longer than 6 minutes to prevent bitterness.

Strain the tea through a fine-mesh sieve or tea strainer into a heatproof container to remove tea leaves and lavender buds. Gently press the solids with the back of a spoon to extract liquid but avoid over-extracting tannins.

While the tea steeps, combine the whole milk and half-and-half (if using) in a small saucepan and warm over low heat until just steaming — do not boil. Warming the milk helps meld flavors and keeps the drink hot if serving warm.

Stir in the granulated sugar and vanilla extract into the warm milk until fully dissolved. Taste and adjust sweetness, adding up to 1 additional tablespoon sugar if you prefer sweeter milk tea.

Combine the warm, sweetened milk with the strained tea in a ratio of roughly 1 part milk mixture to 2 parts tea (about 1.5 cups tea + 1 cup milk mixture). Stir gently to blend.

If you want a creamier mouthfeel, gently whisk or froth the combined beverage for 10–15 seconds.

For hot lavender milk tea: pour the blended tea and milk into a warmed mug. Garnish with a small lavender sprig if desired and serve immediately.

For iced lavender milk tea: cool the blended tea to room temperature (about 10–15 minutes) then fill a tall glass with 1 cup of ice and pour the tea over the ice. Stir once and garnish with a lavender sprig. Serve with a straw.

Leftovers: refrigerate cooled tea in a sealed container for up to 48 hours. Shake or stir before serving; reheat gently if serving hot.