Thai Iced Tea

Thai Iced Tea is a beloved beverage known for its distinct bright orange color and refreshingly sweet, creamy taste. It's typically made with a strong brew of Ceylon or a specific Thai tea mix, which includes spices like star anise and cardamom. The tea is sweetened with sugar, cooled, and then served over ice with a generous topping of sweetened condensed milk and evaporated milk, creating a beautiful layered effect before being stirred.
Thai Iced Tea

Preparation

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Preparation time
Difficulty

Drink Classification

Thai Iced Tea is primarily categorized as a non-alcoholic tea drink. It's a popular beverage often enjoyed on its own or as a complement to a meal, known for its sweet and creamy profile.

Serving

Served cold over plenty of ice in a tall glass, this is a completely non-alcoholic beverage. The layered presentation is key, so the milk should be poured gently over the tea.
Serving size
Approximately 350-475 ml / 12-16 oz
Alcohol content
0% ABV
Alcohol strength
Serving temperature
Cold
Glass type
Highball or Collins Glass
Glass treatment
None

Backstory

Originating in Thailand, Cha Yen became a staple in Thai restaurants worldwide. Its creation was influenced by the Thai culinary tradition of balancing sweet, savory, and spicy flavors. The strong, spiced tea base was designed to stand up to the richness of condensed milk and provide a cooling counterpoint to Thailand's spicy cuisine and hot climate.
Origin
Thailand, mid-20th century. The drink's popularity surged globally with the spread of Thai cuisine.

Thai Iced Tea

The original Thai name for this drink is "Cha Yen" (ชาเย็น), which literally translates to "cold tea". It is also sometimes referred to as "Cha Nom Yen" (ชานมเย็น), meaning "cold milk tea", to distinguish it from the version without milk.
Original name
Cha Yen
Alternative name
Cha Nom Yen

Characteristics overview

This drink boasts a creamy, rich texture and a vibrant orange appearance, with a sweet flavor profile balanced by spiced notes and the slight bitterness of strong tea. Its refreshing quality makes it a perfect choice for warm weather.
Flavor
sweet, creamy, spiced, vanilla, tannic
Aroma
black tea, star anise, cardamom, sweet, milky
Taste balance
predominantly sweet, slightly bitter
Aftertaste
long, creamy, sweet, smooth
Fizziness
still
Color appearance
vibrant orange, layered with white milk on top
Texture
creamy, rich, smooth, velvety
Seasonality
refreshing, cooling, summery

Flavor intensity & Experience

The flavor is intensely sweet and creamy, with subtle spiced undertones and a mild bitterness from the tea. It is a completely non-alcoholic and still beverage.
Sweetness
Saltiness
Sourness
Bitterness
Spiciness
Fruitiness
Creaminess
Carbonation

Ingredients

The core ingredients are a strong Thai tea base, water, sugar for sweetness, and both sweetened condensed and evaporated milk for rich creaminess. Spices like star anise can be added for extra aromatic depth.
  • Thai Tea Mix (or strong black tea)4 tablespoons
    Use a brand like Pantai or ChaTraMue for authentic flavor and color. If using plain black tea, add spices separately.
  • Water4 cups / 950 ml / 32 oz
    For brewing the tea.
  • Granulated Sugar4 tablespoons
    Adjust to your preferred sweetness level.
  • Sweetened Condensed Milk4 tablespoons / 60 ml / 2 oz
    Provides the signature sweetness and creaminess. Can be substituted with sweetened condensed coconut milk for a vegan version.
  • Evaporated Milk (or Half-and-Half)4 tablespoons / 60 ml / 2 oz
    For topping the drink. Can be substituted with coconut milk for a vegan version.
  • Star Anise1 pod(optional)
    Optional, especially if your Thai tea mix already contains spices.

Ice type

  • Cubed or Crushed

Mixing equipments

You'll need basic kitchen equipment like a saucepan to brew the tea and a fine-mesh strainer or tea sock to filter it. A pitcher is useful for chilling the brewed tea before serving.
  • Saucepan for boiling water and brewing tea.
  • Fine-mesh strainer or tea sock for straining the tea leaves.
  • Pitcher for cooling and storing the tea.
  • Long spoon for stirring.

Instructions

The process involves brewing a strong, spiced tea, sweetening it while hot, and then chilling it completely. To serve, pour the tea over ice and top with two types of milk for a layered presentation.
1. Bring 4 cups of water to a rolling boil in a saucepan.
2. Remove from heat and add the Thai tea mix and star anise (if using). Stir and let it steep for 5 minutes. Do not over-steep, as it can become too bitter.
3. Strain the tea through a fine-mesh strainer or tea sock into a large heatproof pitcher. Discard the tea leaves and spices.
4. While the tea is still hot, stir in the sugar until it is completely dissolved.
5. Allow the tea concentrate to cool to room temperature, then transfer it to the refrigerator to chill completely for at least 1 hour.
6. To serve, fill tall glasses generously with ice.
7. Pour the chilled tea over the ice, filling the glass about three-quarters full.
8. Gently pour 1 tablespoon of sweetened condensed milk and 1 tablespoon of evaporated milk over the tea in each glass. The milk will create a lovely layered effect.
9. Serve immediately with a long spoon or straw for stirring.

Garnishing

Thai Iced Tea is traditionally served without a garnish. Its beautiful layered look of vibrant orange tea and creamy white milk serves as its own decoration.
  • None. The layered appearance is the primary visual element.

Dietary Information

This drink contains caffeine from tea and dairy from milk products, making it unsuitable for those with dairy allergies or vegans, though dairy-free versions can be made. It is naturally egg-free, gluten-free, and nut-free.
✕ Contains alcohol
✕ Caffeine-free
✕ Dairy-free
✓ Egg-free
✓ Soy-free
✓ Nut-free
✓ Gluten-free
✕ Vegan-friendly
✓ Vegetarian-friendly

Nutrition information

This drink is quite high in calories, carbohydrates, and sugar, primarily due to the generous amounts of sugar and sweetened condensed milk used.
Calories
Averagely 250-350 kcal / 1046-1464 kJ per serving
Calories level
Carbohydrates
Averagely 40-50 g per serving
Carbohydrate level
Sugar
Averagely 35-45 g per serving
Sugar level

Occasions

This drink is perfect as a cooling refreshment on a hot day or as a sweet treat in the afternoon. It is famously paired with spicy Thai food, as its creaminess and sweetness help to soothe the palate.
  • Afternoon Refreshment
  • Pairing with Spicy Food
  • Hot Summer Day
  • Casual Get-together

Pairing suggestions

Thai Iced Tea is the classic accompaniment to Thai cuisine. Its sweetness and creaminess perfectly balance the heat of spicy dishes like curries, noodle stir-fries, and salads, providing a cooling and palate-cleansing effect.
  • Spicy Thai Curries (Green, Red, or Panang)
  • Pad Thai
  • Spicy Papaya Salad (Som Tum)
  • Satay with Peanut Sauce

Thai Iced Tea: A Sweet & Creamy Classic

Thai Iced Tea, or Cha Yen, is a visually striking and delicious beverage that has gained worldwide fame alongside Thai food. Its foundation is a strongly brewed, spiced black tea, which is heavily sweetened and enriched with both sweetened condensed milk and evaporated milk. Served over ice in a tall glass, its distinct orange hue and creamy top layer make it instantly recognizable. It is the ultimate refreshing drink to cool down on a hot day or to temper the heat of a spicy meal.

Similar drinks

Hong Kong Milk Tea

Another strong, milky tea, but typically made with a blend of black teas, strained through a cloth sock, and uses evaporated milk for a less sweet, smoother profile.

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