Brew Authentic Thai Iced Tea: Traditional and Vegan Options

A meal at a Thai restaurant doesn’t seem complete without an icy cold sweet Thai Iced Tea. 

But it turns out what we think of as Thai Iced Tea isn’t so authentically Thai! But nonetheless, it is delicious! 

Our version of this refreshing summer drink skips the sugary mix and the artificial food coloring, to create a slightly sweet, perfectly spiced, creamy cup of iced tea – with just a smidge of natural orange hue! 

And we never forget our plant-based friends as this homemade Thai Iced Tea recipe offers two options: a classic recipe with half and half and sweetened condensed milk, and a delicious vegan alternative using coconut creamer ( or you could add a non-dairy version of sweetened condensed milk).

Thai Iced Tea Ingredient

Tea

To stand up to the sweetness and the strong flavors of the spices, this tea recipe calls for a strong black tea like Assam! 

Spices

Cinnamon.

This recipe calls for Korintje Cinnamon. Part of the cassia family, Korintje cinnamon is sweet and mellow without the nip found in other cinnamons making it perfect for this smooth creamy tea recipe.

Star Anise. Adds just a touch of subtle sweetness with herbal notes. 

Sometimes, star anise is said to have a black licorice flavor. Keep in mind that comparing true licorice flavor to a black jelly bean is like comparing a fresh cherry to a cherry cough drop. So if you think you won’t like Star Anise because you don’t like black licorice jelly beans, we urge you to give it a try anyway! Really, there is no comparison between the two! 

Cardamom.

Cardamom has a bit of sweetness, a bit of citrus flavor, and a really tiny bit of warmth. All of those flavors pair really well with the dark malty notes of Assam Tea.

This recipe calls for whole green cardamom pods which have been just slightly crushed.

Tamarind Powder. Tamarind's flavor is deeply sour, as well as sweet.

Made from dehydrated and ground tamarind, the flavor of tamarind powder is deeply sweet and sour. In this iced tea recipe, the tamarind balances out the warm spices as well as adds a subtle orange hue to the tea. 

How to Make Thai Iced Tea

First things first, let’s prepare to brew the tea by adding Assam tea, cinnamon, star anise, and cardamom pods to a tea infuser.

Next, add brown sugar and tamarind powder to mug.  Then pour 4 - 6 ounces of nearly boiling water (210°F) into the mug. Stir to dissolve sugar. 

Then add infuser with tea and spices to the mug and steep for five minutes. 

While tea steeps for five minutes, stir together half and half and sweetened condensed milk or ready your vegan creamer. 

Remove infuser. 

Pour steeped tea over ice. Top with milk or creamer mixture!

So if you’ve ever wondered how to make Thai Iced Tea at home, we hope this post has answered your question and inspires you to make your own homemade Thai iced tea!

Let’s Get Cooking!