Discover a more refined and aromatic version of the beloved Thai iced tea. This recipe is lighter, more refreshing, and less sweet, allowing the complex flavors of cardamom, star anise, and cinnamon to shine through. Topped with creamy coconut milk, it’s the ultimate beverage to complement and cool down a spicy meal.
Table of Contents
Why You Will Love This Recipe
As a huge fan of Thai cuisine, I always found traditional Thai iced tea a bit too heavy and sweet for my taste. I set out to create a version that highlighted the beautiful spice blend I love in the food. Using rooibos and black tea as a base, this recipe captures the essence of those flavors in a sophisticated, balanced drink that is now a staple with my homemade curries.
Ingredients
- 4 1/4 cups water
- 4 cardamom pods
- 3 whole star anise
- 3 whole cloves
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon tamarind paste (optional)
- 1/3 cup white sugar, or to taste
- 5 bags rooibos tea
- 2 bags black tea
- 3/4 cup coconut milk, blended smooth
- Ice, for serving
Step-by-step instructions for making the recipe
- Add the 4 1/4 cups of water to a saucepan and place it over medium-high heat.
- Lightly crush the cardamom pods using a mortar and pestle or the flat side of a knife to release their aroma.
- Add the crushed cardamom pods, star anise, cloves, ground cinnamon, and optional tamarind paste to the saucepan. Bring the mixture to a simmer.
- Once simmering, reduce the heat to low and let the spices infuse the water for 5 minutes.
- Add the rooibos and black tea bags to the spiced water, stirring to combine.
- As soon as the water returns to a simmer, turn off the heat and let the tea steep for 5 minutes.
- Stir in the white sugar until it is completely dissolved. Let the tea mixture stand for an additional 5 minutes off the heat.
- Strain the tea into a heat-proof container, pressing on the tea bags and spices to extract all the flavor.
- Cover the container and refrigerate until the tea is very cold, for at least 1 hour.
- To serve, fill tall glasses with ice. Pour the chilled spiced tea over the ice, leaving a little room at the top.
- Top each glass with a generous splash of smoothly blended coconut milk. Serve immediately.
Thai Spice Sweet Tea
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Add the 4 1/4 cups of water to a saucepan and place it over medium-high heat.4 1/4 cups water
- Lightly crush the cardamom pods using a mortar and pestle or the flat side of a knife to release their aroma.4 cardamom pods
- Add the crushed cardamom pods, star anise, cloves, ground cinnamon, and optional tamarind paste to the saucepan. Bring the mixture to a simmer.4 cardamom pods, 3 whole star anise, 3 whole cloves, 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon tamarind paste
- Once simmering, reduce the heat to low and let the spices infuse the water for 5 minutes.
- Add the rooibos and black tea bags to the spiced water, stirring to combine.5 bags rooibos tea, 2 bags black tea
- As soon as the water returns to a simmer, turn off the heat and let the tea steep for 5 minutes.
- Stir in the white sugar until it is completely dissolved. Let the tea mixture stand for an additional 5 minutes off the heat.1/3 cup white sugar
- Strain the tea into a heat-proof container, pressing on the tea bags and spices to extract all the flavor.
- Cover the container and refrigerate until the tea is very cold, for at least 1 hour.
- To serve, fill tall glasses with ice. Pour the chilled spiced tea over the ice, leaving a little room at the top.as needed ice
- Top each glass with a generous splash of smoothly blended coconut milk. Serve immediately.3/4 cup coconut milk
Notes
FAQ
What is rooibos tea and can I omit it?
Rooibos is a caffeine-free herbal tea from South Africa with a slightly sweet, earthy flavor. It’s key to this recipe’s unique profile, but if you can’t find it, you can use 7 bags of black tea, though the flavor will be different.
Why is my coconut milk separating when I add it?
This is natural! The cold tea and coconut milk have different densities and temperatures, causing the milk to float. Giving it a quick stir before drinking integrates the flavors beautifully. Using well-blended, smooth coconut milk helps.
Can I make a larger batch of the spiced tea base?
Absolutely. This tea base is perfect for making ahead. It can be stored in a sealed pitcher in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, so you can quickly assemble drinks all week long.
I don’t have all the whole spices. Can I use ground?
While whole spices provide the best flavor, you can use ground. Use 1/4 tsp ground cardamom and a pinch of ground cloves. Be careful, as ground spices can make the tea cloudy and sometimes bitter if over-steeped.