Think tea is only for fall and winter? Try cold spiced milk tea, the cool way to drink tea during the summer!
This cold spiced milk tea recipe came about because of my youngest son. He’s a milk tea lover and avid bubble tea drinker. If you don’t know what bubble tea is, you can check out my recipe post for How to Make Boba and Matcha Boba, which are the how-tos on making the tapioca balls at the bottom of bubble tea drinks. Anyway, after several months of my son asking for milk tea, I decided to experiment with several milk tea recipes. This milk tea recipe is a combination of several Thai teas and spiced milk drink recipes and is a large batch recipe for the entire family.
Before we get to the recipe, I want to mention why I chose to use ground spices versus whole spices that are found in many milk tea recipes. The main reason is that ground spices are easier to find in my area and are available in most areas. The downside is that it has to be strained with a fine mesh strainer or strainer bag to catch all the ground spices. Other than having to strain the milk tea, this is a super simple and tasty milk tea recipe.
Keep cool with this large batch cold spiced milk tea recipe.Cold Spiced Milk Tea
Preparation of Spiced Tea
In a large pot over high heat, place water, 4 T. sugar, tea bags, cinnamon, anise, cardamom, and cloves. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, boil for another 5 minutes. Turn heat off and let the pot sit for 10 minutes.
Use a fine strainer/fat skimmer and remove the tea bags and large spices. Squeeze out as much liquid from the bags. Continue to skim the liquid to remove most of the spices.
Straining Spiced Tea
Be careful, as the liquid will still be hot during this step. Use an extra-fine strainer to strain directly into a large pitcher or use fine straining bags (I prefer a bag) and strain the spiced tea into a cup before transferring it to a pitcher. Periodically clean the strainer/bag out as it may become clogged with the ground spices.
Making Cold Spiced Milk Tea
Add condensed milk to the spiced tea. Give it a taste and add sugar a tablespoon at a time till the level of desired sweetness is achieved. Then, set this pictcher in the fridge to chill. When the spiced milk tea is chilled, pour into a glass with or without ice and enjoy!
Recipe helpers:
Cold Spiced Milk Tea
How to make cold spiced milk tea
Ingredients
- 15 - black tea bags - remove tags
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon or 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1/2 tsp. - ground cardamon
- 1/2 tsp. - ground cloves
- 4 - large anise
- 13 cups - water
- 4 T. to 1/4 cup - sugar to taste
- 3/4 to 1 cup -condensed milk
Instructions
- In a large pot over high heat, place water, 4 T. sugar, tea bags, cinnamon, anise, cardamom, and cloves. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, boil for another 5 minutes. Turn heat off and let the pot sit for 10 minutes.
- Use a fine strainer/fat skimmer and remove the tea bags, squeezing out as much liquid from the bags. Continue to skim the liquid to remove most of the spices.
- Be careful, as the liquid will still be hot during this step. Use an extra-fine strainer to strain directly into a large pitcher or use fine straining bags and strain into a cup before transferring to a pitcher. Periodically clean the strainer/bag out as it may become clogged with the ground spices.
- Add condensed milk and taste. Add additional sugar a tablespoon at a time to taste.
- Let the drink come to room temperature before placing it into the fridge. Chill till cold and serve cold.
Notes
- Red Rose black tea bags were used in this recipe. DO NOT substitute with regular Lipton tea.
- For a more pronounced spiced tea, increase cloves to 3/4 tsp. and anise to 5 cloves.
- For a less pronounced tea flavor, increase condensed milk to 1 cup and use only 2T. of sugar.
