Royal milk tea is a Japanese drink made of Assam or Darjeeling, milk and a sweetener. Like others, we lovingly call it a Japanese milk tea. The loose leaves are brewed in milk and water on a stove rather than adding milk separately to brewed loose leaves.
It's more milky and creamy than sweet. The sweetness is subtle and suitable for mature palettes, or, as the Japanese like to say, "大人の甘さ". This directly translates to "Adult's sweetness".
In Japan, you can buy this from the konbinis or vending machines. In our royal milk tea recipe, we'll show you how to make it from scratch and elevate it.
It was a particular favourite of mine to drink it from Doutor Cafe (ドトールコーヒー), a chain cafe in Tokyo. Similarly, I liked the bottled versions you can get, with main brands including 午後の紅茶 (Gogo no Koucha), 紅茶花伝 (Koucha Kaden) and Nitto. Now that we're no longer in Japan, I crave the smoothness and comfort of this drink.
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Royal Milk Tea Ingredients
You can make Japanese royal milk tea using the following:
- black tea leaves (or 2 bags)
- milk
- sugar
- tapioca pearls (optional)
Black tea
For our recipe, we're using only 1 teaspoon of Assam and 1 teaspoon of Earl Grey. However, you can use Darjeeling, which is another black loose-leaf type. If you use Darjeeling, it retains some sweetness but is a little earthy. If you use Assam loose leaves, the taste changes slightly and becomes fuller and somewhat malty.
You can use loose leaves or bags. Either works, but we prefer bags for easier cleanup afterwards.
Milk
We use whole, full-fat milk for our recipe. Whole milk gives our drink a very rich and full flavour. For a creamier texture, you can add a few tablespoon of cream, which will mimic the taste of Hokkaido milk tea.
Sugar
Japanese milk tea typically uses white or brown sugar, but you can use any sweetener at home. The taste will also change depending on the type of sweetener you use.
We like using regular white sugar for neutral sweetness. But sometimes, we use brown sugar to add a bit of toffee-like sweetness or even honey for its floral aroma and sweetness.
Tapioca pearls (optional)
Adding tapioca pearls to make a royal milk tea boba is a relatively new way of drinking Japanese milk tea. However, it's become extremely popular with Gen Z in Japan. Add 2-3 tablespoon of cooked tapioca pearls to your mix to make royal milk tea boba. Check out our tapioca pearls recipe to make them from scratch.
Royal Milk Tea Recipe (Japanese Milk Tea)
Ingredients
- ½ cup water
- 2 tsps black tea or teabags, equal amount of Assam and Earl Grey
- ½ cup milk
- sugar
- 2-3 tablespoon tapioca pearls optional
Instructions
- Boil water in a small saucepan. Once it is boiling, reduce the heat to medium to allow the water to continue simmering. Add the loose leaves or tea bags. Simmer for 2 minutes.
- Then, pour milk into the pot and stir. The mixture stops simmering because of the added dairy. Allow it to heat up and start simmering again. Once it starts simmering, let it brew for another 2 minutes.
- Remove the saucepan from heat and pour the mixture into a cup using a fine-mesh sieve to catch the loose leaves or bags. Add sugar to taste and enjoy your royal milk tea.
Notes
- If you are making this drink with boba, prepare the pearls beforehand, as it will take at least 5 minutes to cook if you're using instant tapioca pearls. Then, place them in an ice bath for 1 minute before putting them aside.
- If you want a stronger base, we recommend brewing it over the stove for up to 10 minutes. However, you may want to add extra to compensate for water loss during brewing.
- You can also have this drink iced. Add ice or chill the brewed base in the refrigerator for about an hour if you want. You could also brew the loose leaves and leave it in the fridge overnight to enjoy in the morning. And you can add boba to your iced drink, as well.
Nutrition
Calories have been calculated using an online calculator. Nutritional information offered on Honest Food Talks is for general information purposes and is only a rough estimate.
Brewing Tips for Royal Milk Tea
Our recipe calls for using loose leaves or bags. You will brew it in simmering hot water for 2 minutes, followed by another 2 minutes in a mixture of dairy and water. Therefore, you should be brewing the mixture at almost boiling temperature for about 4 to 5 minutes in total.
You can brew it for up to 10 minutes for a stronger taste. Brewing it for longer will give you a strong base, but the taste of royal milk tea is often subtle. Therefore, we don't recommend brewing it for longer.
Substitute Ingredients
Although this drink is made with specific ingredients, there is some wiggle room for substitutes. Note that the substitutions will change the flavour a bit. You can modify our recipe to suit your dietary or flavour preferences.
Different blends
For a different taste, you could combine the loose leaves. Instead of using 2 teaspoon of Assam, you can use 1 teaspoon of different loose leaves like Ceylon or Darjeeling. This will give it a totally new flavour.
You can even use Earl Grey if you like its citrus-like fragrance. Irish or English breakfast will also work, but it may add a different fragrance.
However, we would avoid using green or red loose leaves like rooibos. Brewing the loose leaves in the dairy requires a strong and rich base to balance out the creaminess of the dairy. So, black loose leaf is best for this.
Plant-based milk
We don't recommend plant-based alternatives as they lack the same creaminess as regular dairy and tend not to have a neutral flavour. However, if you choose to use a plant-based alternative, we recommend using unsweetened almond or hazelnut milk.
They have a good balance of milkiness and neutral flavouring that we feel blends well enough for an alternative royal milk tea. We suggest avoiding soy, oat, and coconut milk.
Like milk, you can use whatever type of sweetener you want. Sugar, honey, or agave work but use what you like. Sugar substitutes like Splenda or Stevia work, too.
Using Royal Milk Tea Powder
You can also use instant royal milk tea powder. The powder is an instant mix that is similar to instant coffee. Instead of steeping your leaves, you pour boiling water into the mix. It's pretty simple and a huge timesaver, but the flavour is not as fresh.
You can find this powder online, but you may also be able to find it at your closest speciality Japanese grocery store.
If you use the powder mix, you can get different flavours. For example, you can have royal milk tea peach, strawberry, or even cherry blossom. These are a little different from simple sweet tea, and they make the drink a bit like a latte.
You could also use syrup to flavour your drink, just like coffee. You can use pre-made syrups or make your own with sugar, water, and your desired fruit or other flavours.
Calories
Japanese royal milk tea contains 73 calories. However, this can also vary depending on the type of dairy creamer and the amount of sugar used.
History
Japanese milk tea may sound old, but it hasn't been around for that long, especially considering the age of other drink recipes. The company Lipton first made the drink in Japan in 1965. Lipton created a series of drink recipes to attract the Japanese crowd and this one was particularly well-received.
Popularity
Japanese milk tea is a favourite in Japan but is quickly gaining popularity in other parts of the world. It is available bottled at convenience stores and on menus in Japan.
The drink was already very popular in Japan, but it reached an international audience and a younger crowd by being available in a boba flavour. Because boba is so popular, people became interested in trying other drinks with tapioca pearls.
Royal Milk Tea Vs Milk Tea
Royal milk tea is made by steeping the tea leaves in water and dairy, whereas milk tea typically adds dairy to the brewed mixture after removing the loose leaves. However, milk tea can refer to any type of tea with dairy inside it.
Japanese milk tea is quite similar to teh tarik, but a milder version. Teh Tarik uses much more loose leaves, creamer and sweetener per serving cup. Hence, teh tarik has an even stronger, richer flavour and is overall creamier and sweeter.
Texture-wise, teh tarik is thicker. Overall, teh tarik maxes out all aspects of the drink to the point that it may be considered a dessert or a sickeningly rich beverage. Royal milk tea is a milder drink in all aspects.
Other Recipes You'll Love
If you like Japanese royal milk tea, you'll also love these other delicious recipes.
Okinawa milk tea is a sweet toffee like drink made with delicious Okinawa brown sugar. It's perfect for summertime as it offers a refreshing flavour and has a unique pattern on the outside when placed in a transparent cup.
Cheese foam is another delicious boba topping made with lovely cheese foam. It adds a sweet and savoury twist and makes any drink more filling.
Thai tea boba is our go-to summer drink. Its enticing orange colour is complemented by the signature tapioca pearls we know and love.
Snacks To Pair With Your Drink
There are dozens of snacks to enjoy with royal milk tea, which makes it taste even better. Here are some of our favourites.
Mochi brownies add a chewy and fun element to your afternoon snack and pair well with your drink. They have a unique taste and a lovely texture that feels amazing in your mouth.
Dorayaki gives you the best both of worlds of sweet anko paste sandwiched between two soft pancakes. These soft little cakes have a fluffy texture and tasty filling.
Raindrop cake are great if you prefer a traditional Japanese dessert with your drink. The cake is named for its resemblance to a raindrop and is as tasty as it is unique.
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