Name: Thai Tea Ice Cream Recipe (No Churn)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 2 tbsps Thai Tea Powder Mix; ½ cup water; 2 cups heavy cream or vegan alternative; 1 cup sweetened condensed milk or vegan alternative; 2 tbsps brown sugar; ½ cup cooked boba pearls ((optional)); 1 tbsp orange food colouring ((optional))

Thai tea ice cream is the perfect combination of sweet, rich, and creamy, with a hint of tea flavour and a beautiful orange colour. Because of its unique taste, many people have been searching for how to make Thai tea ice cream at home. Fortunately, we’ve found a way to make this treat at home while ensuring its authentic quality and taste.

thai ice cream recipe no churn — Read the article until the end to know how to make this delicious treat at home. | Image from cookinginchucks

The best part is that you can make this Thai tea ice cream recipe without an ice cream maker! Our fantastic Thai milk tea ice cream recipe is also no-churn. This means you won't have to spend hours in the kitchen churning away.

You only need a few ingredients to make this cold treat, and you probably already have them in your pantry. Even better, you can customise our recipe to make it non-dairy or vegan for everyone to enjoy.

If you want to learn how to make this easy Asian dessert recipe, keep reading. Our full recipe is at the end, but we’ll also provide some helpful tips and variations.

Jump to:

What is Thai ice cream made of?
What does Thai tea ice cream taste like?
Thai tea ice cream ingredients
How to make Thai tea ice cream vegan
Thai Tea Ice Cream Cooking Tips
Thai Tea Ice Cream Recipe (No Churn)

What is Thai ice cream made of?

We traditionally make Thai tea ice cream from Thai tea, milk, cream, sugar, and eggs. This unique tea blend flavour is what gives it its characteristic orange colour. If you're worried about your diet, don't be. Thai tea ice cream calories are only about 200kcal per serving.

One scoop of thai tea ice cream on a brown waffle cone — Want something cold and refreshing to beat the summer heat? Try making this tea-based dessert! | Image from signorinalena

What does Thai tea ice cream taste like?

Our no churn Thai tea ice cream tastes like a delicate balance of sweet and rich, with a floral undertone from the tea blend. The tea used in Thai milk tea ice cream is usually a mix of different spices, including cardamom, cloves, and aniseed. These spices all contribute to its unique flavour.

We can also brew the Siamese spiced tea with milk, which adds to the richness of the overall dessert. If you're interested to learn more, you can check out our Thai milk tea recipe.

Melting thai tea ice cream on a cone — Did you know that Thai tea usually has spices in it? Cardamom, cloves, and aniseed are the usual ones. | Image from twodognightcreamery

All in all, the combination of these ingredients results in a smooth and creamy texture that is simply irresistible.

Thai tea ice cream ingredients

All you need for our no-churn dessert recipe is sweetened condensed milk, heavy cream, sugar, and Thailand's spiced tea mix. Apart from Thai spiced tea, you can find most of the Thai iced tea ice cream ingredients in any grocery store.

North Bowl Ice-creams homemade dessert — You can still make this recipe even if you don’t have a machine at home. | Image from northbowl_icecream

Thai Tea

We will use Thai tea powder mix for this recipe, but you are welcome to use Thai tea bags or make the tea from scratch.

Today, Thailand's spiced tea powder is readily available in most grocery stores. It is a key ingredient in this delicious recipe. Thai tea powder is made from black tea leaves and usually contains other spices like cloves, cardamom, and aniseed. These spices give the drink blend its characteristic flavour.

All three options are great, but we strive for convenience. Thus, Thai tea powder mix serves our purpose in creating this Thai iced tea ice cream as quickly as possible.

yenjai.hm thai tea ice cream in a white cup with spoon, thai tea, and tea powder — Sweetened condensed milk, heavy cream, sugar, and Siamese spiced tea mix is all you need to make this no churn dessert recipe. | Image from yenjai.hm

Sweet condensed milk

Sweet condensed milk is used in this recipe to add sweetness and body to the overall dessert. This means that you don't need to add as much sugar to your dessert. So, it's great for people who are watching their sugar intake.

Thai tea ice cream in a green polkadot cup with red spoon — This is not necessary, but if you want a more vibrant orange colour, try to add orange food colouring. | Image from sohee.eats

Heavy cream

However, heavy cream is used in this recipe to add richness and creaminess to Thai tea ice cream. This ingredient is essential in this Thai milk tea ice cream recipe as it gives the soft serve its smooth and velvety texture.

homemade thai tea ice cream in a rectangular glass container — An essential ingredient to achieve a smooth texture is the heavy cream. | Image from imixed_diee

Sugar

Lastly, sugar is essential to this recipe as it not only adds sweetness but also helps to bind the ingredients together.

Sugar also helps to prevent icy crystals from forming, which makes for a smoother and more scoopable final product. Of course, you can always adjust the sugar in this recipe to suit your taste.

Beware of using sugar alternatives, though, e.g. brown sugar syrup, vanilla syrup or corn syrup. This is because it might change the consistency of the Asian dessert.

Galanga Thais dessert delicious — Craving but lazy to make one? You can order from a nearby dessert parlour or Thai restaurant! | Image from galanga_thai

How to make Thai tea ice cream vegan

If you are looking for a dairy-free or vegan alternative, here are some tips. You can easily craft an alternative non-dairy Thai tea ice cream recipe.

One scoop in a black waffle cone with soft serve version — Strictly vegan? You can find other alternative ingredients in your nearest grocery stores! | Image from trashyveganeats

You can find vegan condensed milk in most grocery stores or make your own by boiling coconut milk and sugar until it thickens. There are also plenty of substitute plant-based creams in place of the heavy cream in the recipe.

We recommend using coconut or cashew cream as they work well in this recipe. They will also still give you the same rich and creamy texture. There are also sugar alternatives like coconut sugar or maple syrup.

The great thing about our recipe is that you can still make a delicious vegan Thai tea ice cream recipe without an ice cream maker. The vegan version might even be richer and creamier than the dairy version.

Mixing it thoroughly and frequently is the key to preventing a grainy, soft-serve texture. If you want to save the work, you can use an ice cream machine to churn the mix.

Wanich Icecream on scooper — There might be instances when using alternative ingredients that the taste and texture will be different, but nevertheless it will still be DELICIOUS! | Image from wanichicecream

However, remember that using these substitutes might change the taste and texture of the final no churn dessert slightly. Despite that, the non-dairy version is sure to be still delicious. You can also add whole spices like cardamom, cloves, and aniseed to give the cold dessert a more authentic flavour.

Thai Tea Ice Cream Cooking Tips

Before you head down to our recipe below, here are some cooking tips to help you get the best results from this no churn Thai tea ice cream recipe.

Use less water

When you follow our recipe, it is essential to use less water than indicated on the tea powder mix packet. This is because using more water than necessary will dilute the brew and produce less flavourful dessert.

If you want a richer and more flavourful cold dessert, use more milk in the tea mix. This is especially the case if you make the vegan version of this cold treat. Using more milk will make the vegan condensed milk richer and less icy.

Food colouring

While it is not necessary to use food colouring, adding a bit to the Thai tea ice cream will give it a more authentic look. As they say, we eat with our eyes first.

Add boba

Who doesn't love boba? Adding boba to your milk tea ice cream will take it up a notch. If you want to add boba, cook them according to package instructions and add them to the mix. For sure, you'll find yourself with a decadent treat.

Boba pearls are a great addition as they add a chewy texture to the Asian dessert. They are also a great visual element. Tried and tested, Thai tea boba and boba ice cream are definitely among our favourites.

Boba dessert on a white plate — Add boba for an added chewy texture to your cold dessert. | Image from kitchrx

Ingredients

2 tbsps Thai Tea Powder Mix
½ cup water
2 cups heavy cream or vegan alternative
1 cup sweetened condensed milk or vegan alternative
2 tbsps brown sugar
½ cup cooked boba pearls (optional)
1 tablespoon orange food colouring (optional)

Instructions

Add Thai Tea Powder Mix and sugar to water and bring it to a boil before steeping for about 3-4 minutes.
Strain the liquid after boiling it and put it into a separate container to cool.
Whip heavy cream until peaks form. For non dairy Thai tea ice cream, you may use any vegan heavy cream, such as coconut or cashew cream.
Lightly fold in the brewed tea, sweetened condensed milk (or vegan alternative), boba pearls, and food colouring to the mixture. Set aside in a loaf pan and let cool in the freezer for about 4 hours to overnight.

Notes

You can store this cold Asian dessert in the freezer for up to a month. Afterwards, wrap it tightly in an airtight container to prevent freezer burn. When ready to eat, let it sit out at room temperature for about 15 minutes to soften slightly before serving.

In addition to being easy to make, this dessert recipe is also very versatile. You can serve it as is or top it with your favourite toppings. Some popular toppings include crushed peanuts, whipped cream, or even a scoop of your favourite soft serve. You can also use this Thai tea recipe to make tea-based popsicles or a float.

But for us, Thai tea ice cream is best served with a scoop of boba and a drizzle of condensed milk on top. Enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 175kcalCarbohydrates: 17gProtein: 2gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 40mgSodium: 33mgPotassium: 102mgSugar: 13gVitamin A: 488IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 76mg

Calories have been calculated using an online calculator. Nutritional information offered on Honest Food Talks is for general information purposes and are only rough estimations.

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