Cha Yen

Thai Thai tea powder⏱ 10 min⚡ Vegetarian

Cha Yen is a bold, sweet, and creamy Thai iced tea with a striking amber-orange color and a refreshing chill. Strong brewed tea is balanced by luscious condensed milk and silky evaporated milk, creating a smooth drink that is both energizing and dessert-like.

Nutrition · per serving

131kcal

4.1gProtein

19.1gCarbs

4.2gFat

0gFiber

2 servings

Ingredients

5 items

Tea base

Thai tea powder20 g

water300 ml

Milk mixture

sweetened condensed milk60 g

evaporated milk80 ml

For serving

ice300 g

Tips

•For a more traditional bright orange color, many commercial Thai tea blends already include coloring and spices such as star anise or tamarind.
•If your Thai tea powder is finely ground, line the strainer with a paper coffee filter for a smoother drink.
•For extra richness, reserve a small splash of evaporated milk to drizzle on top just before serving.

Steps

1
Bring the water just to a boil in a small saucepan or kettle. Add the Thai tea powder, stir once, and let it steep for 3 minutes so the tea becomes deeply colored and strong enough to stand up to the milk and ice.
300 ml water20 g Thai tea powder
2
Strain the tea through a fine sieve or tea strainer into a heatproof jug, pressing lightly on the tea to extract the liquid without forcing too much sediment through. Stir in the sweetened condensed milk until fully dissolved.
20 g Thai tea powder60 g sweetened condensed milk
3
Fill 2 tall glasses with the ice. Divide the hot sweetened tea between the glasses. Pour the evaporated milk over each glass; for the classic layered look, pour slowly over the back of a spoon, then stir before drinking if desired.
300 g ice80 ml evaporated milk
4
Serve immediately while very cold. The flavor should be bold, creamy, and sweet; if you prefer it less intense, let the ice melt slightly before drinking.

Origin & History

Cha yen is one of Thailand’s most popular street drinks, commonly sold from market stalls, cafés, and roadside vendors. Its modern form reflects a blend of strong black tea, sweetened milk, and ice, a style that became widespread as iced beverages grew popular in Thailand’s hot climate.

thai iced tea vegetarian drink milk tea street food

Do even more with Gourmate

Cook this recipe in Gourmate — your AI meal planning app.

Plan Meals

Weekly planner at a tap

Ask Questions

Chat with your AI chef

Adjust Recipe

Scale servings & swap ingredients

Cook Mode

Step-by-step guidance

Kitchen Timers

Built-in timers & alerts

Grocery List

Auto-generated shopping lists

Open in App Download Gourmate

Cha Yen

Steps

Bring the water just to a boil in a small saucepan or kettle. Add the Thai tea powder, stir once, and let it steep for 3 minutes so the tea becomes deeply colored and strong enough to stand up to the milk and ice.

300 ml water20 g Thai tea powder

Strain the tea through a fine sieve or tea strainer into a heatproof jug, pressing lightly on the tea to extract the liquid without forcing too much sediment through. Stir in the sweetened condensed milk until fully dissolved.

20 g Thai tea powder60 g sweetened condensed milk

Fill 2 tall glasses with the ice. Divide the hot sweetened tea between the glasses. Pour the evaporated milk over each glass; for the classic layered look, pour slowly over the back of a spoon, then stir before drinking if desired.

300 g ice80 ml evaporated milk

Serve immediately while very cold. The flavor should be bold, creamy, and sweet; if you prefer it less intense, let the ice melt slightly before drinking.