Tea and chocolate might be a popular pair for afternoon tea, but have you ever combined the two together? After making Earl Grey hot chocolate, I thought, “Why not add Thai tea next?” And this is where Thai tea hot chocolate came about! It’s seriously aromatic, creamy, sweet, and tea-forward; you just have to see how good it is for yourself.
Here’s how to make a delicious Thai tea hot chocolate at home!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It’s super unique and fun!
- A delicious caffeinated hot chocolate that will keep you energized all day!
- An easy-to-follow and customizable recipe for a cafe-quality beverage.
- It’s a cozy winter recipe you can enjoy at home.
- Use Thai tea leaves in a cool way!
What is Thai Tea?
Thai iced tea is brewed from black Ceylon tea or a local Thai Assam black tea, sometimes with added spices, and is then sweetened with condensed milk, evaporated milk, and ice. It’s a sweet and creamy tea that has an addictive vanilla, spiced, and floral flavor profile that is synonymous with Thai street food.
Typically, you make it with plain tea, but because Thai tea is so popular, many use a premade flavored Thai tea mix. The most famous brand is Cha Tra Mue, with its iconic tea mix.
Where to Get Thai Tea
You can get Ceylon or Assam black tea from virtually any grocery store or your local tea store. I recommend getting loose-leaf tea for the best flavor, as tea bags have low-quality tea dust in them.
For convenience, I would get a Thai tea leaf mix, which has an orange color and flavorings in it, and what Thai stalls use for their tea. You can find this premade mix in some Asian grocery stores, but you’ll have better luck sourcing it online via a Thai tea brand or Amazon.
You’ll see the loose-leaf version, but there’s also a powder version (I’ve never tried it) for the ultimate convenience. Get the looseleaf!
Does Chocolate Go With Thai Tea?
Well, Thai tea tastes like vanilla, spiced milk tea, and those two flavors are popular pairings with chocolate, so, yes! Thai tea pairs super nicely with chocolate and lightens the cocoa flavor nicely. While the chocolate is the dominant flavor, it does pull its weight.
Ceylon black tea is malty, slightly citrusy, and sometimes nutty, which all work perfectly with chocolate. Like a whopper (malted milk ball covered in milk chocolate), chocolate orange, chocolate-covered nuts… Clearly, this tea was made to be paired with chocolate!
Thai Tea Hot Chocolate: What You’ll Need
Equipment:
- A handheld frother
- A small to medium-sized pot
Ingredients:
- 2 tbsp Thai tea leaves
- ½ cup hot water
- 1 tsp sugar or sweetener
- ½ cup milk
- 2 squares of dark chocolate (0.75 oz or ⅛ cup)
- 1 tbsp condensed milk
- ½ cup evaporated milk
- A pinch of salt
- 1 tsp cocoa powder
- Thai Tea Cream
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 2 tsp Thai tea leaves
- 1-2 tbsp water
- ½ tbsp condensed milk
Thai Tea Hot Chocolate Recipe
- Brew Thai Tea. Add sugar, tea, and water to a small or medium-sized pot and let it brew for 2-3 minutes. You’re essentially making a tea concentrate as a flavor enhancer.
- Warm Milk and Tea. Once the tea brews, add condensed milk, evaporated milk, and regular milk to the pot. Stir to combine, then heat on medium and bring the milk tea to a simmer or gentle boil for 3-5 minutes. The milk should darken from the tea.
- Optional: For a creamier flavor, you can boil the tea 2-3 times to aerate the mixture, like in chai.
- Melt the Chocolate. Add the chocolate and stir to melt. Avoid letting the chocolate sit at the bottom of the pot to prevent burning.
- Once the chocolate is completely melted, heat on low to medium heat for another minute or two, then turn the heat off.
- Strain the tea leaves out of the hot chocolate, then set aside the Thai tea hot chocolate to cool slightly.
- Whip Thai Tea Cream. In a separate glass, brew another Thai tea concentrate by adding 2 tsp of Thai tea leaves and 2 tbsp of hot water. Strain out leaves, then add condensed milk and heavy cream.
- Using a handheld frother, whip the cream for 10-15 seconds until light and fluffy but still pourable.
- Assemble Drink. In a heatproof mug or glass, add the hot chocolate and top with the Thai tea cream. Garnish with a dusting of cocoa powder or grated chocolate.
- Mix and Enjoy!
Tips for the Best Hot Chocolate
- Garnish Nicely: Since the chocolate washes away any orange color from the tea, it’s nice to add back some orange in the cream top! Then, to tie it back to brown, dust some cocoa powder or shave some chocolate on top. It will look so good!
- Melt Chocolate Thoroughly: No one likes grainy hot chocolate! Make sure to thoroughly melt the chocolate over the stove for the most luscious, silky texture. You want to melt chocolate gradually; otherwise, you can burn both the chocolate and milk (it will leave even more grains).
- Steep Tea in Milk Overnight: For extra flavor, brew your Thai tea concentrate, then steep the leftover leaves in milk overnight, and then use that steeped milk for the hot chocolate! You’ll get more flavor than you could ever extract from brewing, and it will be so delicious!
- Use Good Quality Chocolate: You can taste the difference between Hershey’s chocolate and Ghirardelli! Use a nice quality chocolate in your hot cocoa, and it will go so far. You’ll get more cocoa flavor: rich, nutty, and sometimes fruity!
- Froth It: To take this hot cocoa one step further, froth it in a milk frother machine or use a handheld frother to create a silky microfoam. This makes an insane, creamy texture that is light, airy, and cloud-like! Maybe it will open up the flavors even more!
Variations
- Cocoa Powder: Swap dark chocolate for regular cocoa powder! I would start with 2-3 tbsp, taste, then add more if necessary! The flavor won’t be as rich, but still chocolatey.
- White Chocolate: You can also make this a Thai tea white hot chocolate instead! It will taste like a creamy Thai tea with a milkier flavor. Use your favorite white chocolate and add a little bit of vanilla if desired!
- Vegan: Substitute all the dairy products for non-dairy alternatives! Including the chocolate, condensed milk, evaporated milk, regular milk, and heavy cream. These all have vegan alternatives like oat, coconut, soy, and non-dairy!
- Iced: Once you’ve made your hot chocolate, let it cool to room temperature, then add it to a cup with ice and top with the cream! It’ll be thicker when cooled, and super decadent.
- Extra Caffeinated: If you want extra caffeine, add an extra tablespoon of Thai tea leaves to your hot chocolate. You could even add an espresso shot if you really want!
Easy Thai Tea Hot Chocolate
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp Thai tea leaves
- ½ cup water
- 1 tsp sugar or sweetener
- ½ cup milk
- 2 squares dark chocolate 0.75 oz or ⅛ cup
- 1 tbsp condensed milk
- ½ cup evaporated milk
- A pinch salt
- 1 tsp cocoa powder
Thai Tea Cream
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 2 tsp Thai tea leaves
- 1-2 tbsp water
- ½ tbsp condensed milk
Instructions
- Brew Thai Tea. Add sugar, tea, and water to a small or medium-sized pot and let it brew for 2-3 minutes. You're essentially making a tea concentrate as a flavor enhancer.
- Warm Milk and Tea. Once the tea brews, add condensed milk, evaporated milk, and regular milk to the pot. Stir to combine, then heat on medium and bring the milk tea to a simmer or gentle boil for 3-5 minutes. The milk should darken from the tea.
- Optional: For a creamier flavor, you can boil the tea 2-3 times to aerate the mixture, like in chai.
- Melt the Chocolate. Add the chocolate and stir to melt. Avoid letting the chocolate sit at the bottom of the pot to prevent burning.
- Once the chocolate is completely melted, heat on low to medium heat for another minute or two, then turn the heat off.
- Strain the tea leaves out of the hot chocolate, then set aside the Thai tea hot chocolate to cool slightly.
- Whip Thai Tea Cream. In a separate glass, brew another Thai tea concentrate by adding 2 tsp of Thai tea leaves and 2 tbsp of hot water. Strain out leaves, then add condensed milk and heavy cream.
- Using a handheld frother, whip the cream for 10-15 seconds until light and fluffy but still pourable.
- Assemble Drink. In a heatproof mug or glass, add the hot chocolate and top with the Thai tea cream. Garnish with a dusting of cocoa powder or grated chocolate.
- Mix and Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Thai tea orange?
Thai tea is orange from food coloring. Normal Thai tea is usually a brown color, but thanks to marketing and some creativity, the one we are familiar with is orange!
Do I need evaporated and condensed milk?
You don’t technically need these to make Thai tea; you could use regular milk and sugar. But condensed and evaporated milk make Thai tea taste so much better! It’s creamier and has a different sweetness to it that makes it stand out. You can taste a difference!
Can you mix tea with hot chocolate?
Yes! Tea and chocolate work really well together, and there are so many variations: jasmine, green, oolong, black, white… It adds a nice floral and earthy flavor that complements cocoa nicely. It’s similar to coffee, which has all kinds of notes depending on where it’s grown.
Is Thai tea good or bad for you?
Thai tea without sugar is great for you! But who drinks Thai tea without some sugar? It all depends on how much sugar you add to your drink, and the ones from the boba shops are loaded with sugar (sometimes up to 30g or more!) It’s not healthy or unhealthy for you by default, just depends on what you add to the brewed tea.
Other Hot Chocolate Recipes to Try
Who would have thought to mix Thai tea and chocolate together? And have it taste good! If you’re into cool flavor hot chocolate combinations like this one, then here are some other recipes you need to try next:
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