Thai Tea
Creamy, sweet, and impossibly orange — homemade Thai tea with monk fruit sweetener and a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Only 94 calories per cup instead of the 300+ you'd get from a boba shop.
Macro Breakdown (Per Cup)
Boba Shop Flavor, Diet-Friendly Macros
Thai tea — cha yen — is one of the most recognizable drinks in Southeast Asian cuisine. That unmistakable deep orange color comes from the tea mix itself, a blend of Ceylon tea with star anise, crushed tamarind, and food coloring. Traditionally, it's sweetened with condensed milk and sugar, which sends a single glass north of 300 calories.
Filipino and Asian-American communities grew up with Thai tea as a staple at restaurants and boba shops. It's a craving that doesn't go away just because you start tracking macros. So instead of giving it up, Christian rebuilt it.
This version uses monk fruit to replace the sugar and low-fat milk instead of condensed. The small scoop of Carb Smart vanilla ice cream on top gives it that creamy richness without the calorie bomb. At 94 calories per cup, you can have two and still be under what a single boba shop serving would cost you.
Ingredients
- 80g Thai Tea Mix
- 960ml water
- 160g monk fruit sweetener
- 3 oz low fat milk (per serving)
- 30g Carb Smart Vanilla Ice Cream (per serving)
- Ice
Instructions
Boil the water. Bring 960ml of water to a rolling boil in a medium pot.
Add tea and sweetener. Stir in the Thai tea mix and monk fruit sweetener. Return to a boil.
Boil for 3 minutes. Keep it at a steady boil for 3 minutes to extract the full flavor and color from the tea mix.
Reduce heat. Lower to medium heat for 1 minute, then remove the pot from heat entirely.
Steep for 30 minutes. Let the tea steep with the lid on for 30 minutes. This is where the deep flavor develops — don't rush it.
Strain. Pour through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth to remove all the tea leaves. Let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate.
Serve. Fill a glass with ice, pour the chilled tea to about 3/4 full, add 3 oz low-fat milk, and top with a 30g scoop of Carb Smart vanilla ice cream.
💡 Christian's Tips
- Make a big batch. The tea concentrate keeps in the fridge for up to a week. Make the full batch and pour cups as needed — it's faster than a boba run.
- The ice cream is optional but recommended. That 30g scoop adds only about 25 calories but gives the creamy, rich mouthfeel that makes Thai tea special.
- Don't skip the 30-minute steep. Under-steeping gives you weak, pale tea. You want that deep orange, almost brown color with full flavor.
- Monk fruit is the key swap. Traditional Thai tea uses a massive amount of sugar. Monk fruit gives you the same sweetness at zero calories. Adjust to taste.
Full Nutrition Facts
| Nutrient | Per Cup |
|---|---|
| Calories | 94 kcal |
| Protein | 3.4g |
| Total Carbohydrates | 10.2g |
| Sugars | 8g |
| Total Fat | 5.1g |
| Saturated Fat | 2.8g |
| Cholesterol | 12mg |
| Sodium | 65mg |
| Caffeine | ~40mg |
Common Questions
Where do I buy Thai tea mix?
Any Asian grocery store carries it — look for the orange and red bags. The most common brand is Pantai (Number One Brand) or ChaTraMue. Amazon carries both. The mix already has the spices and color built in.
Can I make this dairy-free?
Yes. Use oat milk or coconut milk instead of low-fat milk, and skip the ice cream or use a dairy-free alternative. Coconut milk gives the closest flavor to the traditional version. Just adjust macros accordingly.
How does this compare to boba shop Thai tea?
A typical boba shop Thai tea runs 300-450 calories with 50-70g sugar. This version is 94 calories with about 8g sugar (from the milk and ice cream). That's a 70%+ calorie reduction with the same flavor profile.
