Who doesn't love a good Thai massage? The soothing kneads, the perfect stretches. But while some folks unwind with a massage, I find my relaxation in Thai food. Spicy pad Thai, crispy Pad Krapow Gai, tender Crying Tiger steak, and that ice-cold Thai iced tea to cool everything down.
This Thai Tea Ice Cream recipe takes that beloved drink and turns it into a frozen, creamy treat using my Ninja CREAMi. Same bold flavor, same gorgeous orange color, but now in scoopable form. Once you try it this way, you might skip the drink altogether.
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Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This
- What is Thai Tea?
- Ingredients You'll Need
- Ingredient Swaps
- How to Make Thai Tea Ice Cream
- Rose's Tips for Perfect Thai Tea Ice Cream
- Topping and Mix-in Suggestions
- Flavor Variations to Try
- How to Store Thai Tea Ice Cream
- Equipment
- Recipe FAQs
- More Frozen Treats to Try
- Did you try this recipe?
- Ninja Creami Thai Tea Ice Cream
Why You'll Love This
- Combines the creamy richness of ice cream with the bold flavor of Thai iced tea
- Perfectly smooth and easy to make with the Ninja CREAMi
- Cottage cheese adds protein and creaminess without extra fat
- Less sugar with monk fruit sweetener but still tastes amazing
- Quick to prep with just a few simple ingredients
- That iconic orange color looks as good as it tastes
What is Thai Tea?
Thai tea is a strong, aromatic tea made from black tea leaves, spiced with star anise and cardamom. It's brewed with sugar and typically served over ice with a splash of sweetened condensed milk.
That distinct orange color and sweet, creamy flavor made it a favorite in Thai restaurants everywhere. The combination of spices, tea, and milk creates something you won't forget once you've tried it.
Thai tea mix is typically made from strong black tea leaves, flavored with star anise, crushed tamarind, and sometimes orange blossom water. The vibrant orange color comes from added food coloring. It's the perfect base for this creamy, sweet ice cream.
Ingredients You'll Need
Here's what's needed:
- Half and half: This gives the ice cream a balanced creaminess. You can use heavy cream if you prefer a richer texture.
- Strongly brewed Thai tea: Make sure it’s cooled before using. This brings the iconic flavor to your ice cream.
- Cottage cheese: Believe it or not, this adds protein and creaminess to the base without the fat from heavy cream.
- Sweetened condensed milk: Adds sweetness and richness. You can swap this for a low-sugar or sugar-free alternative if needed.
- Monk fruit sweetener (or other sugar substitute): A low-calorie alternative to sugar that doesn’t compromise on flavor.
Ingredient Swaps
- Replace half and half with heavy cream for richer ice cream
- Use coconut milk for a dairy-free version (flavor will be slightly different)
- Swap monk fruit for regular sugar or your preferred sweetener
- Greek yogurt or cream cheese can replace cottage cheese
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Thai Tea Ice Cream
- Brew the Thai tea: Start by brewing a strong batch of Thai tea using 2-3 tea bags (or 1-2 tablespoons of loose tea) in about 2 cups of boiling water. Let it steep for 5-10 minutes until it’s rich and dark. Strain the tea leaves using a very fine mesh or cloth filter.
- Prepare the ice cream base: In a blender or using an immersion blender, combine half and half, brewed Thai tea (cooled), cottage cheese, condensed milk, and monk fruit sweetener. Blend until smooth.
- Chill: Pour the mixture into the Ninja Creami pint container and freeze for at least 24 hours.
- Make the ice cream: Once frozen, use the "Ice Cream" setting on the Ninja CREAMi. If the texture isn’t smooth enough, you can run the 5re-spin cycle for creamier results.
- Serve and enjoy: Scoop out your delicious Thai Tea Ice Cream and serve with your favorite toppings!
Rose's Tips for Perfect Thai Tea Ice Cream
- Steep the tea long enough. 5-10 minutes minimum. Under-steeping gives you weak flavor that gets lost in the cream. You want that tea dark and strong.
- Cool the tea completely before blending. Adding hot liquid to cottage cheese and condensed milk can cause curdling. Room temperature or chilled tea works best.
- Taste the base before freezing. Give it a small taste to check sweetness and tea strength. You can adjust now, but not after it's frozen.
- Use a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth. Nobody wants tea leaves in their ice cream. Strain it well.
- If it's too crumbly after spinning, add 1-2 tablespoons of half and half and run the re-spin cycle. This is normal with Ninja Creami and easy to fix.
- Let it sit for 2-3 minutes before scooping if it's too hard right after processing. This makes scooping much easier.
Topping and Mix-in Suggestions
- Sweetened condensed milk drizzle: Classic Thai tea touch with extra sweetness.
- Crushed Biscoff cookies: Adds a spiced crunch that complements the tea’s flavors.
- Toasted coconut flakes: For a tropical vibe and added texture.
- Tapioca pearls: Bring that bubble tea experience into your ice cream!
- Chocolate chips: A decadent twist for chocolate lovers.
- Crushed graham crackers: Adds a nice crunch
- Honey drizzle: Another way to boost sweetness naturally
Flavor Variations to Try
- Coconut Thai Tea Ice Cream: Replace half and half with full-fat coconut milk for a dairy-free, tropical twist.
- Extra Creamy Thai Tea: Use heavy cream instead of half and half and add an extra tablespoon of condensed milk.
- Spiced Thai Tea: Add a pinch of cinnamon or cardamom to the base before blending for warmer spice notes.
- Thai Tea Affogato Style: Serve a scoop with a shot of hot espresso poured over the top.
- Boba Thai Tea Ice Cream: Fold in cooked tapioca pearls after processing for that bubble tea experience.
How to Store Thai Tea Ice Cream
Store leftovers right in the Ninja Creami pint container with the lid on. Before freezing, flatten the surface of the ice cream with a spoon so it's level. This helps with re-spinning later if you want to refresh the texture.
For best texture, enjoy within 1-2 weeks. The ice cream will keep longer, but texture is best when fresh.
To serve after storing, let the pint sit at room temperature for 3-5 minutes, or run it under warm water for 30 seconds. Then re-spin on the "Re-spin" setting until creamy again.
Equipment
- Ninja CREAMi Deluxe 11-in-1 Ice Cream & Frozen Treat Maker: The star of the show for churning this creamy dessert to perfection.
- Vitamix blender or immersion blender: To create a smooth and creamy ice cream base.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can use heavy cream for a richer texture, or coconut milk for a dairy-free version, but it may alter the flavor slightly.
Yes, Thai tea is made from black tea, which contains caffeine. You can use decaf black tea if you want a caffeine-free option.
Definitely! You can adjust the amount of condensed milk or monk fruit sweetener to suit your taste.
Greek yogurt or cream cheese can be used as substitutes, but the cottage cheese adds a nice balance of creaminess and protein.
You can use any other sugar substitute or regular sugar if preferred. The sweetness can be easily adjusted to your liking.
This usually means it needs more fat or liquid. Add 1-2 tablespoons of half and half and run the re-spin cycle. If it's still too icy, let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes and re-spin again.
More Frozen Treats to Try
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Ninja Creami Thai Tea Ice Cream
Equipment
- 1 Ninja CREAMi Deluxe 11-in-1 Ice Cream and Frozen Treat Maker
- 1 Ninja Creami Container Pint
- 1 Blender/ Immersion Blender
- 1 small pot for brewing thai tea mix
- 1 Reusable Stainless Steel Strainer
Ingredients
- ¼ cup Thai Tea mix brewed in 1 cups of water
- 1 cup water for brewing that tea mix
- ¾ cup Half and half
- ½ cup cottage cheese
- ½ cup condensed milk
- 2 tablespoon monk fruit
Instructions
- Brew the Thai tea: Start by brewing a strong batch of Thai tea in about 2 cups of boiling water. Let it steep for 5-10 minutes until it’s rich and dark. Strain and cool down.¼ cup Thai Tea mix, 1 cup water
- Prepare the ice cream base: In a blender or using an immersion blender, combine half and half, brewed Thai tea (cooled), cottage cheese, condensed milk, and monk fruit sweetener. Blend until smooth.¾ cup Half and half, ½ cup cottage cheese, ½ cup condensed milk, 2 tablespoon monk fruit
- Chill: Pour the mixture into the Ninja Creami pint container and freeze for at least 24 hours.
- Make the ice cream: Once frozen, use the "Ice Cream" setting on the Ninja CREAMi. If the texture isn’t smooth enough, you can run the re-spin cycle for creamier results.
- Serve and enjoy: Scoop out your delicious Thai Tea Ice Cream and serve with your favorite toppings!
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Notes
- To strain the thai tea leaves, use a tea filter, cheesecloth or a very fine mesh.
- The calorie count provided is an estimate and may vary depending on the specific ingredients and brands used.
Kara Jacobsen says
The recipe wasn't clear how much of the brewed tea to use so I guessed about 1 cup. I used greek yogurt instead of cottage cheese and 1/4 tsp xanthum Gum for creaminess. Very yummy!
Rose Sioson says
Thanks for sharing this, and yes, 1 cup of brewed tea is exactly right. That combo sounds so yummy. Greek yogurt is a great swap!
I’ve made it with Greek yogurt, cream cheese, and my favorite, cottage cheese, and they all work, so you’re totally good. I’m going to update the recipe wording to make the tea amount clearer. Glad you liked it!