ชาเย็น · cha yen
Thai Iced Tea
Thai iced tea — cha yen — is strongly brewed Thai tea with sweetened condensed milk over ice.
Popular Thai iced tea recipes
The classic with condensed milk, boba, and a dairy-free version.
Down to two? compare them
Two options side by side, with a verdict instead of a list — including when the honest answer is buy neither.
Cha Tra Mue vs Pantai
The restaurant benchmark against the one that keeps winning blind tests.
Gold vs red
Same brand, different tea — and different dyes. Is Gold worth it?
Powder vs leaves
Three formats, three different drinks, three costs per glass.
Cha Tra Mue vs Yim
Dyed or dye-free — what you gain, and what the natural tier costs.
Thai iced tea guides
What's in it, what it costs you nutritionally, and where it came from.
What is Thai iced tea
Ingredients, cha yen, and why it's orange.
Nutrition & calories
Calories, sugar, caffeine, and lighter options.
History & origin
From Bangkok stalls to the world.
Best mixes to buy
Powder, bags, concentrate — ranked and compared.
Is it healthy?
No — and the useful part is why, plus what actually makes it lighter.
Caffeine in Thai tea
About 62 mg a glass — how it compares to coffee, and how to drink less.
Thai tea without dye
What the orange really is, and what each dye-free brand brews.
Tools, shops and our own tea
The calculator, the shelves that stock the real brands, trade pricing if you're buying for a café, and the one tea we make ourselves.
Caffeine calculator
How much caffeine is in your glass — by mix, size and strength.
Where to buy
Which shops and sites actually stock the real brands.
Buying for a shop
Wholesale case pricing, cost per glass and six sourcing routes, for cafés and boba shops.
Aroi — our own mix
Twelve sachets, each portioned to one glass. Never ranked in our guides.
What Thai iced tea actually is
The short version, before you pick a recipe.
Thai iced tea — known as cha yen in Thailand — is a sweet, creamy, orange-hued drink made from strongly brewed Thai tea, condensed milk, and ice. Whether you're looking for the classic recipe, a boba version, or dairy-free options, you'll find everything you need here.
Thai tea gets its distinctive color and flavor from a blend of black tea, star anise, tamarind, and often food coloring. The result is bold, slightly spicy, and perfectly balanced with sweetened condensed milk. You can make authentic Thai iced tea at home with Thai tea mix, loose leaves, or tea bags — and our ingredients guide covers everything you need to know.
From street stalls in Bangkok to bubble tea shops worldwide, Thai iced tea has become a beloved drink. Learn how to make Thai iced tea at home with our step-by-step recipes, discover the best Thai tea mixes to buy, and explore nutrition facts like calories and caffeine in our nutrition guide.
Frequently asked questions
- What is Thai iced tea?
- Thai iced tea (cha yen) is a sweet, creamy drink made from brewed Thai tea blend, condensed milk, and ice. It has a distinctive orange color and bold, slightly spicy flavor from ingredients like star anise and tamarind. Learn more about ingredients.
- How do you make Thai iced tea at home?
- Brew strong Thai tea (mix, bags, or loose leaves), sweeten with condensed milk and sugar, pour over ice, and top with evaporated milk. Our classic Thai iced tea recipe walks you through it step by step.
- Is Thai iced tea healthy?
- Thai iced tea is high in sugar and calories from condensed milk. A typical serving has 150–250 calories. It does contain caffeine from the black tea. For details on nutrition, calories, and healthier options, see our nutrition guide.
- What are the ingredients in Thai iced tea?
- Thai tea typically includes black tea (Ceylon or Assam), star anise, tamarind, and sometimes vanilla or food coloring. The drink is finished with condensed milk, sugar, and evaporated milk. Full ingredient breakdown here.