This creamy Thai Tea Ice Cream is made with just 3 ingredients – no churn, no fuss, with all the bold flavor of Thai iced tea in a dreamy frozen dessert!
I’ve always had a soft spot for Thai iced tea, and after a fiery Thai curry, it’s pure bliss! In fact, the first time I tasted it was a revelation – it was creamy, fragrant, and so dessert-like all on its own. From that moment on, I was completely hooked. Naturally, it didn’t take long before I started dreaming up ways to enjoy those flavors beyond the glass. Turning it into ice cream seemed like a no-brainer; after all, it shares the same three key components as the drink itself: tea mix, cream, and sweetened condensed milk.
This 3 Ingredient Thai Tea Ice Cream takes everything I adore about Thai tea and transforms it into a cool, creamy scoopable treat. No ice cream maker, no eggs, no complicated steps. Just three simple ingredients and a bit of patience while it freezes. It’s a low-effort dessert with a big reward. Bursting with bold flavors and a refreshing, cooling effect – it feels like an antidote to summer’s heat.
What is Thai Iced Tea?
Thai iced tea, or “cha yen,” is a beloved drink from Thailand. This drink stands out with its signature bright orange color and rich flavor. It’s made with Thai tea mix, milk (or cream), and sweetened condensed milk, usually over ice.
Loose leaf Thai tea mix combines black tea, vanilla flavoring (and sometimes hints of cardamom or jasmine), plus a touch of food coloring to create that brilliant orange hue. It’s easy to find at your local international market. Or you can find the kind I used right here. It tastes just like the iced tea served at my local Thai restaurant.
Make the Thai Tea Cream
First, start by heating the heavy cream until it’s hot and steaming, but not boiling. If you’re a stickler for details, this is around 170°F to 180°F. Next, stir in the Thai tea mix, then remove the pan from the heat. After that, let it steep so it can fully extract all those bold, aromatic flavors.
Strain, Chill, and Measure the Cream
Next, strain the infused cream through cheesecloth to catch every bit of the loose tea. After chilling it thoroughly in the fridge, measure it carefully. You’ll need 2 cups of infused cream. The loose leaf tea will absorb some of the cream, so you may need to top it off with extra heavy cream. This step helps you maintain the right ratio of cream to condensed milk.
Make the Thai Tea Whipped Cream
Once the cream is cold, whip it on high speed until stiff peaks form. Don’t overwhip! The cream should look smooth and thick, not dry and lumpy. This whipped mixture gives the ice cream its smooth airy texture.
Fold with Condensed Milk
Now, gently fold about 1/3 portion of the whipped cream into sweetened condensed milk to lighten it. Then, fold in the remaining cream until everything is smooth and evenly combined.
Freeze Until Firm
Finally, pour the mixture into a loaf pan, cover, and freeze it until it’s scoopable and firm. At least 4 hours or overnight. If you don’t have a loaf pan, a plastic storage container with a lid, or even a metal 9-inch cake pan will work.
Ways to Enjoy Thai Tea Ice Cream
Scoop it up as-is, or sprinkle it with cardamom or cinnamon for a little extra warmth. Drizzle it with sweetened condensed milk or layer it with chewy boba for a Thai-meets-Taiwanese treat (my personal fave!). However you serve it, this ice cream is a true summer refresher.
It’s hard to believe that this rich, no-churn Thai Tea Ice Cream is made with just three ingredients! This easy summer dessert captures all the sweet, creamy flavor of classic Thai iced tea with no ice cream maker needed. If you’re a Thai iced tea lover like me, then I’m eager to know what you think! Let me know in the comments below.
Related recipe: Mango Boba (Bubble) Tea
3 Ingredient Thai Tea Ice Cream (No Churn)
Place the heavy cream in a saucepan and cook over medium heat until hot and steaming but not boiling.
Add the Thai tea mix and stir well. Remove from the heat and steep for 30 minutes.
Line a mesh sieve with cheesecloth and place over a large bowl. Pour the infused cream through the cheesecloth. Gather the cloth and squeeze with gloved hands to remove all of the Thai tea infused cream. Refrigerate 2-4 hours or overnight (and up to 3 days). The cream must be completely chilled to whip properly.
Measure the chilled cream to equal 2 cups. If you’re coming up short, top it off with more heavy cream (usually about 2-4 teaspoons more). Place the chilled cream in a large mixing bowl and beat with a hand mixer on high speed until the cream is thick and whipped to firm peaks.
Place the sweetened condensed milk in a separate large mixing bowl. Pour in about 1/3 of the whipped Thai tea cream and fold together with a rubber spatula until well combined. Pour in the remaining whipped cream and fold gently until well combined.
Pour the mixture into a 9×5-inch loaf pan and cover with plastic wrap; transfer to the freezer. Freeze for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Scoop, serve, and enjoy! Store the leftovers in the freezer.
Serving Suggestions: This creamy, cooling treat is perfect to enjoy after a spicy Thai dish. It’s wonderful as-is, but also good sprinkled with ground cardamom, ground cinnamon, or drizzled with additional sweetened condensed milk. For a Taiwanese-Thai cuisine fusion, try this ice cream layered with chewy boba. Layer it in a glass and top with 2 tablespoons of sweetened condensed milk, half and half, or heavy cream.
