Cold Brew Milk Tea – Overnight Milk Tea
The easiest recipe to get deliciously flavored milk tea overnight
Cold brewing tea is the ultimate hack for tea lovers. No need to boil water and you won’t need to worry about steeping your tea for too long.
But here’s a secret twist that not many know about: you can also steep tea in milk overnight!
Dive into the world of cold brew milk tea and learn how to make this super easy and delicious drink.
Say goodbye to bitter tea and hello to a smooth and creamy experience.
In this post, we’ll show you the ropes of making cold brew milk tea like a pro.
Get ready to indulge in a cup of pure tea bliss!
Can you steep tea in milk?
The answer is yes! While traditionally tea is steeped in water, steeping it in milk can offer some unique benefits, especially when using the cold brew method.
It’s a surprisingly fail-proof technique that yields delicious results.
However, let’s clarify before someone gets offended, tea, like everything else, is a matter of personal preference.
As The Guardian aptly puts it, tea is best enjoyed the way you like it.
The general consensus is to steep tea in water first, as it allows the flavors and caffeine to unfurl.
But if you prefer a rich and creamy tea, you can certainly steep it directly in milk.
A popular example is chai or royal milk tea, where some people steep the tea in water before adding the milk, while others steep it directly in milk.
With cold brewing, there’s no need to heat or simmer the milk.
Simply let it steep for a few hours, and you’ll have a wonderfully fragrant milk tea.
Give it a try and follow the recipe in this post to experience it for yourself!
How to make cold brew milk tea: step-by-step
What you’ll need
Just two ingredients
Equipment
- Cold brew bottle or teapot (or any container with cover)
- Fridge
- Strainer (in case you use loose tea)
Time needed: 6 hours and 5 minutes
How to cold brew tea in milk
- Combine the tea and milk
Place the tea in a bottle or container, and pour the milk over.
Cover the container to prevent any odors from the fridge.
- Cold steep
Place the mixture of tea and milk in the fridge.
Steep for at least 4 hours or overnight (don’t sweat over a couple of hours more). - Remove the tea
Take out the tea bags or strain the tea.
Enjoy your cold-brewed tea with milk!
Tips
- For tea types that go well with cold brewing in milk, look in the section below.
- If you have a cold brew bottle or any tightly sealable container, you can shake the tea-milk mixture to speed up the process.
However, if you are steeping in a non-sealable container like the one pictured in this post (I’m using my regular tea pot), simply stir the mixture once with a spoon to ensure the tea is fully in contact with the milk. - In my opinion, there is no need to sweeten the milk tea, since it will have a naturally sweet taste.
But if you prefer a sweeter milk tea, feel free to add some syrup, like my sugar-free simple syrup or maple syrup.
For a chocolate flavor, you could also mix in some chocolate syrup.
Best teas for cold brew milk tea
You can cold brew any type of tea that is indicated for cold brewing and that you’d like to drink with milk. These are some of the best teas that you can cold brew in milk for a delicious and creamy taste:
- Black tea (Assam, Ceylon or blends like Breakfast blends):
This is probably the most popular tea type to drink with milk. It has a bold and strong flavor that pairs well with milk. - Chai tea:
This spiced tea is a blend with black tea and it goes so well with milk, that is traditionally made with milk.
While it’s traditionally prepared and served warm, it also tastes delicious cold! - Earl Grey:
This is a tea blend made with black tea flavored with bergamot oil.
The bergamot oranges add a delightful citrusy and floral taste. And since the tea base is black, it pairs well with milk.
When cold brewed in milk, it creates a creamy and refreshing beverage that is perfect for warm weather. - Oolong tea:
This middle oxidized tea has a slightly sweet and nutty flavor that goes well with milk.
It’s also a good choice for those who want a lighter tea. - Hojicha:
This is a roasted green tea that has a nutty and smoky flavor.
It’s a good choice for those who want a tea that is less bitter than other green teas and pairs well with milk. - Jasmine tea:
This is a floral tea that has a delicate and sweet flavor. It’s a good choice for those who want a tea that is light and refreshing, and pairs well with milk.
Tea types you shouldn’t cold steep in milk
As always when it comes to tea, you can experiment on your own.
But I recommend avoiding herbal teas or any tea that indicates it needs to brew in hot water.
Additionally, even if a blend is good for cold brewing but contains hibiscus, don’t use it with dairy milk as it can cause the milk to curdle.
RELATED: Why not to cold brew herbal tea
I prefer to drink the tea immediately after the steep time is over. However, if stored in a closed container in the fridge, it can remain good for up to 2-3 days (assuming the milk was fresh to begin with).
Cold brewing tea, which involves steeping the tea in cold water instead of hot water, is generally considered to result in less caffeine being released.
Similarly, steeping tea in milk is believed to release less caffeine.
Although there are few sources stating the exact amount of caffeine in cold brew tea, and none that I could find for tea cold brewed in milk, it’s reasonable to assume that you can expect less caffeine than from tea prepared with hot water.
Yes, you can prepare matcha with either cold water or cold milk.
However, since matcha is a powder, you don’t need to technically brew it. Simply combine the matcha with your liquid of choice by whisking or shaking it. Additionally, since matcha is a delicate tea, it’s best to prepare it just before enjoying it to ensure freshness and the best flavor.
I prefer to avoid cold brewing any type of herbal tea unless the vendor specifically indicates that it’s safe to do so.
If you want to prepare milk tea with chamomile or rooibos, I recommend brewing it with a small amount of hot water and then cooling it down with ice cubes. It won’t taste diluted if you brew it concentrated in the first place.
Absolutely! You can use any type of milk and milk alternative to cold brew tea in it.
Cold Brew Milk Tea Recipe
Equipment
- Cold Brew Tea Bottle Or any other container you can store in the fridge
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp. Loose leaf tea * or 2 teabags
- 1 Cup Milk of choice Both dairy and plant based options work great
Instructions
- Put tea and milk in a container and cover it.
- Put the container in the fridge and wait for at least 4 hours or overnight. Don’t worry if you steep it for a couple of hours more.
- Take out the tea bags or strain the mixture to remove the tea leaves.Now you can enjoy your delicious cold-brewed tea with milk!
Notes
So called “dessert tea” blends also go wonderful cold brewed in milk!
