Vanilla milk tea recipe and its variations

Vanilla Milk Tea is a comforting and delicious drink perfect for a cozy afternoon. Served hot or iced with various flavors, vanilla milk tea will surprise you with its delightful taste and simple preparation. 

As a passionate forager, I love drinking herbal teas like rosehip tea, linden or elderflower tea. However, I discovered chocolate tea last year and was impressed with all the flavors.

This time I want to share how easy it is to make vanilla milk tea. 

What is vanilla milk tea.

It is a sweet and creamy tea-based beverage popular in many countries, mainly in Asia. Some of its variations include additional flavors such as cinnamon or cardamom. Vanilla milk tea is super easy to make and can be served hot and cold.

Ingredients.

Milk

While people traditionally use whole milk, nowadays, many prefer to use alternative milk substitutes, such as almond milk, soy milk, coconut milk, or oat milk. All are fine, whether frothy or not.

Vanilla

There are several ways to add vanilla flavor to your tea: vanilla bean, extract, powder, or vanilla syrup. The method you choose can affect the strength and type of vanilla flavor. 

When using a vanilla bean, just split open a vanilla bean and scrape out the seeds. Add the seeds and the split vanilla bean to your milk and let it steep for several minutes. The longer you let it steep, the stronger the vanilla flavor. Similarly, you can use vanilla powder.

However, if you use vanilla extract or vanilla liqueur add a few drops to your tea mixture after steeping.

Vanilla syrup is excellent if you want to add sweetness and vanilla flavor. Add a few teaspoons to your tea after steeping.

Black Tea

Traditionally, make vanilla milk tea with black tea. Here are the different flavors of black tea that I love to use.

• Assam tea is a black tea from India that has a strong, malty flavor. 
• Darjeeling tea is a black tea from the Darjeeling region of India that has a more delicate flavor than Assam tea. 
• Earl Grey tea is flavored with bergamot, a type of citrus fruit. Its distinct flavor makes it a popular choice for making vanilla milk tea with a twist.

you can also use other than black: 

• Rooibos tea is an herbal tea that comes from South Africa. It has a naturally sweet and nutty flavor and is caffeine-free, making it a great choice for those who want to avoid caffeine. 
• Matcha tea is a type of Japanese green tea that is made from finely ground, high-quality tea leaves packed with antioxidants. Unlike other teas, the tea leaves used to make matcha are shade-grown before harvesting, which increases their chlorophyll content and gives the tea a vibrant green color.

Sweetener

Traditionally, people used honey or sugar to sweeten their vanilla milk tea.

However, maple syrup is popular for those looking for a natural, unrefined sweetener. Other alternatives include agave nectar, coconut sugar, and stevia. 

Vanilla Milk Tea Simple Recipe

First step – brew your tea.

You can use a tea bag or loose-leaf tea and a cup of boiling water to brew a cup of black tea. Pour boiling water over tea and steep for 4-5 minutes if you’re using loose leaf tea or 2 minutes for a tea bag.

Second step – make vanilla milk.

Pour the milk into a small sauce pan and heat it until it steams.

Slice the vanilla bean in half lengthwise and scrape the seeds with a knife. Add the vanilla bean seeds and the empty vanilla bean pod to the milk. At this stage, you can also add spices if you add any.

Stir the mixture and let it simmer over low heat for about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the pan from the heat and discard the vanilla bean pod.

Third step – mix it.

Pour vanilla milk into your cup of black tea and add sweeteners, vanilla extract, or syrup.

Let the vanilla milk tea cool slightly before serving.

Adding milk and vanilla gives the tea more body and flavor, changing it from ordinary tea to a flavoring cup of warm and comforting drink.

Vanilla milk tea recipe variations

There are different variations when replacing or adding some ingredients.

Spiced Vanilla Milk Tea (Masala Chai)

You can make a warming spiced drink by adding cardamom, ginger or clove to the vanilla milk tea recipe. It is also called Masala chai in other parts of the world.

It originated in India and is traditionally made by brewing black tea with aromatic spices and herbs. The term “chai” means “tea” in Hindi. Add the spices in the second step when making vanilla milk. After 10 minutes of simmering, discard the spices, pour the spiced vanilla milk over the tea, and stir well.

Iced Vanilla Milk Tea:

• Brew a cup of black tea and let it cool.
• Add about 3-4 tablespoons of ice cubes in a large glass and pour the tea over it.
• Make a vanilla milk as in the second step if you are using vanilla beans. Or mix one cup of milk with one teaspoon of vanilla extract, and sweetener in a separate container to taste.
• Pour the milk mixture over the tea and stir well.
• Serve with additional ice cubes if desired.

What Does Vanilla Milk Tea Taste Like?

The original Vanilla milk tea has a sweet, creamy, and slightly floral taste with a subtle hint of vanilla flavor. Black tea is bold and robust with a slightly bitter flavor if you let it steep for too long.

When you use other alterations, their taste will differ. 

If you use matcha green tea instead of black tea, the resulting vanilla tea will have a more earthy and vegetal taste. The matcha will also give the tea a bright green color and a slightly bitter taste that contrasts with the sweetness of vanilla and milk. If you use rooibos tea instead of black tea, the resulting vanilla milk tea will be caffeine-free and have a nutty, slightly sweet taste. 

Spiced vanilla milk tea calls for adding spices such as cinnamon, cardamom, or nutmeg. These spices can add warmth and complexity to the drink, creating a comforting and flavorful drink perfect for chilly days. The herbs can also complement the sweetness of vanilla and milk, creating a balanced and harmonious flavor profile.

Vanilla Boba Milk tea (Bubble tea)

By adding chewy tapioca pearls, you can turn a vanilla milk tea into a vanilla bubble tea, also known as boba. 

Begin by boiling 1/4 cup of water over low or medium heat, then gradually add the pearls while continuously stirring. The pearls will sink to the bottom immediately, but keep going to prevent them from sticking together.

Continue doing this for approximately 30 to 40 seconds. Once the pearls start floating on top and increase in size, they are fully cooked. This process may take around three to four minutes.

Afterward, remove the pan from the heat source, place the lid on top, and let it sit. Enjoy with wide-mouthed straw.

The refreshing tea pairs well with the chewy and slightly sweet tapioca balls.