Name: Dairy Free Thai Tea Ice Cream
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 2 cans (13.5 oz each) Full-Fat Coconut Milk; 1/2 cup Thai Tea Mix (Loose Leaf); 1/3 cup Granulated Sugar; 1 tbsp Cornstarch; 1/4 tsp Salt; 1 can (11.25 oz) Sweetened Condensed Coconut Milk, Divided; 1 tsp Vanilla Extract

Whenever I go out to eat Thai food, I always order a cold glass of sweet Thai tea.

Traditional Thai tea usually relies on regular condensed milk, which can be tough if your stomach cannot handle milk.

That is why I wanted to make this dairy free thai tea ice cream right at home.

Coconut milk works wonderfully as a base here, and it naturally pairs with the rich tea flavor.

You get that vibrant color and sweet, creamy taste without any actual dairy involved.

Why This Recipe Is a Keeper

Authentic Restaurant Taste – It captures the exact sweet and spiced flavor of your favorite Thai iced tea drink in frozen form.

Ultra Rich Texture – Full-fat coconut milk creates an amazingly creamy base without needing a single drop of real dairy.

Sweet Cream Ribbon – Swirling condensed coconut milk throughout the pan adds gooey pockets of pure sweetness in every bite.

No Egg Hassle – You get custard-like richness using simple cornstarch instead of dealing with tricky eggs.

Here’s What You’ll Need

2 cans (13.5 oz each) Full-Fat Coconut Milk
1/2 cup Thai Tea Mix (Loose Leaf)
1/3 cup Granulated Sugar
1 tbsp Cornstarch
1/4 tsp Salt
1 can (11.25 oz) Sweetened Condensed Coconut Milk, Divided
1 tsp Vanilla Extract

How to Make It

Step 1

Heat the coconut milk in a medium saucepan over medium heat until steaming but not boiling. Remove from the heat, stir in the Thai tea mix, cover, and let steep for 6 minutes.

Step 2

Pour through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing firmly on the tea leaves with a spoon to squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Discard the leaves and rinse out the saucepan.

Step 3

In the clean saucepan, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, and salt, then whisk in the strained tea coconut milk. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, for 4 to 5 minutes, until it simmers and thickens slightly.

Step 4

Remove from the heat and whisk in 3/4 cup of the condensed coconut milk and the vanilla. Press plastic wrap onto the surface and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight.

Step 5

Pour the chilled base into an ice cream maker bowl that has been frozen for at least 24 hours. Churn for 20 to 25 minutes, until thick and creamy.

Step 6

Spread one third of the ice cream into a 9×5-inch loaf pan and drizzle with some of the remaining condensed coconut milk. Repeat the layers two more times, then swirl gently with a skewer.

Step 7

Cover tightly and freeze for 4 to 6 hours, until firm. Let sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before scooping.

Recipe Tips

Strain with Cheesecloth or a Coffee Filter

Thai tea mix has very fine tea dust that can slip right through a standard metal strainer. If that happens, your ice cream will have an unpleasant gritty texture.

I recommend lining your fine-mesh sieve with cheesecloth or a paper coffee filter before pouring the warm liquid.

This extra layer catches all the tiny particles and leaves you with an ultra-smooth base.

Watch the Steeping Time Closely

You might be tempted to leave the tea leaves in the coconut milk longer for a deeper color, but I’ve found that 6 minutes is the sweet spot.

If you let it steep past that, the tea releases bitter tannins that overpower the sweet, creamy coconut flavor.

Set a timer the moment you stir the tea into the warm coconut milk so you can strain it right on time.

Dissolve the Cornstarch Completely

Cornstarch can clump instantly into stubborn little balls if it touches warm liquid.

My favorite trick here is whisking the dry sugar, cornstarch, and salt together first before slowly pouring in the liquid.

Whisk continuously while the pan heats up so the starch thickens the base evenly without leaving any lumpy spots.

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