Looking for an easy recipe on how to make tea with milk powder? Well, here's my easy version of milk powder tea recipe for you.
This is a milk tea recipe made using powdered milk instead of fresh milk. The recipe I have here is for a hot cup of smooth and frothy tea, but it can also be enjoyed iced. The recipe can also be used to make classic bubble milk tea (boba tea), by simply adding some warm tapioca pearls to the drink and serving it chilled.
Table of contents
What is Milk Powder?
Milk powder is simply milk in dry powder form. It looks almost like flour (fine powder) but with a slightly yellowish hue. To use milk powder to make milk, you just need to mix it with water and stir well. You can read more details about it in my post on how to make milk with milk powder.
Milk powder comes in a number of different variants. Some are full cream, while others are low fat (nonfat dry milk). There are also infant formula for babies which is literally milk in powder form for babies and infants.
Some types of milk powder require the powder to be mixed with hot water, while others can be mixed with cold water. There are also some that do not dissolve well when mixed with hot boiling water. Depending on the country you are in and the milk powder brand you use, it is best that you read the details on the packaging of the milk powder to know how to use it.
Different Methods of Using Milk Powder to Make Tea
Using milk powder to make tea or coffee is very convenient. Milk powder has a much longer shelf life compared to fresh milk. It is often sold in packages or tins. Unopened, milk powder can last for many months from the date of production. Refer to the packaging for its expiry date. Once opened, it can also last for a few months but it should be kept in an airtight container to ensure it remains fresh.
There are 2 different methods or different ways in which you can use milk powder to make milk tea. Firstly method, is to make the liquid milk first (by mixing the milk with water to turn it into liquid form) before adding into brewed tea like you would with fresh milk.
The second method, which is an easier method, and which is also the method I am sharing here, is to add the dry milk powder directly into brewed tea for a quick and easy cup of tea with milk.
How to Make
Ingredients
- Water
- Black tea bags (or loose leaf tea)
- Sugar
- Milk powder
- Boba pearls (optional)
- Brown sugar syrup (optional)
- Ice cubes (optional)
Brewing the tea for hot milk tea
- Start by measuring water into a small pot. Boil water and turn off the heat.
- Dip the tea bags in (make sure the tags are not dipped in together). Cover the pot with a lid and let the tea steep in the hot water for 3 minutes. If using tea leaves (loose leaves) simply add the tea leaves into the hot water and cover.
- Once the 3 minutes is up, remove the lid and the tea bags. Squeeze all the tea out of the tea bags by pressing them on the side of the pot with the back of a spoon. Discard the tea bags. If using loose tea leaves, you can strain the tea to remove the leaves at this stage or do it later.
- Next to go into the tea is the milk. Spoon the milk powder into the hot tea. Stir well to dissolve the milk powder. Make sure there are no lumps of milk powder left undissolved. If unsure, strain the tea. Also, if you are using loose tea leaves and did not strain the tea in the earlier step, do it now. Discard the tea leaves.
- Next, add sugar into the tea. Stir to dissolve the sugar. This is a fairly quick step given the tea is hot.
- Pour the tea into a cup and serve. If you want your tea to be frothy, use a frothing machine. Or simply pour the tea into a manual frothing cup and froth it before pouring into a serving cup.
Making iced milk tea with milk powder
- To make iced tea with milk powder, you will need to follow the same steps as above, however, when brewing the tea, use only half of the water indicated in the recipe. Once the tea is made, top up the tea with the remaining water but use iced or chilled water to cool the tea closer to room temperature.
- Keep the tea chilled until ready to serve.
- To serve, add some ice cubes into a drinking glass and pour in the tea. Serve.
Making boba milk tea (classic bubble tea) with milk powder
- To make the classic boba milk tea (bubble milk tea) with milk powder, follow the same steps as making the iced milk tea above. Also, cook and prepare the boba pearls separately as indicated on the boba pearls package.
- To make the brown sugar syrup, add the brown sugar into a medium pan and add water. Heat it up lightly and add in the drained boba pearls. Stir to coat the pearls in the syrup. The brown sugar syrup should be thick. Turn off the heat.
- To assemble the bubble milk tea, add the warm and chewy tapioca balls into a tall drinking glass. Top it with ice cubes.
- Pour in the milk tea. Serve immediately.
Notes
How to brew tea correctly?
- The correct way and the best method to brew tea is by boiling the water, taking it off the heat and adding the tea leaves to it. You should then cover the water and let the tea steep in there for about 3 minutes.
How to avoid the milk powder from clumping in the tea?
- Generally, milk powder will not clump if mixed well in the tea. In case you still have this problem, straining the tea before serving will help remove such clumps.
- To help the milk powder dissolve well in the tea, you can use a cocktail shaker. Do make sure the tea is not hot especially if you are using a metal shaker cup.
Can you adjust the amount of milk powder in the tea?
- Yes, you can add as much milk powder into your tea to your personal preferences. If you prefer more milk in your tea, you can add more milk powder, vice versa.
- In fact, one of the good points of using milk powder to make milk tea is that the more milk you add, the creamier your tea will be, but unlike using fresh whole milk, it will not dilute your tea.
How long will this milk tea last?
- This milk tea, similar to milk tea made with fresh milk (regular milk), is best consumed on the same day it is made. If you wish to keep it longer, it needs to be refrigerated, and even then, it is best consumed within the next day.
Like this easy recipe? Here are my other posts you should try
- Pandan Milk Tea - Easy Homemade Bubble Tea Recipe
- How to Make Lychee Jelly for Bubble Tea
- Lychee Tea - Easy, Fragrant and Absolutely Refreshing
- Butterfly Pea Flower Drink - Easy Blue Pea Tea Recipe
- Grass Jelly Milk Tea - Easy Bubble Tea Recipe
- How to Make Milk with Milk Powder
- Earl Grey Milk Tea
Recipe
Here is the full printable version of my milk powder tea recipe.
How to Make Tea with Milk Powder
Ingredients
- 550 ml water
- 2 black tea bags
- 4 tablespoon milk powder
- 2 tablespoon white sugar
Additional Ingredients for Bubble Tea
- ½ cup tapioca pearls (uncooked)
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
Hot tea
- Measure water into a small pot. Bring it to a boil and turn off the heat.
- Dip the tea bags in. Cover the pot with a lid and let the tea steep in the hot water for 3 minutes. If using tea leaves, add the tea leaves into the hot water and cover.
- Once the 3 minutes is up, remove the lid and the tea bags. Squeeze all the tea out of the tea bags by pressing them on the side of the pot with the back of a spoon.
- Discard the tea bags.
- If using loose tea leaves, you can strain the tea to remove the leaves at this stage or do it in the next step.
- Spoon the milk powder into the tea. Stir well to dissolve the milk powder. Make sure there are no lumps of milk powder left undissolved. If unsure, strain the tea. Also, if you are using loose tea leaves and did not strain the tea in the earlier step, do it now. Discard the tea leaves.
- Add sugar into the tea. Stir to dissolve the sugar.
- Pour the tea into a cup and serve. For frothy tea, use a frothing machine or froth with a manual mesh frothing cup before pouring into a serving cup.
Iced Tea
- Follow the same steps above but use only half of the water indicated in the recipe. Once the tea is made, add the remaining half of the water, this time chilled water.
- Keep the tea chilled until ready to serve. To serve, add some ice cubes into tall drinking glasses. Pour the tea and serve.
Bubble Milk Tea
- Boil the boba pearls accordingly to the package instructions. Drain the water.
- Measure brown sugar into a small pan or pot. Add water.Turn on the heat to a low flame. Stir the sugar and water briefly and add in the strained boba pearls. Stir to coat them well with the syrup. Turn off the heat.
- Make the iced milk tea as indicated in the steps above, but do not add the ice cubes.
- To assemble the bubble milk tea, add the warm boba pearls into a tall drinking glass. Top it with ice cubes.
- Pour in the milk tea. Serve immediately.
Nutrition
And that's my easy and quick recipe and guide on how to make tea with milk powder.
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