Home › Recipes › Thai Tea Frappuccino
Thai Tea Frappuccino
Starbucks doesn't sell one - so we make our own. A Thai tea frappuccino takes the spiced, sunset-orange flavor of cha yen and blends it thick with ice, milk and sweet condensed milk, then crowns it with whipped cream. It's the frozen, spoonable side of Thailand's most famous drink, and it takes about fifteen minutes at home.
What is a Thai tea frappuccino?
A frappuccino is simply a blended iced drink - tea or coffee whipped with ice and milk until it turns slushy. A Thai tea frappuccino (sometimes called a Thai tea frappe) uses the same fragrant, orange-hued Thai tea base you'd pour over ice for cha yen, but blends it into a thicker, dessert-like treat. Because there's no official Starbucks version, copycat recipes have taken off online - and the homemade one is better, since you control the sweetness and the strength.
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp Thai tea mix (ChaTraMue or Pantai)
- 1 cup hot water (90°C)
- 2 tbsp sweetened condensed milk
- 2 tbsp evaporated milk (or whole milk)
- 2 tsp sugar, optional, to taste
- 3 cups ice (or frozen Thai tea cubes)
- Whipped cream to top
How to make it
- Brew strong. Steep the Thai tea mix in hot water for 5 minutes, then strain. Make it stronger than you'd drink it - blending with ice dilutes everything. Chill it, or freeze it into cubes.
- Blend. Add the chilled tea, condensed milk, evaporated milk, sugar and ice to a blender. Blend on high until smooth and slushy, about 30-45 seconds.
- Finish. Pour into tall glasses, top with whipped cream and a drizzle of condensed milk, and serve immediately with a wide straw.
The secret to that authentic orange color and flavor
Everything rides on the mix. Standard black tea won't give you the toasty, vanilla-tinged aroma or the signature sunset color - that comes from a proper Thai tea blend. Reach for a trusted brand and brew it strong so the flavor survives the ice and milk.
The classic Bangkok blend - deep color, bold flavor, and the backbone of any good Thai tea frappe.
Check price on Amazon →Ways to change it up
Once you've got the base down, the frappe is easy to riff on. Swap in a scoop of vanilla ice cream instead of some of the ice for a milkshake-style version. Blend in cooked boba pearls or drop them in after for a bubble-tea frappe. Go dairy-free by using coconut or oat milk and a splash of condensed coconut milk - see our vegan Thai tea guide for the best swaps. For a lighter drink, cut the condensed milk and lean on the tea's natural aroma.
Keto Thai tea frappuccino (~2g net carbs)
The classic frappe above is a dessert - condensed milk and sugar put it around 40-50g of carbs a glass. The good news is that the tea itself is essentially carb-free, so the whole drink converts to keto with two swaps. Nothing else about the method changes.
| Ingredient | Classic | Keto swap |
|---|---|---|
| Sweetener | Sugar + sweetened condensed milk | Monk fruit, erythritol or allulose |
| Creaminess | Evaporated + condensed milk | Heavy cream, or unsweetened almond/coconut milk |
| Topping | Whipped cream + condensed drizzle | Unsweetened whipped heavy cream |
| Net carbs | ~40-50g | ~2g |
How to make it
- Steep 4 tbsp Thai tea mix in 1 cup hot water for 5 minutes, then strain. Stir in 1-2 tbsp monk fruit or allulose while it's still hot so it dissolves cleanly.
- Chill the sweetened tea, then freeze most of it into ice cubes - this is what keeps a keto frappe thick without condensed milk's body.
- Blend the frozen tea cubes with 3-4 tbsp heavy cream (or unsweetened almond/coconut milk) until slushy, about 30-45 seconds.
- Top with heavy cream whipped unsweetened, and a pinch of cinnamon or a star anise pod.
Counting carbs more broadly? Our full breakdown of whether Thai tea is keto covers the cafe-ordering rules and the carb math behind every version.
FAQ
Does Starbucks have a Thai tea frappuccino?
No - Starbucks does not sell an official Thai tea frappuccino in the US, which is why copycat recipes are everywhere. You'll find them at Thai cafes and boba shops, or you can make a better one at home for a fraction of the price.
How do I make it thicker and less watery?
Freeze your brewed Thai tea into ice cubes and blend those instead of plain ice, and keep the added liquid low. More frozen tea and less water gives a thick, spoonable frappe.
Can I make a keto Thai tea frappuccino?
Yes. Swap the sugar and sweetened condensed milk for monk fruit, erythritol or allulose, and use heavy cream or unsweetened almond or coconut milk instead of evaporated and condensed milk. That takes a roughly 40-50g carb dessert down to about 2g net carbs per glass. Freeze the sweetened tea into cubes to keep it thick.
Can I make it without condensed milk?
Yes. Use whole milk or a dairy-free milk with a couple of teaspoons of sugar, or a scoop of vanilla ice cream for creaminess. It'll be a touch less sweet and rich, but still delicious.
Keep reading
- The classic iced version: authentic cha yen
- Thai tea smoothie: the blended fruit cousin
- Thai tea latte: the warm, milky version
Disclosure: this page contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, Chaayen earns from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.