This oolong milk tea recipe gives you the drink you usually pay for at a bubble tea shop: toasty, slightly floral tea, a splash of creamy milk, and just enough sweetness to round it out. It takes about 25 minutes, needs only a few ingredients, and works three ways: iced, hot, or with tapioca pearls. The only real skill is brewing the tea strong enough to stand up to the milk, and that is simple once you know the temperature and the timing.
Below you will find which oolong to buy, how long to steep it, how to sweeten an iced drink without gritty sugar or clumpy honey, and how to avoid the usual problems, like bitter tea or a watery drink. If you want the quantities, jump to the recipe.
What Is Oolong Milk Tea?
Oolong sits between green tea and black tea. It is partially oxidized, which is why it can taste anything from floral and buttery to roasted and nutty, depending on the type. When you add milk, the result is a smooth drink that is usually less bitter than black milk tea and more aromatic than green milk tea.
One source of confusion is “milk oolong.” Sencha Tea Bar’s guide to oolong milk tea explains that milk oolong is a tea blend that contains no milk at all, but has a rich, creamy body. It is a nice choice for this drink, but any good oolong will work, and the milk comes from the carton, not the leaf.
Choose Your Oolong
The type of oolong you use changes the flavor of the finished drink more than anything else.
| Type of oolong | Flavor | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Lightly oxidized (such as Tieguanyin or high-mountain) | Floral, fresh, a little buttery | Light, aromatic iced milk tea |
| Milk oolong (such as Jin Xuan) | Creamy, soft, slightly sweet | Beginners, and anyone who wants a smooth drink |
| Roasted oolong (such as Dong Ding) | Toasty, nutty, deeper | Strong, bold milk tea that stands up to boba and brown sugar |
Loose-leaf tea gives the best flavor, but tea bags work too. If you buy a flavored oolong, such as peach, expect a fruitier drink.
How to Brew Oolong for Milk Tea
Milk dilutes tea, so you want a concentrated brew. The two settings that matter most are water temperature and steep time.
- Temperature. Oolong likes hot but not boiling water, roughly 185 to 205°F (85 to 96°C). Several sources agree on that range, including Broke Bank Vegan’s oolong milk tea recipe. If you do not have a thermometer kettle, bring the water to a boil and let it sit for about a minute.
- Time. Steep for 3 to 4 minutes for milk tea. Broke Bank Vegan suggests 2 to 3 minutes for a lighter flavor and up to 5 for a more robust, earthy cup, and warns not to go past 5, which tastes bitter.
- Amount. Use about 3 tablespoons of loose-leaf tea (roughly 8 grams) per 1½ cups of water, or 4 tea bags, so the tea is strong enough for milk.
- A quick rinse. Some brewers pour a little hot water over the leaves, then discard it before the real brew. It wakes up the leaves and removes dust. It is optional.
- Strain and cool. For an iced drink, strain the tea and cool it before it meets the ice, or your drink will be watery.
Oolong Milk Tea Recipe
This oolong milk tea recipe makes 2 large drinks (about 16 ounces each). Prep time: 10 minutes. Brew time: 4 minutes. Cooling time: 20 to 30 minutes for the iced version.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons (about 8 g) loose-leaf oolong tea, or 4 oolong tea bags
- 1½ cups (360 ml) hot water, about 195°F (90°C)
- 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk, or oat, soy, or coconut milk
- 2 to 4 tablespoons honey syrup (see below), or brown sugar syrup, to taste
- 2 cups ice, for the iced version
- Optional: ½ cup cooked tapioca pearls
Honey syrup
Honey does not dissolve well in cold drinks. Stir ¼ cup honey into ¼ cup hot water until smooth, then let it cool. It keeps in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. This is also the sweetener for our honey vanilla iced latte.
Method
- Brew. Put the tea in a heatproof pitcher or teapot, pour in the hot water, and steep for 3 to 4 minutes. Strain well.
- Cool the tea (iced version). Let the tea cool for 20 to 30 minutes on the counter, or chill it in the refrigerator. To speed things up, set the pitcher in a bowl of ice water.
- Sweeten. Stir the honey syrup into the tea while it is still slightly warm, so it blends smoothly.
- Prepare the glasses. Add the tapioca pearls to the bottom of two tall glasses, if you are using them. Fill the glasses with ice.
- Add the tea. Pour about ¾ cup of the cooled tea into each glass.
- Add the milk. Pour ½ cup of milk into each glass and stir. Taste, and add more syrup or a splash more milk to suit.
Hot Oolong Milk Tea
Skip the cooling and the ice. Brew the tea as above, pour about ¾ cup into a mug, and add ¼ to ⅓ cup of warm milk and your sweetener. For a latte-style version, froth the warm milk first and pour it over the tea. If you want a lighter drink, use less milk. It is a good use of tea that you have not brewed as strong.
Oolong Boba Tea
To turn this oolong milk tea recipe into bubble tea, you need cooked tapioca pearls.
- Cook the pearls. Follow the package directions. Packages differ, and quick-cook pearls take much less time than traditional ones. Most call for boiling in plenty of water, then resting off the heat, and draining.
- Rinse and sweeten. Rinse the pearls briefly in cool water, then soak them in a little brown sugar or honey syrup for 10 to 15 minutes so they taste sweet.
- Use them fresh. Tapioca pearls are best within a few hours of cooking, as they harden as they sit.
- Assemble. Put ¼ cup of pearls in each glass before the ice, tea, and milk. Use a wide boba straw.
Oolong Milk Tea Recipe Variations
- Brown sugar oolong milk tea. Swirl brown sugar syrup around the inside of the glass before pouring the drink for the classic bubble tea look.
- Peach or fruit oolong. Use a flavored oolong, or add a spoonful of peach syrup.
- Plant-based. Oat, soy, and coconut milk all work. Soy and oat tend to give a creamier drink, and coconut gives a distinct flavor.
- Condensed milk. Swap 1 to 2 tablespoons of the milk and sweetener for sweetened condensed milk for a richer, thicker drink.
- Cold brew. Steep 3 tablespoons of tea in 1½ cups of cold water in the refrigerator for 8 to 12 hours, then strain. It makes a smoother, less bitter base.
- Spiced. Add a pinch of cinnamon or cardamom to the brew for a warm twist. Our Pulhia tea shows another spiced tea approach.
- Ginger and honey. A slice of ginger in the brew, and honey instead of syrup, makes a warming version. See also our lemon ginger honey recipe.
Oolong Milk Tea Recipe Troubleshooting
The tea tastes bitter. It steeped too long or the water was too hot. Keep the steep to 3 or 4 minutes, and do not exceed 5.
The drink is watery. The tea was too weak, or hot tea melted the ice. Use more leaves, cool the tea first, and use plenty of ice.
The milk curdles in hot tea. It can happen with very hot or acidic mixtures, and with some plant milks. Warm the milk gently, and pour it in slowly.
The honey clumps in the cold drink. Use honey syrup, not straight honey, or stir honey into the warm tea before cooling it.
It is not sweet enough. Add syrup a spoonful at a time. Iced drinks taste less sweet than hot ones, so sweeten more than you think.
The flavor is too weak. Use more tea or a roasted oolong, which has a stronger flavor. It will hold up better against milk.
The boba is hard. It was undercooked, or too old. Cook it fully and use it within a few hours.
Caffeine and Who Should Check
Oolong contains caffeine, usually somewhere between green and black tea. The FDA’s guidance on caffeine cites 400 milligrams a day as an amount not generally associated with negative effects for most adults. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, sensitive to caffeine, or have a health condition, ask your healthcare provider about your limit. Also keep in mind that caffeine in tea adds up across the day.
Storage and Make Ahead
Brewed tea. Strain and refrigerate the tea in a sealed jar for 2 to 3 days. Broke Bank Vegan notes that you can brew oolong a few days in advance. Fresh tea tastes best.
Honey syrup. Keeps in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Assembled drinks. Best the same day. The milk can separate or dilute over time.
Boba. Use within a few hours.
Oolong Milk Tea Recipe FAQs
What does oolong milk tea taste like?
It is smooth and mildly floral or roasted, depending on the oolong, with a creamy finish from the milk. It is usually less bitter than milk tea made with black tea.
Does oolong milk tea have caffeine?
Yes. Oolong tea contains caffeine, so the drink does too.
What temperature should I use to brew oolong?
Between 185 and 205°F (85 to 96°C). Let boiled water sit for a minute if you do not have a thermometer.
How long should I steep oolong for milk tea?
3 to 4 minutes, and no more than 5, to avoid bitterness.
What kind of milk is best?
Whole milk gives a rich, creamy result. Oat and soy milk are good plant-based options.
Can I use tea bags?
Yes. Use about 4 bags for the amount of water in this recipe.
Can I make it without sugar?
Yes. A good oolong has natural sweetness, especially a milk oolong, so you may not need much sweetener.
What is milk oolong?
A type of oolong that tastes naturally creamy but contains no milk.
Can I make a big batch?
Yes. Brew and strain the tea in a large batch, and store it in the refrigerator. Add milk and sweetener to each glass as you serve.
Final Thoughts on This Oolong Milk Tea Recipe
A good oolong milk tea recipe comes down to three things: brew the tea strong but not bitter, cool it before it touches the ice, and sweeten it with something that dissolves, like honey syrup. Once you have those down, you can make the drink iced, hot, or with boba, and switch the oolong and the milk until you find your favorite. It is the kind of recipe that pays for itself after a couple of cups.
Iced Oolong Milk Tea
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Brew the tea: Pour hot water over the oolong tea and steep for 3–4 minutes.
- Strain: Remove the tea leaves or tea bags.
- Cool: Let the tea cool for 20–30 minutes, or refrigerate until chilled.
- Sweeten: Stir honey syrup into the tea to taste.
- Prepare the glasses: Add tapioca pearls, if desired, and fill both glasses with ice.
- Add the tea: Divide the cooled tea between the glasses.
- Add the milk: Pour ½ cup of milk into each glass and stir well.
- Serve: Taste, adjust the sweetness, and enjoy immediate
Notes
- Tea choice: Light oolong gives floral notes, milk oolong tastes naturally creamy, and roasted oolong provides a deeper, nuttier flavor.
- Milk options: Whole milk, oat milk, soy milk, and coconut milk all work well.
- Sweetness: Adjust the honey syrup to your preference or substitute brown sugar syrup.
- Avoid bitterness: Steep for 3–4 minutes and avoid exceeding 5 minutes.
- Prevent dilution: Cool the tea before pouring it over ice.
- Storage: Refrigerate brewed tea in a sealed container for 2–3 days. Assembled drinks are best enjoyed fresh.
- Boba option: Add freshly cooked tapioca pearls for bubble tea.
- Preparation time: 10 minutes, plus 20–30 minutes cooling time.
- Servings: 2 large drinks.
