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The Japanese royal milk tea in a beautiful Japanese ceramic teacup with pink roses.

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Japanese Royal Milk Tea (hot & iced)

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One pleasant surprise for visitors to Japan is discovering the amazing selection of drinks you can find. Even vending machines are not like the lame ones we have here. They have a huge variety of high quality, tasty beverages. One of my favourites was always Japanese royal milk tea.

So creamy and rich in flavour – it was almost always my choice. On a hot day, chilled milk tea is so delightfully refreshing. Drinking it hot is wonderful as well! I will show you how to make both versions.

The Japanese royal milk tea is shown in a beautiful Japanese ceramic teacup.

how to make Japanese royal milk tea

There are a few different kinds of black tea that can be used for Japanese royal milk tea.

  • Darjeeling (India) – light coloured with a floral aroma.
  • Assam (India) – dark, bold, and malty.
  • Ceylon Uva (Sri Lanka) – amber and full bodied.

I use a blend of 75% Darjeeling for the light colour and delicate floral scent, and 25% Assam for a bit of depth and robustness.

Japanese royal milk tea is made with a combination of Assam and Darjeeling tea leaves.

To get the most flavour out of your tea, we want to open it up first. Do this by putting it into a small bowl and add just enough boiling water to evenly coat the tea leaves. In the meantime, heat the milk and water in a small pot.

The tea leaves are 'opened up' with hot water before steeping.

Just before the milk/water begins to boil, add in the moistened tea leaves and turn off the heat. Stir them with a spoon to mix them in. Cover the pot and let it sit for four minutes (five if you intend to drink the tea iced). Prepare your teacups by filling them with hot water to warm them.

The tea leaves are steeping in hot milk and water.

After the steeping is finished, give it another stir, then strain the milk tea into a bowl or measuring cup with a pour spout. Now sweeten it to your taste preference. In Japan they often use liquid sugar called gum syrup. You can use sugar if you’d like, but I used honey.

The Japanese royal milk tea is strained to remove the tea leaves.

Remove the water from the teacups and pour in your tea. It is ready to enjoy hot.

However, my favourite way to enjoy Japanese royal milk tea is iced. It is so delicious and refreshing. If you want to try it this way, pop the bowl in the fridge to cool for a bit before serving it on ice.

Sweetened royal milk tea is poured into a tea cup.
Japanese royal milk tea in a blue, Japanese ceramic teacup beside pink roses.
The Japanese royal milk tea is shown in a beautiful Japanese ceramic teacup.
Iced tea in a glass beside pink roses.
Overhead shot of a glass of tea on ice.
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The Japanese royal milk tea is shown in a beautiful Japanese ceramic teacup.

Japanese Royal Milk Tea

★★★★★ 5 from 20 reviews
  • Author: Asha
  • Prep Time: 1 minute
  • Cook Time: 4 minutes
  • Total Time: 5 minutes
  • Yield: 2 servings 1x
  • Category: Tea
  • Cuisine: Japanese
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Description

A rich and creamy milk tea that has a delicate floral aroma. You can enjoy this famous Japanese tea both hot and iced.

Scale

Ingredients

Measurements for 2 servings (see note for 1 serving – not half)

1 1/2 tsp (heaping) Darjeeling tea leaves

1/2 tsp (heaping) Assam tea leaves

300 ml milk

100 ml water

honey, to taste

Instructions

Measure the tea leaves into a very small bowl. Add in just enough boiling water to thoroughly cover the leaves. Let this sit to open up the leaves. 

[Hot version: preheat tea cups by filling with hot water.]

Heat milk and water in a small pot over medium heat. Just before it begins to boil, add in the moistened tea leaves and turn off the heat. Stir with a spoon to mix. 

Cover the pot and allow it to steep for 4 minutes (5 if you will drink it iced).

Give it another stir, then strain the milk tea into a bowl or measuring cup that has an easy pour spout. Sweeten the tea to your taste preference with honey.

Hot version: Empty hot water from tea cups and fill with prepared milk tea.

Cold version: Chill in fridge until cool enough to serve over ice.

Notes

Measurements for one serving: 1 1/2 tsp (heaping) black tea leaves (75% Darjeeling, 25% Assam) – 150 ml milk – 75 ml water

Keywords: Japanese tea, royal milk tea

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Kayla says

    I’m obsessed with Japanese milk tea! But it’s expensive at import stores. Thanks for showing how to make it at home 😀

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  12. Marsha says

    Not much one for writing reviews however I have been enjoying this tea most of the summer. It’s such a great tea to sit and relax with that I just wanted to thank you for the recipe.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  18. Evelyn says

    My first time having this tea. A perfect relaxing drink as we jump or crawl into a new year. lol
    I may need to have this tea every night.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

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