Oolong Milk Tea Recipe
This oolong milk tea recipe uses loose-leaf oolong steeped at 85C -- the temperature that prevents bitterness and keeps the tea fragrant. No tea bags. The result matches what a good boba shop produces: slightly creamy, floral, and clean.
Servings 2 glasses
Calories 70kcal
Cost $4
Equipment
- 1 Small saucepan or temperature-controlled kettle
- 1 Tea strainer
- 1 Kitchen thermometer optional but recommended
Ingredients
For the Oolong Milk Tea
- 2 tbsp loose-leaf oolong tea roasted (Dong Ding or Wuyi) for nutty notes; green oolong for floral
- 1.5 cups water heated to exactly 85C / 185F -- not boiling
- 1/2 cup whole milk or oat milk cold
- 1 tbsp simple syrup or sugar to taste
- ice as needed for iced version
Instructions
Brew the Oolong
- Heat water to 85C -- not a full boil. Boiling water makes oolong tea bitter and grassy. If you don't have a thermometer, bring water to a boil then let it sit uncovered for 3 to 4 minutes before adding the leaves.
- Add loose-leaf oolong to a strainer over your cup or a teapot. Pour the 85C water over the leaves and steep for 3 to 4 minutes. Pull the leaves at 4 minutes -- longer steeps at any temperature cause bitterness. The brewed tea should be golden-amber and smell fragrant, not sharp.
- Stir in simple syrup or sugar while the tea is still hot -- cold tea doesn't dissolve sugar well. Start with 1 tablespoon and adjust after tasting.
Assemble the Milk Tea
- For iced milk tea, let the brewed oolong cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for 20 minutes. Do not pour hot tea directly over ice -- it dilutes the flavor.
- Fill a tall glass with ice. Pour in the cooled oolong tea and add cold milk. Stir gently. For hot milk tea, warm the milk separately and froth if desired before adding to the hot tea. Serve immediately.
Notes
85C is the critical temperature -- boiling water at 100C makes oolong bitter in under 2 minutes.
Roasted oolong (Dong Ding, Wuyi) works best with milk -- the nutty caramel notes pair naturally. Green oolong becomes floral and lighter.
For a concentrate to use all week, double the tea and halve the water. Add 1:1 with milk per serving.
