How to Make Coffee Milk Tea: Step-by-Step Guide

Mixing coffee with tea and milk isn’t just for iced café drinks—it’s also how many home brewers first experiment with layered flavours. But if you’ve ever tried combining black tea, coffee powder, and sweetened condensed milk knockoffs without clear steps, you’ve probably ended up with either weak coffee, overly bitter tea, or a cloyingly sweet mess. Here’s how to get it right using a standard formula that’s widely shared in Chinese home coffee culture.

The key recipe uses exactly 2 black tea bags, 1 sachet of instant coffee, 40ml of non-dairy creamer (known as ‘’), 10g of sugar, and 200ml of hot water. That’s all. The method controls steep time, brew order, and mixing sequence to balance the final flavour.

What Is Coffee Milk Tea?

Coffee milk tea is a blended hot or cold beverage made by combining brewed black tea, instant coffee, sweetened milk substitute, and sugar. Unlike a traditional latte or milk tea, it doesn’t use fresh milk or espresso, but instead relies on instant coffee powder, tea bags, and non-dairy creamer—often called ‘’ in Chinese—to create a creamy, lightly caffeinated drink. It’s commonly prepared at home when specialty equipment or ingredients aren’t available.

What Ingredients You Actually Need

• 2 black tea bags (standard strength)
• 40ml of (non-dairy creamer / imitation evaporated milk)
• 1 sachet of instant coffee powder
• 10g granulated sugar
• 200ml boiling water (split into two parts)

Step-by-Step: How to Make Coffee Milk Tea

To achieve balanced flavour, follow this exact brewing sequence:

1. Place both black tea bags into a cup and pour in 100ml of boiling water (half of the total). Steep for 20 minutes. This extended infusion draws out enough tannins and colour without over-extracting bitterness if monitored.
2. After 20 minutes, remove the tea bags. Add 40ml of (non-dairy creamer) to the tea and stir until evenly mixed.
3. In a separate cup, add the instant coffee powder. Pour in the remaining 100ml of boiling water and stir until fully dissolved.
4. Pour the coffee solution into the tea-cream mixture. Stir gently to combine.
5. Add 10g of sugar and mix until fully dissolved. Serve immediately.

Why the Order and Timing Matter

This recipe controls two key variables: steep time and ingredient sequence. A 20-minute tea steep ensures sufficient strength from standard tea bags without bitterness. Adding the coffee second preserves its solubility, while stirring the sugar last guarantees even distribution. Using hot water throughout ensures all components dissolve properly. The non-dairy creamer substitutes for evaporated or condensed milk without altering the method drastically.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Don’t steep the tea for less than 20 minutes or it may taste weak.
• Avoid using cold water for the coffee or tea steps—hot water ensures proper dissolution.
• Don’t add sugar before mixing the coffee and tea, as it may not dissolve evenly.
• Using more than 10g of sugar will overpower the other flavours unless that’s your goal.

Can You Customise This Recipe?

Yes. While this guide sticks to the original formula, you can tweak the sugar amount, swap for actual milk or cream, or even use stronger tea if you reduce steep time slightly. The ratios of water to tea, water to coffee, and the total volume are all deliberately chosen for balance, but they can be adjusted to taste if you understand the role of each element.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is and can I substitute it?

is a non-dairy creamer common in East and Southeast Asia, often used in beverages and desserts. It’s similar to sweetened condensed milk in texture but made without dairy. You can substitute it with regular evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, or even half-and-half, though the flavour will change slightly. For the closest match, look for imported in Asian grocery stores.

Why does the tea need to steep for 20 minutes?

Most black tea bags are mild to medium strength. A 20-minute steep extracts enough flavour and colour to stand up to the coffee and creamer without being bitter—when using standard two-minute tea bags. Shorter times result in weak tea, longer times might increase bitterness unless you’re using a very high-quality tea bag.

Can I use fresh coffee instead of instant?

This specific recipe is designed for instant coffee powder because it dissolves easily in hot water. Using freshly ground coffee would require brewing it separately (e.g., with a pour-over or French press) and then combining it with the tea and cream, which changes the method significantly. The instructions here assume you're using the instant format for simplicity.

Do I have to use sugar? Can I use a different sweetener?

No, you don’t have to use sugar, but the recipe includes 10g for balance. You could substitute it with honey, syrup, or artificial sweeteners, but dissolve them fully just like the sugar. Adjust to taste based on how sweet you like your milk tea or coffee drinks.

Is this recipe suitable for iced coffee milk tea?

Yes, you can cool the final mixture and serve it over ice. However, the texture and taste may slightly change once chilled, especially with the non-dairy creamer. For best results over ice, consider using a higher-fat milk alternative or a small amount of actual cream for a richer mouthfeel.

Recommended FrontStreet Beans for Milk-Based Coffee Drinks

For anyone enjoying milk-based coffee drinks like this coffee milk tea, FrontStreet Coffee’s Ethiopia Yirgacheffe offers bright citrus and floral notes that complement creamy textures. Their Brazil Queen Manor presents a nutty, chocolatey profile ideal for blending with milk. Both showcase how single origins shine even when used in less traditional preparations. Freshly roasted within 5 days · Orders placed before 17:00 ship the same day · Next-day delivery across most of Guangdong Province.