This ginger milk tea is incredibly creamy, soothing, and warming! It features a blend of black tea, oat milk, and fragrant spices like cardamom, ginger, and cinnamon. It’s like a warm hug in a cup, perfect for the winter months!
If you believe in the power of ginger root, you must try Ginger Turmeric Shots for a quick, fiery immunity boost. For something more traditional, try my Kadha (Ayurvedic Herbal Tea) — it’s the kind of comforting brew I grew up sipping when feeling under the weather. You can also switch things up with my bright Orange Ginger Dressing for salads, or keep the ginger theme going with a bubbly Ginger Beer Mocktail that’s refreshing and fun without any alcohol.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Simple: Enjoy the convenience of a one-pot recipe that’s ready in under 20 minutes!
- Healthy: With the antioxidant content of ginger, cardamom, and cinnamon, this ginger milk tea is packed with health benefits.
- Dairy-free: This recipe utilizes full-fat oat milk, making it a perfect dairy-free option if you have allergies or want a vegan-friendly milk tea.
What is ginger milk tea?
Ginger milk tea is just the drink you need on a chilly winter day! I love this recipe because it's incredibly straightforward, requires minimal ingredients, and takes less than 20 minutes to prepare, just like my oat milk chai latte.
It’s infused with the sweet-spicy zest of ginger, the robust depth of black tea, and the creamy sweetness of oat milk. Paired with optional spices, like green cardamom and cinnamon, it’s the perfect way to warm yourself up from the inside out. Serve it as-is or with toppings like oat milk whipped cream for an indulgent treat.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Oat milk: Provides a creamy, lush texture and a subtly sweet, nutty flavor. Use full-fat oat milk for the best results. You can swap it for almond milk, soy milk, or coconut milk.
- Black tea: Use tea bags or loose-leaf black tea for a robust flavor and color. Feel free to substitute black tea with green tea for a lighter taste or rooibos for a caffeine-free option.
- Ginger: Freshly grated ginger adds a spicy, warm kick that invigorates the tea. Adjust the amount based on your spice preference or use ground ginger in a pinch.
- Green cardamom: Infuses the tea with a sweet, aromatic flavor. You’ll need green cardamom, not black cardamom. You can also replace it with cardamom powder.
- Cinnamon: I use a whole cinnamon stick to add a warm, woody aroma to the tea. It can be substituted with a pinch of ground cinnamon or left out entirely.
- Sugar: I use granulated or cane sugar to sweeten the tea without overpowering it. You can use maple syrup or stevia for a different flavor profile.
How to make ginger milk tea
- Step 1: Combine the water, grated ginger, and spices in a pot on medium heat. As the mixture starts to bubble, turn the heat off and cover the pot. Let the spices infuse for 15 minutes for an ultra-aromatic base. The longer you let the spices steep, the more pronounced their flavors will be in your final drink.
- Step 2: Uncover the pot and turn the heat back to medium. Once it starts to boil, add the black tea and milk. Bring the ginger milk tea to a rolling boil, then immediately remove the saucepan from the heat. Add the sugar and stir the mixture so it completely dissolves.
- Step 3: Strain the ginger milk tea liquid through a metal strainer into a cup. Discard the spices and black tea. Serve your ginger milk tea while it’s hot!
- Optional: Froth your strained milk tea using an electric frother or a hand frother.
Serving Suggestions
Ginger milk tea pairs beautifully well with a variety of snacks and treats! Whether you're enjoying it with breakfast or at tea time, here are some delicious ideas for accompaniments:
- Cookies: Try it with options like vegan protein cookies, vegan lady fingers, or vegan chocolate chip cookies.
- Cakes: This milk tea is the perfect pairing with a slice of vegan sponge cake, vegan tres leche cake, or vegan olive oil cake.
- Muffins: Serve your tea with vegan chocolate chip muffins, vegan blueberry muffins, or gluten-free chocolate muffins for a comforting tea-time snack.
Storage & Reheating
If you have leftover ginger milk tea, follow these tips to store it properly:
- Fridge: Store the tea in an airtight container or sealed glass jar for up to 5 days. The flavors will continue to meld and deepen over time.
- Freezer: You can freeze extra ginger milk tea in ice cube trays to chill your next batch. Once frozen, transfer the cubes to a freezer bag or airtight container.
- Reheating: Warm the tea gently in a saucepan on the stove over low heat to avoid scalding the milk. Stir it occasionally and do not allow it to boil.
Top tips
- Use fresh ginger: The fresher the ginger, the more vibrant and intense the flavor of your milk tea will be!
- Simmer it slowly: Allow the spices to simmer gently to fully extract their flavors.
- Avoid overboiling: Boil the tea just until it rolls to avoid bitterness from the tea and to keep the oat milk from scalding.
- Customize the sweetness: Taste the milk tea and adjust the sugar level according to your taste preferences.
- Strain it thoroughly: Use a fine-mesh strainer to ensure a smooth tea without any spice or ginger residues.
FAQ
Heat the milk gently and avoid letting it boil vigorously. Curdling often happens when milk is heated too quickly or mixed with anything acidic.
Absolutely! Just adjust the amount of sugar to your liking or use a sugar substitute for a healthier version.
Yes! Loose-leaf tea can be used and often provides a more robust and richer flavor. Just be sure to strain it well.
More milk tea recipes
If you enjoyed this ginger milk tea recipe, take a peek at some more tea-based drinks like these:
- Jasmine Milk Tea: A light and refreshing tea with floral flavors.
- Rose Milk Tea: A delicate, floral, and creamy tea beverage.
- Caramel Milk Tea: A sweet, creamy, and refreshing recipe.
- Honeydew Milk Tea: Featuring ripe honeydew and creamy plant milk.
Ginger Milk Tea
DESCRIPTION
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup oat milk full fat or soy milk (I prefer Soy Beverage from Trader Joe's)
- 1 ½ cups water
- 2 tablespoon black tea
- 2 tablespoon ginger grated
- 1 tablespoon green cardamon seeds optional (I like to get the seeds without the shell)
- 1 whole cinnamon stick optional
- 2-3 tablespoon sugar or as preferred
METHOD
- Grate ginger using a box grater.
- Place water cardamom seeds, cinnamon, and grated ginger in a pot on medium heat. Once it starts to bubble, then immediately turn off the heat and cover the pot for 15 minutes to let the spices infuse. Note: I like to purchase the cardamom seeds without the pods. But if you have the ones with the green pods, then crack open the pods by gently pressing on them with a rolling pin or by using a mortar pestle.
- Uncover the pot and turn on heat back to medium. Once it starts to boil, add the black tea and oat milk.
- Bring the ginger milk tea to a rolling boil and then immediately remove from heat before it spills out. This takes about 2-3 minutes.
- Add sugar and stir till it completely dissolves.
- Strain the ginger milk tea liquid through a metal strainer into a cup. Discard the spices and black tea.
- Optional: Froth your strained milk tea using an electric frother or a hand frother.
- Serve hot!
NOTES
- Use fresh ginger: The fresher the ginger, the more vibrant and intense the flavor of your milk tea will be!
- Simmer it slowly: Allow the spices to simmer gently to fully extract their flavors.
- Avoid overboiling: Boil the tea just until it rolls to avoid bitterness from the tea and to keep the oat milk from scalding.
- Customize the sweetness: Taste the milk tea and adjust the sugar level according to your taste preferences.
- Strain it thoroughly: Use a fine-mesh strainer to ensure a smooth tea without any spice or ginger residues.
Leave a Reply