Thai Cuisine

Thai Iced Coffee (กาแฟเย็น)

Name: Thai Iced Coffee (กาแฟเย็น)
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Total time: 15 minutes (plus cooling)
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 80 g oliang coffee powder (Thai coffee mix), or very strong dark roast ground coffee; 750 ml water; 80 ml sweetened condensed milk; 120 ml evaporated milk (or half-and-half); null Sugar, to taste (about 15 g, optional, depending on the sweetness of your condensed milk); null Crushed ice or ice cubes, enough to fill 4 tall glasses

Strong oliang coffee brewed with roasted grains and sesame, sweetened with condensed milk and poured over crushed ice

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Jump to Recipe

The aroma of Thai coffee brewing is something entirely different from what a Western coffee drinker might expect. It is deeper, smokier, and more complex, carrying notes of roasted grain, toasted sesame, and a faintly bitter earthiness that comes from the traditional oliang blend. When poured over crushed ice and sweetened with a generous pour of condensed milk, it becomes kafae yen, the iced coffee that fuels Thailand's afternoons.

Oliang, the coffee blend at the heart of this drink, is a distinctly Thai-Chinese creation. Traditional oliang powder combines robusta coffee beans with roasted corn, soybeans, sesame seeds, and sometimes rice, all ground together into a fine powder. The grain and seed additions stretch the coffee, lower the cost, and add a distinctive toasty, almost chocolatey flavor that pure coffee lacks. The robusta beans contribute higher caffeine content and a more bitter, full-bodied brew than arabica, which is why the generous sweetening with condensed milk is not mere indulgence but a necessary balance.

What Thai iced coffee delivers is a bold, sweet, deeply aromatic drink that operates on a different wavelength than the espresso-based iced coffees common in Western cafes. The sweetness is front and center, unashamed and intentional. The coffee flavor cuts through it with enough bitterness and body to prevent the drink from tipping into mere dessert. The crushed ice ensures each sip is bracingly cold, and the swirl of evaporated milk on top adds a creamy richness that mingles with the coffee as you drink. It is a drink built for hot climates, where the combination of caffeine, sugar, cold, and cream provides a quick, satisfying lift.

At a Glance

Yield

4 servings

Prep

5 minutes

Cook

10 minutes

Total

15 minutes (plus cooling)

Difficulty

Easy

Ingredients

4 servings

2¾ ozoliang coffee powder (Thai coffee mix), or very strong dark roast ground coffee
3⅛ cupwater
⅓ cupsweetened condensed milk
½ cupevaporated milk (or half-and-half)
—Sugar, to taste (about 15 g, optional, depending on the sweetness of your condensed milk)
—Crushed ice or ice cubes, enough to fill 4 tall glasses

Method

1
Bring 750 ml of water to a boil in a saucepan. Add the oliang coffee powder, stir once, and remove from heat. Let the coffee steep for 5 minutes. It should brew into a very dark, almost opaque liquid with a strong, roasted aroma.
2
Strain the coffee through a fine mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth or a coffee filter. If using a traditional Thai coffee sock (tungdtom), pour the hot water through the sock filled with coffee, as you would with a pour-over. Strain twice if any sediment remains. The brewed coffee should be clean and free of grounds.
3
While the coffee is still hot, stir in the sweetened condensed milk. Mix thoroughly until fully dissolved. Taste and add sugar if you want it sweeter. Remember that the ice will dilute the drink, so it should taste slightly too sweet at this stage.
4
Let the sweetened coffee cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until cold, about 30 minutes. Alternatively, set the pot in a bowl of ice water for faster cooling. The coffee can be made up to 3 days ahead and stored in the refrigerator.
5
Fill 4 tall glasses with crushed ice or ice cubes. Pour the cold sweetened coffee over the ice, filling each glass about three-quarters full.
6
Pour about 30 ml of evaporated milk over the top of each glass. It will pool on the surface and begin to sink slowly, creating a gradient from pale cream at the top to dark coffee at the bottom. Serve with a long spoon or straw.
7
Stir before drinking, or sip through the creamy top layer first, then the stronger coffee below, whichever suits your taste. The drink should be cold, sweet, boldly coffee-flavored, and creamy, with the roasted grain notes of the oliang adding a distinctive depth.

Key Ingredient Benefits

Oliang coffee: Traditional Thai coffee blends combine robusta beans with roasted corn, soybeans, and sesame seeds. Robusta beans contain roughly twice the caffeine of arabica (about 2.7 percent vs. 1.5 percent by weight) and have a more bitter, full-bodied flavor. The added grains provide small amounts of additional protein and fiber.

Condensed milk: Provides the primary sweetness and creaminess. It is high in sugar (about 55 percent) and should be used with awareness. In Southeast Asia, condensed milk became a kitchen staple because it does not require refrigeration, a practical advantage in tropical climates before widespread refrigeration.

Caffeine: The strong brew used in Thai iced coffee delivers a substantial caffeine dose, typically 100 to 150 mg per serving. Research associates moderate caffeine intake with improved alertness, physical performance, and reduced risk of certain diseases, though excessive intake can cause anxiety, insomnia, and increased heart rate.

Why This Works

Oliang powder produces a brew with a different flavor profile than pure coffee because the roasted grains and seeds contribute their own Maillard compounds. Toasted sesame adds nutty, slightly bitter notes. Roasted corn adds a sweet, cereal-like quality. Together, they create a more complex base that benefits from the heavy sweetening with condensed milk.

Steeping the coffee rather than using pressure (as in espresso) or drip extraction produces a full-bodied brew with more dissolved solids. This fuller body stands up to the dilution from ice and the richness of the milk without tasting watered down.

The crushed ice is traditional for good reason. It chills the drink faster and more thoroughly than large ice cubes, and the smaller pieces create a slush-like texture that Thai iced coffee drinkers expect. The rapid melting is accounted for by the extra-strong brew.

Substitutions & Variations

Coffee: If oliang powder is unavailable, use a very strong dark roast coffee. French roast or Italian roast brewed at double strength approximates the boldness. Add a pinch of ground cardamom for aromatic complexity.

Dairy-free: Replace condensed milk with sweetened coconut condensed milk. Use coconut cream or oat milk instead of evaporated milk.

Less sweet: Reduce the condensed milk to 45 ml and omit additional sugar. The drink will still have noticeable sweetness but with more coffee flavor coming through.

Hot version (kafae ron): Skip the ice. Serve the sweetened coffee hot in a cup, topped with a splash of evaporated milk.

Blended version: Combine the sweetened coffee with ice in a blender for a frozen, smoothie-like consistency. Popular in modern Thai cafes.

Serving Suggestions

Thai iced coffee is traditionally enjoyed as an afternoon pick-me-up, often purchased from a street vendor and served in a plastic bag with a straw. At home, serve it alongside a full Thai meal, particularly with spicy dishes where its sweetness provides relief.

It pairs beautifully with pad kra pao, where the bold coffee and chili heat create an energizing combination. Serve alongside Thai iced tea for a Thai beverage pairing that lets guests choose between the two.

For a Thai-themed brunch, offer Thai iced coffee with khao tom (rice porridge) or roti canai, where the sweet, creamy coffee complements milder foods.

Storage & Reheating

Refrigerator: The brewed and sweetened coffee concentrate keeps for up to 5 days in a sealed container. Store without ice.

Freezer: Pour the coffee concentrate into ice cube trays. Use these coffee cubes instead of regular ice to prevent dilution as the drink sits.

Batch prep: This recipe scales easily for gatherings. Make a large batch of the concentrate and store in a pitcher. Let guests pour over ice and add their own milk.