Thai Iced Coffee Recipe (Oliang) - Ingredients & How It's Made

Thai Iced Coffee Recipe: How To Make Authentic Oliang At Home

Don’t settle for a Thai iced coffee knock-off. Here’s how to make the real thing.

Sipping on a sweet iced coffee is one of life’s simple pleasures, all the more so in the humid climate of Southeast Asia. A lot of Thai iced coffee recipes seem to be little more than black coffee with ice and condensed milk. While that is an undeniably delicious treat, I want to teach you how to make the real deal – just like you’d get in Thailand.

Authentic Oliang is a much deeper and more complex drink, with layers of unexpected flavor. It’s sweet, creamy, refreshing, and delicious, but it’s also so much more!

How To Make Thai Iced Coffee

Thai iced coffee is traditionally called Oliang, which refers to black iced coffee. It comes from the words “O” for black and “Liang” for cold in the Teochew dialect of Thai Chinese people, a minority group that has had considerable influence on Thai food and drink (1).

Oliang Ingredients

• 3 tbsps of Oliang powder
• 1 cup (8 ounces) of water
• 2 tbsps of sweetened condensed milk
• 2 tbsps of evaporated milk
• Ice cubes
• A few drops of almond extract (optional)
• A pinch of cardamom powder (optional)

At A Glance

Brew time:

10-15 minutes

Yield:

One 12-ounce drink

What Is Oliang?

Traditional Oliang powder is made by combining ground Robusta coffee; toasted grains like corn, sesame seeds, soy beans, and rice; brown sugar; and spices like cardamom. The precise mix and ratio varies by vendor.

Oliang powder is available for purchase as a pre-made mix online or in most Asian supermarkets. If you can’t find it, substitute dark roast coffee grounds, ideally coffee from Thailand, and add the optional almond extract and cardamom to your brew to mimic some of the complexity (2).

Authentic Thai Iced Coffee Recipe: Step-By-Step

Oliang actually refers to black iced coffee, but the classic Thai drink is often served with sweetened condensed milk and/or evaporated milk. Think of this recipe as a starting point, and feel free to adjust the sweetness and strength of the brewed coffee to your taste.

Check out this list of iced coffees for other ideas of delicious coffee drinks you can make at home.

1. Brew The Thai Coffee

In Thailand, Oliang is brewed with a coffee maker called a tungdtom – a cloth filter connected to a metal ring with a handle. You can easily substitute a coffee sock or use another immersion method like a French press or Aeropress.

Put the Oliang ground coffee powder into the filter over a cup or carafe, and pour over 1 cup of just-below-boiling water. Let it steep for 5 to 10 minutes.

Pro tip: You can make your own Oliang powder! Toast 20 g each of dried soybeans and dried popcorn kernels on low heat until they turn slightly brown. Remove from the heat and add 5 g of sesame seeds to the pan. Grind the mix with 50 g of coffee beans. Add 1 tbsp brown sugar and ½ tsp ground cardamom – or to taste.

2. Add The Milk

Add the sweetened condensed milk and evaporated milk to the hot coffee and stir well to mix. This is also when you can optionally add almond extract or spice. Let it cool to at least room temperature before continuing.

Pro tip: Adjust the ratio and amount of sweetened condensed milk to taste. Replace some or all of the evaporated milk for a sweeter coffee. Or swap in fresh whole milk for a lighter drink.

3. Pour The Coffee Over Ice

Fill a tall chilled glass with ice cubes, coffee ice cubes, or crushed ice. Pour the cooled sweetened coffee mixture over the ice. Drizzle a bit more evaporated milk or heavy cream on top for added creaminess and visual appeal.

Pro Tip: You can use a non-dairy creamer like full-fat coconut milk with a sweetener like maple syrup as a substitute for sweetened condensed milk and evaporated milk if you want to make a vegan version of this recipe.

Final Thoughts

Traditional Thai iced coffee is made using the stunningly flavorful and complex Oliang powder, which you can buy online as easily as ground coffee. Combine it with sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, and ice in this easy Thai iced coffee recipe for a sweet and refreshing coffee treat that is the perfect pick-me-up on a steamy summer afternoon.

FAQs

Why is Thai iced coffee so good?

Thai iced coffee is so good because of its complex flavors, characteristic spices, and the perfect balance between sweet milk and bitter Robusta coffee beans. It’s far more nuanced than simply sweetened coffee with milk and ice. Of course, it tastes extra good in Thailand’s hot and humid climate (3)!

What is the difference between Thai and Vietnamese iced coffee?

The main differences between Vietnamese iced coffee and Thai iced coffee are the brewing method and the coffee blend. Vietnamese coffee is brewed using a phin metal coffee filter rather than a tungdtom, which yields a strong coffee reminiscent of espresso. Ground Robusta coffee – sometimes with added chicory – is used in place of the Oliang.

What’s the difference between Thai iced tea and Thai iced coffee?

The difference between Thai iced tea and coffee is the ingredients, and thus the flavor profile. Thai iced tea uses black tea in place of coffee, sometimes flavored with star anise, cardamom, and tamarind. However, both drinks are often served with sweetened condensed milk and/or evaporated milk.

Check out our recipes for Black Tie Coffee and Yuanyang Coffee (Hong Kong Style Milk Tea Coffee) for delicious drinks that blend tea and coffee!

What does Thai iced coffee taste like?

Thai iced coffee is strong, spicy, earthy, and slightly bitter when served black. When sweetened with condensed milk, the bold coffee flavor is more balanced, and the coffee beverage has a delightful creamy mouthfeel.

References

1. Sher, I. (n.d.). Clash of “Chailand.” Retrieved from https://thenewgastronome.com/clash-of-chailand/
2. BK City Living. (2018). Bangkok’s best baristas explain why coffee from Northern Thailand is so special. Retrieved from https://bk.asia-city.com/city-living/news/bangkoks-best-baristas-explain-why-coffee-northern-thailand-so-special
3. Palahan, R. (2018, March 8). Coffee & Culture: Thailand. Retrieved from https://beanvoyagecoffee.medium.com/coffee-culture-thailand-322390cf624b