Asian Drinks – Easy and Refreshing Recipes to Make at Home
This post may contain affiliate links.If you love trying different Asian drinks, this collection is a good place to start. I’ve gathered some of my favorite recipes here, from creamy milk teas and fragrant herbal drinks to fruity sodas and refreshing iced teas that are easy to make at home.
I have always loved how varied Asian drinks can be. Some are rich and creamy, some are light and refreshing, and others are warming and fragrant enough to enjoy slowly on a quiet afternoon.
In this collection, I’m sharing drinks that I make at home and enjoy with my family, including Thai iced tea, Indonesian wedang jahe, Korean strawberry milk, butterfly pea tea, and several kinds of milk tea. Some are especially good with spicy food, while others are perfect with cakes, snacks, or afternoon tea.
Most of these recipes are simple to prepare, and I like that many of them can be adjusted easily. You can make them sweeter, less sweet, stronger, creamier, or lighter depending on what you enjoy.
Thai & Southeast Asian Drinks
Thai Iced Tea
I love Thai iced tea for its fragrant tea flavor and creamy sweetness. It is especially refreshing with spicy food, and making it at home also means I can adjust the sweetness exactly the way I like it.
Tamarind Iced Tea
I really enjoy the sweet and tangy flavor of tamarind, especially when it is served cold. This tamarind iced tea is refreshing, a little different from regular iced tea, and particularly nice with savory meals.
Butterfly Pea Tea
Butterfly pea tea is one of those drinks that is almost as fun to look at as it is to drink. I love its beautiful blue color, and adding a little citrus makes it even more interesting because the color changes right in front of you.
Lemongrass Pandan Tea
Lemongrass and pandan are two aromas I grew up being very familiar with, so I especially love them together in this tea. The lemongrass gives it freshness while the pandan adds its lovely sweet fragrance.
Milk Tea & Creamy Drinks
Earl Grey Milk Tea
Earl Grey is one of my favorite teas to turn into milk tea because I love its fragrant bergamot aroma. Adding milk makes it smooth and comforting without covering up the character of the tea.
Oolong Milk Tea
I love using oolong for milk tea because it has such a distinctive fragrance. This version is creamy but still lets the flavor of the tea come through, and I can easily adjust how sweet I want each glass.
Rose Milk Tea
Rose milk tea is one of my favorite choices when I want something a little more fragrant and delicate. The floral aroma works beautifully with creamy milk and makes an ordinary afternoon drink feel a little more special.
Assam Milk Tea
When I want a stronger milk tea, Assam is usually a great choice. Its bold tea flavor holds up very well against milk, so the finished drink still tastes rich and tea-forward.
Korean Strawberry Milk
This is such a fun drink to make when strawberries are good and sweet. I love the little pieces of fresh strawberry in the milk because they give the drink so much more texture and flavor than plain flavored milk.
Blue Latte
I originally loved this drink because of its beautiful color, but it is also creamy and very easy to make. It is one of those drinks that looks impressive even though the preparation is actually quite simple.
Fruit & Refreshing Drinks
Cucumber Juice Drink
This is one of my favorite drinks when the weather is hot or after I’ve eaten something spicy. Cucumber, lime, and mint make it taste especially fresh and cooling.
Pineapple Mint Soda
I love the combination of pineapple and mint because it is sweet, bright, and refreshing without feeling heavy. Adding soda water makes it even more fun to serve with a meal or when guests come over.
Lychee Tea
Lychee is one of my favorite fruits to use in drinks because of its sweet floral aroma. Combined with tea and served over ice, it makes a very refreshing drink without being overly rich.
Lychee Soda
When I want something fruity and fizzy, lychee soda is one of the easiest drinks to make. I especially like how its floral sweetness works with the bubbles and plenty of ice.
Warm Herbal & Spiced Drinks
Turmeric Ginger Tea
This is the kind of drink I like when I want something warm and strongly aromatic. Ginger gives it plenty of warmth, while turmeric adds its earthy flavor and beautiful golden color.
Ginger Lemon Drink
I love how simple this drink is. The ginger makes it warming while the lemon keeps it fresh and bright, so it works well both as a cozy warm drink and a refreshing chilled one.
Red Ginger Drink / Wedang Jahe
Wedang jahe is a drink that feels very familiar to me because it is commonly enjoyed in Indonesia. I love using red ginger because it gives the drink a stronger, warmer flavor that is especially comforting in the evening.
Helpful Drink-Making Basics
How to Cook Tapioca Pearls
Since I make several milk tea drinks at home, knowing how to cook tapioca pearls properly is very useful. This method gives you pleasantly chewy pearls that you can add to milk tea whenever you feel like making your own boba drink.
How to Make Golden Syrup
I like keeping homemade golden syrup around because it is useful for more than just baking. It also works as an easy liquid sweetener for drinks and blends in much more easily than granulated sugar.
Conclusion
I hope this collection gives you plenty of ideas the next time you feel like making something a little different to drink. Whether you are craving a creamy milk tea, a fruity iced drink, or a warm and fragrant tea, there is something here for every mood and season.
One of the things I enjoy most about making drinks at home is being able to adjust them exactly the way I like them. You can make them less sweet, add more tea for a stronger flavor, or experiment with different toppings and ingredients.
If you are not sure where to start, try the Thai Iced Tea for something creamy and refreshing, the Cucumber Juice Drink for hot days, or Wedang Jahe when you want something warm and comforting. I’ll keep adding more Asian drinks to this collection as I make and test new recipes.
Asian Drinks FAQs
Popular Asian drinks include milk teas, fruit teas, herbal teas, iced teas, and traditional drinks from different Asian countries. Some well-known examples are Thai iced tea, milk tea, Korean strawberry milk, butterfly pea tea, and Indonesian wedang jahe.
Many Asian drinks are surprisingly simple to prepare. Thai iced tea, cucumber juice drink, lychee soda, milk tea, ginger lemon drink, and butterfly pea tea are all good options for beginners and require only a few ingredients.
Cold and creamy or fruity drinks are especially nice with spicy dishes. I like serving Thai iced tea, cucumber juice drink, lychee soda, or pineapple mint soda because their refreshing flavors help balance a spicy meal.
Yes. One of the advantages of making these drinks at home is that you can adjust the sweetness to your preference. I usually recommend starting with less sweetener and adding more after tasting.
Many of them can be prepared ahead. Brewed teas and some drink bases can usually be refrigerated and then combined with milk, ice, soda, or other ingredients just before serving. Check each individual recipe for its specific storage instructions.
More Asian Recipes
If you’re looking for more recipes to try, explore these Asian recipe collections, from savory meals and breads to cakes and desserts.
- Asian Food Recipes
- Asian Chicken Recipes
- Asian Beef Recipes
- Easy Chinese Recipes
- Asian Dessert Recipes
- Asian Gluten-Free Dessert Recipes
- Asian Cake Recipes
- Asian Bread Recipes
- Easy Stir Fry Recipes
