So you want to know a quick story? Long ago, when I began a healthy weight loss journey, I introduced myself to oolong tea. It’s been about 12 years or more since I began sipping and steeping oolong and I naturally flavor oolong tea 1 way and today I am going to share how! My tea will share a version of a nondairy oolong milk tea and why you’ll love it, plus several recipes!
If you yearn for a full-bodied cup of bold (or not) and fruity tea (floral tea) sometimes with a slight “grass” (don’t walk away yet!) profile in the background, you’ve got to keep reading!

Ok, I know what you are thinking, that the “grassy” profile turns you off, but hear me out because there is caffeine in oolong tea and I am about to share with you what not to add to oolong tea because you can ruin the overall taste which often also resembles roasted nuts (so good!)
What Not To Add To Oolong Tea So You Don’t Ruin It!
What you’ve got to know about oolong teas, is that you’ll ruin them if you add milk (dairy milk) and that you can simply add your nondairy milk forms atop the tea with my everyday favorite small kitchen appliance you’ll want to get!
So, my 1 way to naturally flavor oolong tea so you don’t ruin it is to make a nondairy oolong milk tea without real milk but rather the nutty kinds of milk that you have come to love because the nutty essence and flavoring of those milk highly compliment the steeped natural flavor of oolong tea.
Here is How To Make Milk Oolong Tea That Is Actually Nondairy Oolong Milk Tea
Now I am about to share my pro tip for making nondairy froth so you can naturally flavor oolong tea!
I use this frother each day, whether I am having a cup of coffee with my coconut milk, or my oolong midday tea with almond milk. Sometimes I make the froth hot and other days I make it cold but I always add a dash of cinnamon!
The soft foam maker is revolutionary when topping off my beverages and a great way to naturally flavor oolong tea without actually flavoring the tea and rather the froth!
How Did I Discover Oolong Tea Milk That Is Really Not Milk At All?
Stick with me here, I’ll explain how I discovered this! I actually was consuming a lot of oolong tea, and I got bored with it.
Yes, I really said I got bored with tea.
The flavor was great, deep, fruity, and floral, and I even purchased different brands, for the lighter side of oolong, but I felt that it was lacking flavor and I wanted to liven it up.
Well, first I tried dairy milk (at that time I still consumed dairy milk) and I found that the milk annihilated the flavor because for some reason it tasted sour or tart and I SPIT it out!
I had just switched my one child over to non-dairy milk, so I grabbed it. Since it did not smell nor taste the same as traditional milk, I did a second pourover on my leaves of oolong and then added just a tablespoon of almond milk into it!
There it was, the taste of the century, oolong almond milk naturally flavored without adding anything else.
Don’t worry my story keeps moving along because I never stop experimenting!
What Else Can I Use To Naturally Flavor Oolong tea?
First, if you are making a soft foam hot froth or cold froth, you can actually add a few things to the froth instead of directly into the oolong tea and then you’ll pour it atop the oolong which eventually blends but never is it sour!
It’s within this mixture that you can add your flavors, including a dash of caramel swirl or even your agave, honey, or mint leaves if you prefer!
Other Ways To Naturally Flavor Oolong Tea Without Ruining It?
- For a natural sweetener use organic agave, or you can use honey (try for local organic)either will give depth to the flavor
- You can also use a date that is soaked in water for 15 minutes and smashed and then placed into your beverage! (there will be floaters but it does not matter!)
- When you make the oolong tea (in your tea kettle for perfect water temperature) you can add fresh peppermint or spearmint leaves, into the water or into the tea ball!
- Compatible non-dairy milks such as almond, cashew, or I even use oatmeal milk! Simply add a tablespoon or 2 directly into your stepped oolong tea, stir and enjoy!
- Lavender oolong is nothing short of amazing and since the oolong leaves often hint at floral this combination is soothing without being overdone! (Lavender dried flowers)
- Sometimes when I brew this tea and get to the second pourover of water, I add a dried apricot that I cut into a few pieces and allow it to steep and often just sit at the bottom of the glass and it is amazing. I found that they market apricot oolong tea and I decided that rather than buying it I could just make my own and the earthy fruity, nutty flavor crushes it with this combination.
- Coconut water. It’s almost perfect drinking temperature and the taste of earthy and nutty against coconut water is just yummy! However, coconut water is not the same as coconut milk so try each and decided what you prefer.
- Last but not least, my favorite cinnamon oolong tea (cinnamon bark). This is a perfect fall drink!
Other Things I Learned About Oolong Tea
First and foremost I was attracted to oolong tea because it has been marketed as a tea that has the power to help fight obesity and lower bad cholesterol. Quickly l noticed changes but I wanted more and that is when I saw oolong tea discussed on Dr. Oz. (back in 2014)
Oolong tea ranges from green to black and you can purchase the tea in loose leaf bags or in tea bags.
Steeping times will differ for everyone, depending on how bitter or strong you prefer your tea
Don’t buy cheap oolong tea bags or loose leaf tea leaves as they won’t taste as good!
Black and brown oolong tea is what is used for “weight loss” not green oolong tea.
Potential Health Benefits From Sipping on Nondairy Oolong Milk Tea?
- My doctor had suggested probiotics to cleanse my gut because he also felt that I had bad bacteria in my gut.
- After a little research, I found out that oolong can kill off bad bacteria so I used this instead of popping probiotics.
- I will say this eventually I did add probiotics and prebiotics back into a pill form because I wanted to gain maximum advantage in a healthy gut and I don’t believe that oolong tea alone can do that.
- Additionally, weight loss is key to changing up a lifestyle and I had read (and had been endlessly lectured by my PCP ) to add oolong because it has antioxidants that actually can help with stubborn belly fat out arm areas. (not sure if this is true because I saw NO difference with this, It’s about exercise IMO!)
For those that might want an additional tea, make sure to read my article on Matcha.
Oolong Tea Weight Loss? Not Sure What I Believe About This
Again, I will stress that over 18 months, I managed to lose 30 pounds.
However, that weight loss was through a change in diet, and lifestyle, adding in a good bit of exercise, and sipping on tea every single day 2x day! So maybe oolong tea weight loss is a thing?
For those that are still doubting the ability of a basic tea to help aid fat breakdown well, you’ll want to read this article published recently.
In fact, it reminded me a lot of a tea I was using after watching a Dr. Oz video way back when.
4 Tip For How To Best Naturally Flavor Oolong Tea
- Use oolong loose leaf tea leaves instead of oolong tea bags
- When using the fresh oolong leaves, use a tea ball infuser to bring out the best full-bodied taste.
- Always remember, that the longer it sits, the stronger the flavor.
- The second pourover is the better cup of tea
- There is caffeine in oolong tea
Yes, There Is Caffeine In Oolong Tea
Now, what I have not said until now is that oolong is a caffeine-loaded brew, and with that, if you are not good with caffeine before bed then do the following.
Early in the morning replace your coffee with a cup of prepared oolong whether you use bags of oolong tea or looseleaf oolong really does not matter.
Then with lunch or early afternoon have your second cup of tea, thereby not impacting the after 3p can’t sleep because I consumed caffeine thing!
Recipe Ideas For How To Naturally Flavor Oolong Tea
I hope that you will find the caffeine in oolong tea enough to replace your daily coffee and that you will love my nondairy oolong milk tea suggestion.
But, there are a lot of easy natural flavor options in this recipe card that you can use as well so please bookmark this page, pin it and print the recipe card!
Naturally Flavored Oolong Tea
To create the best-tasting cup of oolong, I do suggest leaves vs. a bag, but again that is a personal choice. Nondairy milk oolong tea recipe is above in the post, these are other ways to steep and enjoy the natural flavors of oolong tea without ruining the nutty, floral, roasted, savory flavor of the tea!
Keep in mind that the longer it sits, the stronger the flavor.
Now we are going to flavor that basic cup of tea!
Ingredients
- To create the best tasting cup of oolong, I do suggest leaves vs. a bag, but again that is a personal choice.
- Oolong leaves 1-2 tablespoons for tea baller
- 10 oz of water.
- Optional Ingredients as follows:
- For Peppermint or Spearmint Tea Flavor
- a handful of rinsed, ripped peppermint or spearmint leaves. Less or more as with more the flavor will be deep spearmint or peppermint
- Lavender Flavor
- 1 Tbsp dried lavender flowers
- Almond Nut Flavor
- 2 Tbsp Almond milk
- Coconut Oolong
- 8 oz water
- 5 oz Coconut Water
- Cinnamon Oolong
- Cinnamon Bark Oil Food Grade or Cinnamon bark Sticks
- Remember to never use dairy or you will have a very bitter, tart, sour, unsavory flavor imparted into your cup of oolong tea. Reference the recipe above to make the nondairy cup of tea!
Instructions
- In your favorite small 8 oz teacup, place 1-2 tbsp of leaves in a tea ball
- Prep water that is NOT boiled tea here is how.
Bring 10 oz of water to an almost boil (the temp you are seeking is anywhere between 175° F + 190∙F) Once you've got the almost boil to the correct temperature (remove from the heat source). - Pour just 3 ounces (of the 10 oz) of water on the tea baller, enough to wet the leaves and open them up so that we can then get the robust taste of the tea.
- Allow that to sit for about 2 minutes. Then, dump the water. (if you don't have a tea ball you will need to use a strainer to reserve the leaves)
- Now, use the rest of the water, 7 oz, and pour over the tea baller. (the 2nd pourover is even more incredible as the leaves are open and participate in imparting an even fuller-bodied, without being strong, a cup of oolong!
- Allow this to sit for up to 5 minutes but no longer.
additional ingredients to add to the Basic Oolong Tea Recipe
For Peppermint Oolong Tea
In Step 5 above, when you add the 2nd batch of water, before doing so toss in your peppermint or spearmint leaves as many or as few as you prefer.
When your tea is done steeping, then remove the leaves or allow them to remain.
Follow directions 5 & 6 To finish prep. (you can also add some broken/ripped leaves into the tea ball instead of right into the cup.
For A More Intense Nutty Flavor ~ Almond Amazing
- at Step 5 add in a tablespoon or 2 of Almond milk and stir, and then let this sit for about 5 minutes then serve.
Lavender Oolong
In Step #5 above, add in dried lavender. lavender extract, it is amazing what happens to this combination! Fire!
Coconut Oolong
Add 3 oz of warm water to the oolong leaves, and allow the tea ball to sit.
This activates the leaves as discussed.
Strain that water out. Reserve the tea ball leaves that need to be introduced to their 2nd round of almost boiled water. (per directions in the original recipe above.)
Add 5 oz more almost boiled water and allow the leaves to sit and brew.
After 3 minutes or 4 (your choice) introduce 3 oz of organic coconut water.
Remove the tea ball.
It’s almost perfect drinking temperature and the taste of earthy and nutty against coconut water is just yummy!
Enjoy ~ Dana
CINNAMON OOLONG TEA
Cinnamon bark + 10 oz of water
Follow the above directions for basic tea + then at step 5 add 8 oz more of the almost boiled water.
Allow the leaves to sit and brew.
Immediately upon pouring in the almost boiled water, add the cinnamon bark ( Strain them out before serving)
* cinnamon sticks. Drop in and allow them to stay in as you sip!
Notes
- When you make the tea, boil it in water and toss in fresh spearmint or peppermint
- If you are wanting a natural sweetener, use an organic agave. It definitely changes the deep flavor of this tea, once brewed.
- Don’t use heavy cream or full-fat milk, instead, add compatible nondairy milk such as cashew, or almond (I even have used oatmeal it works as well)
- Lavender oolong is nothing short of amazing.
- Sometimes when I brew this tea and get to the second pourover of water, I add a dried apricot that I cut into a few pieces and allow it to steep and often just sit at the bottom of the glass and it is amazing. I found that they market apricot oolong tea and I decided that rather than buying it I could just make my own and the earthy fruity, nutty flavor crushes it with this combination.
- Coconut water. It’s almost perfect drinking temperature and the taste of earthy and nutty against coconut water is just yummy! However, coconut water is not the same as coconut milk so try each and decided what you prefer.
- Last but not least, my favorite cinnamon oolong tea. This is a perfect fall drink!
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 1 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 83Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 67mgCarbohydrates: 9gFiber: 2gSugar: 5gProtein: 2g
nutritional information may be inaccurate.
Disclaimer
The views expressed on DanaVento.com have not been reviewed or endorsed by the FDA or any other private or public entity. DanaVento.com is an independent, privately run business separate from any other organization.