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pouring milk into boba milk tea
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Bubble Tea Recipe

Homemade bubble tea (boba tea) is creamy, sweet, healthier and less expensive than store-bought, easy to make, and loaded with satisfyingly chewy tapioca pearls!
Course Drinks
Cuisine taiwan
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 3
Author Michaela Vais

Ingredients

For the Tea

  • 6 bags of black tea
  • 4 cups (1 liter) boiling water to brew the tea
  • ¾ cup (180 ml) dairy-free milk or creamer, for serving

For the Syrup

  • ¼ cup (60 ml) water
  • ¼ cup (50 g) organic dark brown sugar or date sugar, or coconut sugar

For the Tapioca pearls

Instructions

Prepare The Tea and Syrup

  • You can watch the short video for visual instructions.
    First, prepare the tea by steeping the tea bags in freshly boiled water for 5-10 minutes, then leave to cool to room temperature.
    Be careful not to over-steep, or it will make the tea bitter. Alternatively, avoid bitterness by cold-brewing the tea in cold water in the fridge overnight (10-12 hours).
  • Next, prepare the brown sugar syrup by combining the sugar and water in a small saucepan. Stir constantly while bringing it to a boil over medium-high heat until the sugar dissolves, then remove it from the heat and leave it to cool completely.

Prepare The Tapioca Pearls

  • 15 minutes before serving, bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil and add the tapioca pearls, stirring gently to prevent sticking.
  • Cook quick-cooking boba for 6 minutes or until they’re tender, chewy, and float to the top.
  • Use a slotted spoon to remove them from the pot, rinse them under cold water, and transfer the bubbles to a bowl with a little of the syrup (this helps stop them from sticking).
    If you’re preparing the boba a little in advance, keep them in hot water to maintain their soft texture. They should be slightly warm when serving, as cold turns them tough.

Assemble The Bubble Milk Tea

  • Divide the cooked tapioca pearls among 3 large glasses and add ice cubes to each.
  • Pour 1 ¼ cups (300 ml) of the tea into each glass, then top it up with ½ cup (120 ml) milk.
  • Add a tablespoon of brown sugar syrup to each glass and stir well.
  • Taste and adjust the amount of sweetness or milk to taste.
  • Serve – using large boba straws or spoons to scoop up the boba.

Notes

Nutrition Facts
Bubble Tea Recipe
Amount per Serving
Calories
175
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
1.7
g
3
%
Saturated Fat
 
0.2
g
1
%
Sodium
 
57
mg
2
%
Potassium
 
100
mg
3
%
Carbohydrates
 
37
g
12
%
Fiber
 
2
g
8
%
Sugar
 
18.4
g
20
%
Protein
 
0.8
g
2
%
Vitamin A
 
39
IU
1
%
Calcium
 
94
mg
9
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.