Can I make boba without tapioca starch?

No, tapioca starch is essential for the characteristic chewy texture. There is no direct substitute that produces true boba pearls.

How long do homemade tapioca pearls last?

Fresh boba is best used within 24 hours. Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator; reheat by boiling in water for 1-2 minutes before serving.

What type of brown sugar works best?

Black sugar, muscovado sugar, and standard brown sugar all work well. Black sugar creates darker, richer pearls; muscovado adds deeper molasses flavor.

Can I scale this recipe up?

Yes. Keep the ratio of 3 parts tapioca starch to 1 part water and adjust brown sugar proportionally. Work in batches if the dough becomes difficult to handle.

Why are my pearls falling apart?

The dough may be too wet or under-kneaded. Add tapioca starch a pinch at a time until the dough holds together, and knead until smooth before rolling.

Homemade Tapioca Pearls (Boba) - 3 Ingredient Recipe

Name: Homemade Tapioca Pearls (Boba) - 3 Ingredient Recipe
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients: 3/4 cup tapioca starch (plus a bit more for dusting (aka tapioca flour)); 2 Tbsp brown sugar (black sugar, muscovado sugar, or even white sugar will work); 1/4 cup water; 1 Tbsp brown sugar; 4 cups almond milk (or any other milk, tea, or drink)

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Homemade Tapioca Pearls (Boba) - 3 Ingredient Recipe | CookOS

Ingredients

3/4 cup tapioca starch (plus a bit more for dusting (aka tapioca flour))
2 Tbsp brown sugar (black sugar, muscovado sugar, or even white sugar will work)
1/4 cup water
1 Tbsp brown sugar
4 cups almond milk (or any other milk, tea, or drink)

5 Ingredients

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Instructions

1
In a medium-sized pot, heat 1/4 cup water and 2 Tbsp sugar over medium heat. Stir until all the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is almost boiling. Remove from the heat.
2
Add about 1 tablespoon of the tapioca starch and stir until well combined. Make sure there are no lumps.
3
Place over low heat. Stir the mixture until it starts thickening. Once it becomes thicker, like a paste, remove it from the heat.
4
Add the rest of the tapioca starch and mix well while it still hot until you obtain a sticky dough.
5
Lightly flour your working surface with tapioca starch. Knead the warm dough until it becomes smooth and uniform. Sprinkle some extra starch if needed.
6
Work with half of the dough and cover the rest so it doesn't dry.
7
Roll the dough into thin, long rod-like pieces. Cut the rolls into small pieces and roll each into a tiny ball. The tapioca pearls will expand when cooked, so make small balls.
8
Place the rolled pearls in a bowl and dust them with tapioca starch to avoid sticking. Repeat with the rest of the dough.At this point, you can store the dry pearls.
9
Boil water in a large saucepan. Use at least 4 cups of water per cup of dry pearls.
10
Carefully add the tapioca pearls to the boiling water. Stir well so they don't stick to the bottom of the pot or each other.
11
Cover the pot and boil for 20 minutes, then remove from the heat and let them rest for another 20 minutes. The boba pearls will become chewy and almost translucent.
12
Drain the boba and quickly place them in cold water to prevent stickiness.At this point, you can enjoy them with your drink or cook them with sugar syrup.
13
Warm the brown sugar over medium heat for a couple of minutes - it doesn't have to melt completely, just warm.
14
Add the boba and stir well to coat all the pearls with the melting sugar.
15
Prepare your drink of choice. You can keep it in the fridge until ready to use. The simplest way to enjoy these pearls is with some milk or plant-based milk.
16
Pour about 1/4 cup of the warm pearls into a cup or glass (use glass for a great visual effect) and roll the cup or glass to coat the walls with melted sugar.
17
Add ice cubes (optional) and your drink of choice. Serve with a boba straw, and enjoy!