Easy Homemade Bubble Tea (Boba Milk Tea) | CookOS

How to Make Bubble Tea (Easy Boba Milk Tea Recipe)

Name: Easy Homemade Bubble Tea (Boba Milk Tea)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 5 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Taiwanese
Ingredients: 10 cups filtered water; 1 2/3 cups dried black tapioca pearls; 4 tablespoons dark brown sugar (lightly packed); 4 cups boiling water; 8 black tea bags; 4 cups ice; 1/2 cup simple syrup (see Notes); 1/2 cup half and half (or your milk of choice); 2 cups prepared tapioca pearls (boba)

Bubble tea combines chewy tapioca pearls with sweet, creamy black tea for a refreshing homemade drink that tastes like your favorite boba shop. This easy recipe uses basic pantry ingredients and takes under 30 minutes from start to finish.

🌍Taiwanese 🏷️Boba 🏷️Boba bubble tea 🏷️Boba drink 🏷️Boba milk tea Boba milk tea recipe

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How to Make Bubble Tea (Easy Boba Milk Tea Recipe)

Total

5 min

Servings

Difficulty

Medium

Est. Cost

$19–$31

Recipe Source

View original recipe

From Anediblemosaic · by Faith Gorsky

Ingredients

10 cups filtered water
1 2/3 cups dried black tapioca pearls
4 tablespoons dark brown sugar (lightly packed)
4 cups boiling water
8 black tea bags
4 cups ice
1/2 cup simple syrup (see Notes)
1/2 cup half and half (or your milk of choice)
2 cups prepared tapioca pearls (boba)

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Instructions

1
Boil 20 minutes. Add the water to a 5-quart pot, and bring to a boil. Once the water is boiling, add the tapioca pearls and boil for 20 minutes. They will float to the top fairly early in the cooking process; when this happens give them a stir. After boiling for 20 minutes, reserve 1 1/2 cups of the cooking liquid, and then rinse and drain the boba.
2
Soak 20 minutes. Put the boba back into the pot. Stir in the reserved 1 1/2 cups of cooking liquid and the brown sugar. Cover the pot and let the boba steep/soak for 20 minutes. Drain the boba except for 2 tablespoons of the liquid (this small amount of liquid will help prevent the pearls from sticking together).
3
While the boba is cooking, make the tea. Add the water to a saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove the water from the heat and add the tea bags. Let the tea steep until it cools to room temperature, and then remove the tea bags.
4
Divide the ice between 4 glasses, and then add 1/4 of the cooled tea, simple syrup, and half and half to each glass. Top each with 1/2 cup of boba. Serve immediately.

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Tips & Notes

Pro tips

Cook tapioca pearls in a separate pot rather than in the tea to prevent starch from clouding the tea base and ensure they cook evenly.
Transfer cooked pearls immediately into cold simple syrup to stop the cooking process and maintain their chewy texture.
Brew strong black tea using boiling water and let steep fully (4–5 minutes) to balance the sweetness of the milk and syrup.
Assemble drinks just before serving by layering ice, pearls, tea, milk, and syrup to keep pearls from sinking to the bottom.

Substitutions

Black tea bags → oolong tea or jasmine tea (varies the flavor profile)
Half and half → condensed milk (makes the drink sweeter and richer)
Dark brown sugar → regular white sugar or honey (use same amount; honey adds subtle floral notes)
Simple syrup → honey or agave nectar (adjust to taste for sweetness preference)

Storage & make-ahead

Store cooked tapioca pearls in simple syrup in the refrigerator for up to 2 days; brew tea fresh and assemble drinks to order for best texture.

Equipment

large pot for cooking tapioca pearls · strainer or slotted spoon · boba tea straws (wide reusable straws recommended)

Common Questions

How long do tapioca pearls take to cook?

Dried black tapioca pearls typically cook for 15–20 minutes in boiling water until they turn translucent and chewy, then rest for 5 minutes before use.

Can you make bubble tea ahead of time?

Brew tea and prepare simple syrup in advance, but cook tapioca pearls fresh just before serving, as they harden when stored overnight.

What's the difference between boba and bubble tea?

Boba refers to the tapioca pearls themselves, while bubble tea is the complete drink made with tea, milk, sweetener, and boba.

Can you use regular milk instead of half and half?

Yes—whole milk, 2% milk, oat milk, or almond milk all work; adjust sweetness to taste since some milks are less creamy than half and half.

How do you get chewy tapioca pearls?

Cook pearls until the outer layer is translucent with a slightly opaque center, then immediately soak them in simple syrup to keep them from hardening.