Milk Tea (Boba Tea Recipe)

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There is nothing more fun and rewarding than knowing how to make milk tea at home. And if you thought only specialty stores could make boba tea, think again. I brew a batch of strong black tea, cook chewy tapioca pearls in coconut sugar simple syrup, and bring it all together with creamy milk. Once you have mastered this boba recipe, the possibilities are endless, and you will never need to buy one again. 

Boba tea, also known as bubble tea or pearl milk tea, has become increasingly popular over the last few years, and for good reason. The combination of the milky tea base with the interruption of syrupy, chewy pearls makes this drink a treat on all levels. Once you have mastered the basics, you can try my other bubble tea recipes, like my taro milk tea, which showcases unique colors and flavors.

I started making boba tea at home when I realized how costly and unhealthy most commercial bubble teas are. I knew I could do better, but I also knew that my picky eaters might need some convincing. The first time I made it for my kids, I made a strawberry milk tea, which looked and tasted absolutely stunning. It was picky-eater-approved. Recently, we were out shopping and my husband asked the kids if they wanted to stop for a bubble tea. My youngest told him sternly, “We have bubble tea at home.” 

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🥘 Ingredients

I just need four simple ingredients to make this basic, but impressive boba tea at home. This is what I use:

Black tea: I use high-quality loose-leaf black tea for a full-bodied flavor that is not overpowered by the milk. If I use tea bags, I use one per serving. Any black tea variety works, including Earl Grey, English Breakfast, or Ceylon.

Tapioca pearls: For this recipe, I use instant boba tapioca pearls. These can be purchased from Asian supermarkets or online.

Coconut sugar: I use coconut sugar and water to create my simple syrup. If you do not mind using refined sugar,  brown sugar works as well. 

Milk: This recipe works well with any milk. I have made it with dairy and plant-based milks. 

🔪 How To Make

Making this boba tea at home is a multi-step process, but I promise, each one is simple, and everything comes together perfectly. 

Make tea: I bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a small pot, add the tea, reduce the heat, and allow it to simmer for 3 minutes. 

Strain and chill the tea: Next, I strain my brewed tea into a large jar and refrigerate until completely cold. You could also do this the night before, but make sure the jar is airtight.

Make simple syrup: I combine the coconut sugar and water in a small pot, bring it to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 4 minutes until the sugar is completely dissolved. Then I pour the syrup into a small bowl and allow it to cool to room temperature.

Cook tapioca pearls: Next, I bring 3 cups of water to a boil, add the tapioca, and cook for 5 minutes or until they are tender. I drain and rinse the pearls under cold water to stop them from cooking.

Soak the pearls: Then, I combine the cooked pearls with my cooled simple syrup and allow them to soak for at least 15 minutes. 

Assemble and serve: To assemble, I divide the pearls between 4 glasses, then add a few ice cubes, 1 cup of tea concentrate to each, followed by a generous splash of milk. I stir the drinks and serve!

📖 Variations

As I said before, once you have mastered this basic boba tea recipe, the possibilities are endless! These are a few variations I have played around with recently: 

Matcha boba: I replace the black tea concentrate with 2 teaspoons of matcha powder. I whisk the powder with 2-4 teaspoons of hot water until frothy, and add it to the glass during assembly. This makes 1 serving. I loved the contrast of the pearls against the bright green tea. 

Fruity syrup flavorings: Instead of using coconut sugar simple syrup, I combine my tapioca pearls with one of my fruity homemade syrups instead. My blackberry simple syrup gives the pearls a deep maroon colour and adds a fruity flavor to the tea. 

Spiced chai boba: I brew the tea with 1 cinnamon quill, 3 cardamom pods, and 1/4 inch slice of fresh ginger. This produces a warmly spiced concentrate. Sometimes I add 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract to the simple syrup to give it a vanilla chai flavor. I love making this version on cold days. 

🍽 Serving Suggestions

This boba tea is great on its own, but any kind of tea is just so much better with a little something on the side. I like serving it with cookies that match its energy, like my chewy Japanese mochi cookies, or my simpler sesame tahini cookies. And if you are serving this to kids and would prefer a caffeine-free variety, try my chocolate milk tea instead. Although I would not blame you if you wanted to try the chocolate tea yourself. Ha! 

Now and then, I like to treat myself and my family to an at-home tea party. Since they have all been on a bubble tea craze lately, we have some creative and colorful pairings. I decided that going forward, one member of the family will get a chance to select the bubble tea flavor and what it gets served with. It was my husband’s turn last time, and he decided that in addition to the simple bubble tea, we would have honeydew milk tea, with a side of healthy gluten free tres leche cake. The combination was so good that my youngest said they want the same when it is their turn. Ha! 

🧊 Storing And ♨️ Reheating

Refrigeration: I store the brewed tea concentrate and simple syrup, separately in airtight containers or jars, for up to 3 days. The cooked tapioca pearls can be stored in their syrup and kept in the fridge for 1 day. I never store a fully assembled drink and prefer putting it together just before serving.

Freezing: This recipe is not suitable for freezing, as the tapioca pearls lose their texture once thawed and frozen. The tea concentrate can be frozen in an ice cube tray for up to 1 month and thawed in the refrigerator overnight. 

Reheating: Boba tea is best served cold and enjoyed immediately. There is no need for reheating.

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