Wintermelon Milk Tea

5 from 5 votes

If you want a refreshing bubble tea with a unique flavor, try this wintermelon milk tea with boba. I use homemade wintermelon syrup, jasmine tea, creamy milk, and chewy tapioca pearls. The tea has a gentle sweetness and subtle floral notes, with added caramel from the brown sugar. And the boba pearls add that signature fun texture.

Prep Time40

Cook Time30

Resting Time1

Total Time2 10

Course: Drinks

Cuisine: Asian, Vegan

Diet: Gluten Free, Low Lactose, Low Salt, Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings: servings

Calories: 205kcal

Author: Anjali Shah

Equipment

Ingredients

10 ounces wintermelon
⅓ cup brown sugar or powdered monk fruit
1 tbsp rock sugar or coconut sugar
3 Jasmine tea bags
½ cup tapioca pearls
1½ tbsp maple syrup
½ cup oat milk
1 cup ice

Instructions

Peel and dice the wintermelon and place into a bowl. Sprinkle with brown sugar, mix well, and allow to sit for 1 hour.
Pour the wintermelon and all juices into a pot and bring to a boil.
Sprinkle with rock sugar or coconut sugar, reduce heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes while stirring every 5 minutes to prevent the wintermelon from burning. Once cooked the wintermelon will be translucent and the juices will have thickened.
Remove from the heat and place the wintermelon and juices into a highspeed food processor and blitz until smooth.
Strain the wintermelon pureé, set aside and allow it to cool.
Meanwhile simmer 2 cups of water, remove from the heat and add the tea bags, steep for 5 minutes. Remove the tea bags and allow the tea to come to room temperature.
While the tea is cooling bring a small pot of water to a boil, add the tapioca pearls, reduce heat and simmer for 5-6 minutes.
Strain the pearls, add to a small bowl, and stir through the brown sugar. Set aside and allow to cool.
To assemble the drink: Evenly divide the soaked tapioca pearls and syrup between four glasses.
Divide the ice between the glasses, top with the wintermelon syrup, tea, and milk.
Serve immediately

Video

https://youtu.be/dcGRSy6ErIo

Notes

My #1 Secret Tip for this wintermelon milk tea with boba recipe is to give the wintermelon time to sit with the sugar before cooking. This process draws out the moisture from the fruit, which helps me create a richer syrup once it is simmered.
Keep cuts uniform: I cut the wintermelon into small, similarly sized cubes for even cooking.
Do not oversteep the tea: I steep my jasmine tea for 5 minutes and no longer. Any extra time leads to a bitter taste.
Serve boba fresh: Tapioca pearls are best served within a few hours after cooking, as they gradually become firmer with time.
Adjust sweetness gradually: I add extra maple syrup slowly, if needed, after I have poured my tea. Sometimes the wintermelon is sweeter, and other times it needs a bit more help.

Nutrition