Boba Tea (Bubble Milk Tea)
Classic bubble milk tea: strong black tea sweetened with simple syrup, poured over chewy tapioca (boba) pearls and topped with milk and ice. The book collects several variants (hot-brewed, cold-brewed, matcha), but this is the reliable everyday method. Served with wide boba straws.
⏱️ Prep: 15 min🍳 Cook: 15 min
Nutritionper 100 ml›
70
Calories
1g
Protein
14g
Carbs
1g
Fat
Ingredients
| 8 bags (or 3 tbsp) | black tea bags (or loose-leaf black tea) |
| 4 cups (960 ml) | hot water |
| 3/4 cup (120 g) | quick-cooking tapioca (boba) pearls |
| to serve | whole milk, to serve |
| as needed | ice |
| 1/2 cup (120 ml) | water (for simple syrup) |
| 1/2 cup (100 g) | sugar (for simple syrup) |
Instructions
- Prepare the tea: steep the tea bags or loose leaves in 4 cups (960 ml) of freshly boiled water. Leave the tea steeping until it cools completely, for a strong tea that won't be washed out by the milk and ice.
- Make the simple syrup: add the water and sugar to a saucepan and stir. Heat over medium-high until it boils and the sugar fully dissolves, then remove from the heat and let cool before transferring to a jar.
- Cook the tapioca pearls: bring about 4 cups of water to a boil, add the pearls and stir. When they float to the top, cook 5 minutes more, testing for the desired softness. Drain with a slotted spoon, rinse quickly, then toss with a few tablespoons of simple syrup to taste.
- Assemble: strain the tea into a pitcher. Divide the tapioca pearls among 4 large glasses (15-16 oz). Add a few ice cubes to each, pour in 1 cup of tea, then stir in about 1 1/2 tbsp milk and 1 1/2 tbsp simple syrup per glass. Taste and adjust with more milk or syrup.
- Serve with wide boba straws, or spoons to scoop the pearls. Keep a small pitcher of milk and the syrup jar on the table so guests can adjust.
- Variants: for a hot-brewed base, heat water to 96°C (205°F) and steep black tea 5-6 min; for cold brew, steep in room-temperature water 12 hours; for a matcha version, see the linked recipe. Leftover simple syrup keeps refrigerated 3-4 weeks.