A creamy, sweet milk tea with chewy tapioca pearls coated in rich brown sugar syrup, inspired by popular bubble tea shops.
15 min prep
30 min cook
2 servings
280 kcal/serving
Ingredients
1/2 cup tapioca pearls (boba)
6 cups water (for cooking boba)
1/4 cup brown sugar (dark or light)
2 tablespoons water (for syrup)
2 cups whole milk (or your choice of milk)
2 tablespoons brown sugar (for milk, optional)
Ice cubes (optional)
Instructions
Bring 6 cups of water to a boil in a pot. Add tapioca pearls and stir gently. Cook for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pearls are translucent and chewy. Remove from heat, cover, and let sit for 5 minutes.
Drain the boba and rinse with cold water. Set aside.
In a small saucepan, combine 1/4 cup brown sugar and 2 tablespoons water. Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly, until sugar dissolves and mixture thickens slightly (about 2-3 minutes). Remove from heat.
Add the cooked boba to the brown sugar syrup and stir to coat. Let sit for 5-10 minutes to absorb the syrup.
If desired, stir 2 tablespoons brown sugar into the milk until dissolved (or use plain milk).
To assemble, spoon the brown sugar boba into the bottom of two glasses. Drizzle any remaining syrup over the boba. Add ice cubes if desired. Pour milk over the boba and stir before drinking.
Tips
For extra sweetness, add more brown sugar to the milk or use condensed milk.
Store cooked boba in syrup for up to 2 hours; do not refrigerate as they will harden.