How to Make Bubble Tea

Last Updated: January 31, 2023 Tested

If you've ever tried bubble tea, you know how yummy - and inexpensive - this unique sweet drink can be. It's basically a sweetened iced tea or smoothie mixed with chewy tapioca pearls (boba). With a little time and the right ingredients, you can turn your kitchen into a bubble tea shop!

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Preparing Tapioca Pearls (Boba)

Tapioca pearls usually come in two sizes and can be found in an international grocery store (or ordered online). Follow the instructions on the package if you can, but they might be poorly translated into English. Generally, the preparation of tapioca pearls goes something like this: ^{[1]
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1
Pre-soak the pearls for a few hours if you want them tender all the way through, rather than soft on the outside and chewy on the inside (which is how most people prefer them).^{[2]
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Research source} Some pearls may disintegrate in water when soaked, though, so make sure to make a test batch.
2
Measure 7 parts water to 1 part tapioca pearls. Bring the water to a rolling boil.

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3
Add the pearls and stir them to make sure they don't stick to the bottom.
4
When the pearls float to the top, cover the pot and keep the water at a rolling boil for 30 minutes. Stir every 10 minutes.
5
Remove from heat and let the pearls sit covered for 30 minutes.
6
Rinse the pearls with lukewarm or cold water.
7
Sweeten the pearls with honey or the following sugar syrup to taste (which can also be used to sweeten the drink).^{[3]
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- Mix one cup of white sugar, one cup of brown sugar, and two cups of water in a pot.
- Bring to a boil, then immediately remove from heat.
- Let cool.
8
Use them immediately, or cover them and put them in the fridge for no more than 4 days (or else they will get too mushy). When you want to use them, boil a cup of water and put the tapioca pearls in it for a few minutes to warm them.^{[2]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Soaking the Pearls in Sugar Water

1
Follow the steps in the first method for how to cook the tapioca pearls. Rinse them off.
2
Prepare the "sugar water". Mix 100 milliliters (3.4 fl oz) of hot water with 100g of brown sugar (if you don’t have any brown sugar you can use white sugar and honey).
3
Stir this until the sugar is dissolved. Then pour it into a bowl.
4
Let the tapioca balls sit for 15 minutes in the sugar water.
5
Now they're ready to serve.

Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Traditional Milk Tea^{[2]
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1
Make the tea. Bubble tea was traditionally made with black tea, but you can use green, chai, yerba mate, or any kind of tea. You can even use coffee!
2
Mix 3/4 cup of tea with 2 tablespoons of cream and 1 tablespoon of sugar syrup (as directed above) in a shaker. You can substitute the cream with soy milk, milk, half and half, sweetened condensed milk, or non dairy creamer.
3
Add ice, cover the shaker, and shake the mixture until it gets frothy. (The bubbles formed by shaking are what the tea was named after, although most people assume it's because the tapioca pearls look like bubbles!)
4
Put 3-4 tablespoons of cooked tapioca pearls in a glass and pour in the mixture.
5
Stir and drink!

Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Fruit Bubble Tea

1
Combine ice, fresh fruit (or fruit juice), sweetener (e.g. sugar syrup) and cream (or substitute) in a blender until smooth. The consistency and proportions should be adjusted to taste.
2
Put 3-4 tablespoons of cooked tapioca pearls in a glass and pour the fruity mixture over them.
3
Stir and drink!

Bubble Tea Recipe Ideas

Bubble Tea Flavor Ideas

Strawberry Bubble Tea Recipe

Mango Bubble Tea Recipe

Community Q&A

Question

Is there a way to make the tapioca pearls at home?

Community Answer

Add boiling water to tapioca starch slowly until the tapioca starch feels like playdough and make it into little balls. If you want them to be a certain color, add a couple of drops of food coloring while adding the boiling water. Put the "boba balls" on the parchment paper for a couple of hours so they can harden.
Question

Where can I get bubble tea pearls in Australia?

Community Answer

You should be able to find them at Woolworth's. (They're listed on their website.)
Question

Do I need to cook bubble tea?

Community Answer

You cook the tapioca pearls, and you make the tea, but you do not cook them at the same time.

Warnings

Be sure not to choke on the tapioca pearls. Kids should be watched carefully while drinking this, as the pearls can easily be sipped through big straws.

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Not all types of tapioca pearls work. Make sure to choose tapioca pearls made specifically for bubble tea.

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