Enjoy classic milk tea at home with those chewy tapioca pearls in just 15 minutes. Classic boba tea is a refreshing drink when iced and cozy when hot. It’s a great drink to satisfy any sweet tooth.
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When I lived in Macau and Hong Kong, I became a bubble tea drinker. This delicious drink might just become your new favorite, too, especially if you love tea! I love how versatile it is and depending on the season, you can enjoy it iced or hot. (I’m the type of person that just likes having a cup of black milk tea iced, even if it’s snowing.)
When I moved back to the States, I thought making my own classic bubble tea at home would be way more difficult than it actually is. This recipe requires just one special ingredient, which you can make at home, get from your local Asian store, or order online. Alternatively, you can skip the tapioca pearls and the recipe is even easier and quicker to make.
I love making this black boba tea and drinking it alongside some crispy protein avocado toast or for lunch, this flavor-packed spring roll salad.
What is milk tea?
Quite simply, milk tea is a popular beverage you’ll find in bubble tea shops in Southeast Asia. In the United States, this delicious drink has gained traction. Likely, you’ve seen boba tea shops popping up all around you.
This milk tea features a base of black tea, though you can use oolong tea, Earl Grey, or other varieties. It is then mixed with milk and chewy tapioca pearls at the bottom. Some types of milk tea use a base of fruit juices and have jelly chunks or crystal boba at the bottom instead of chewy the more traditional tapioca balls.
Milk tea is called boba tea, bubble tea, or pearl milk tea. But by any other name, it’s still just as sweet, refreshing, and delightful. When you make this drink yourself, you’re in for a real treat without artificial ingredients or tons of added sugar.
Where is milk tea from?
This tea-based drink comes to us from Taiwan, where pearl milk tea originated. This classic bubble tea drink is made with black tea, milk, and chewy tapioca balls. You’ll find it on every boba shop menu.
What does black milk tea taste like?
Black milk tea is a true classic among all the bubble tea flavors. If you’re new to boba, you may want to start with this one because it’s so simple and pure. You just mix black tea with milk and serve it on ice or hot, along with a bit of sugar and those chewy tapioca pearls. It has a sweet taste without being cloying and a nice creaminess.
The best part is those boba pearls, adding a contrast of texture to that creamy drink. It’s a flavor you’ll see on every menu of every boba tea shop from Hong Kong to the United States and everywhere in between because it’s the traditional taste everyone loves.
Is it good for you?
Classic milk tea made with black tea is good for you especially if you make it yourself at home. As a nutritionist, I love black tea! Loose-leaf black tea has an array of health benefits. When you choose plant-based milk to mix it with, you’re also making a healthy choice.
At the boba shops, they tend to put a lot of sugar in there. So, if you order your bubble tea from somewhere else, keep that in mind. (You can always ask for half sweetness.) At home, you have full control of what you’re putting into it, allowing it to be healthier.
Keep in mind, though, that tea does have caffeine. While these go down easily, you’ll want to avoid drinking too many of them in a day, or else you’ll be on caffeine overload.
In addition to considering if the tea is healthy, it’s important to think about whether the kettle you are brewing the hot water in is non-toxic or not. For a helpful guide, check out this best non-toxic tea kettles post.
Nutrition For Mental Health
Black tea is rich in antioxidants, specifically a group of polyphenols, including catechins, thearubigins, and theaflavins. These specific antioxidants can improve overall health [1].
A systematic review found that polyphenol supplementation is effective at improving depression [2].
Ingredients + Substitutions
Now, you don’t have to search for boba tea. You can make it whenever the mood strikes, right at home with just a few easy ingredients. Classic bubble tea is pretty straightforward, but if you’re missing something, here’s how to vary the recipe without compromising taste!
- Tapioca pearls: Chewy tapioca balls add a subtle sweetness and are also what make authentic bubble tea. Pre-made boba makes it simple to prepare them for your bubble tea creation.
- Black tea: Loose black tea leaves create the perfect flavor. I recommend avoiding the kind of tea that comes in little satchels or bags. The materials the tea is encased in wind up in your drink, and trust me, that’s not what you want to put into your body.
- Sweeteners: If you don’t have regular cane sugar, brown sugar, or even maple syrup can work. It will slightly change the taste, making it more caramel-like, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing! If you prefer a sugar-free option, this stevia simple syrup is a great option!
- Milk: I love oat milk, but perhaps you don’t or have a different kind of milk on hand instead. You can try a non-dairy creamer, coconut milk, soy milk, almond milk, or any plant-based milk to make traditional milk tea.
- Tea: If you don’t have black tea, you can use a different type of tea. It will give you different flavors from the original taste. Imagine jasmine milk tea, oolong milk tea, matcha milk tea, iced strawberry matcha, or even coffee boba.
A full list of ingredients with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
How To Make Black Milk Tea
You’ll know how to make classic milk tea in just three short steps.
- Make Tapioca Pearls: Add two cups of filtered water to a small saucepan and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, add the tapioca pearls to the saucepan and simmer for five minutes (until the boba starts floating to the top). (If you don’t have quick-cooking boba, then follow your package instructions.) Pour the tapioca into a metal mesh strainer and rinse with cold water.
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- Make The Tea: Heat water in a teapot or electric tea kettle to 212°F or 100°C. Add the loose-leaf black tea to a tea infuser and place it in a thin glass. Pour heated water over the tea and steep for 7-10 minutes. Remove the tea. Pour in the cane sugar and stir thoroughly.
- Assemble the Milk Tea: Scoop cooked boba into a serving glass. Then, add ice on top of the boba. Next, pour oat milk on top, followed by freshly brewed black tea. Finally, stir and enjoy with a reusable bubble tea straw.
Classic milk tea is a drink you’re going to love. It goes down easily and is utterly delicious. But it can be filling too. If you want to store it, you should remove all boba pearls first, as these get hard and unpleasant when you refrigerate them. Then you can save the liquid for up to 2 days. I don’t recommend trying to freeze any of it.
Hot Boba Tea Recipe Instructions
I’m a big fan of the iced black milk tea, but if you’d prefer it hot, here’s the recipe and instructions. It uses the same ingredients and measurements (minus the ice).
Instructions
- Make Tapioca Pearls: Add two cups of water to a small pot and bring to a boil. Then, add the tapioca pearls to the pot and boil for five minutes (until the boba starts floating to the top). (If you don’t have quick-cooking boba, then follow your package instructions.) Pour the tapioca into a metal mesh strainer to remove excess water.
- Make the Tea: Heat water in a teapot to 212°F/100°C. Add your loose-leaf black tea to a tea infuser and place it in a glass, mug, or small pitcher. Pour boiling water over the tea and steep for 7-10 minutes. Remove the tea. Scoop in the sugar and stir thoroughly.
- Prepare Milk: Add oat milk to a microwave-safe pitcher or mug and microwave for one minute. (Until hot.)
- Assemble the Milk Tea: Scoop cooked boba into a serving glass. Then, pour oat milk and freshly brewed black tea on top. Enjoy!
FAQ
Classic milk tea features black tea, milk, and balls of tapioca. There are so many varieties now with flavored syrups to make things like honeydew milk tea, strawberry milk tea, and more, but the original is a true classic.
Black milk tea is similar to Thai milk tea in that they both use black tea and milk. However, black milk tea has boba pearls at the bottom. Thai milk tea integrates a number of spices into the flavor profile such as star anise and tamarind. There may also be orange blossom water mixed into a Thai milk tea.
Yes, black milk tea does have caffeine in it. If you are watching your caffeine intake, limit how many of these tasty teas you have each day, and you’ll be fine!
If you tried this Classic Boba Tea Recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Recipe
Black Milk Tea
Ingredients
Boba Ingredients
- 2 cups water
- ⅓ cup tapioca balls
Classic Milk Tea Ingredients
- 1/2 cup water, hot
- 2 tablespoons loose-leaf black tea
- 1 teaspoon cane sugar
- 1/2 cup oat milk
- 1 ½ cup ice
Instructions
- Make The Tapioca Pearls: Add two cups of filtered water to a small saucepan and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, add the tapioca pearls to the saucepan and boil for five minutes (until the boba starts floating to the top). (If you don’t have quick-cooking boba, then follow your package instructions.) Pour the tapioca into a metal mesh strainer and rinse with cold water.
- Make The Tea: Heat water in a teapot or electric tea kettle to 212°F or 100°C. Add the loose-leaf black tea to a and place it in a thin glass. Pour heated water over the tea and steep for 7-10 minutes. Remove the tea. Pour in the cane sugar and stir thoroughly.
- Assemble The Milk Tea: Scoop cooked boba into a serving glass. Then, add ice on top of the boba. Next, pour oat milk on top, followed by freshly brewed black tea. Finally, stir and enjoy with a reusable bubble tea straw.
Video
Notes
Classic milk tea is a drink you’re going to love. It goes down easily and is utterly delicious. But it can be filling too. If you want to store it, you should remove all boba pearls first, as these get hard and unpleasant when you refrigerate them. Then you can save the liquid for up to 2 days. I don’t recommend trying to freeze any of it.
Nutrition
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References
[1] Khan, N., & Mukhtar, H. (2018). Tea Polyphenols in Promotion of Human Health. Nutrients, 11(1), 39. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11010039
[2] Lin, K., Li, Y., Toit, E. D., Wendt, L., & Sun, J. (2021). Effects of Polyphenol Supplementations on Improving Depression, Anxiety, and Quality of Life in Patients With Depression. Frontiers in psychiatry, 12, 765485. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.765485
This is my new evening drink. Great recipe!
Yay!
This was so good! Love that it has boba in it.
Yay! I love bubble tea too.