Whether you love cold brew coffee or hot coffee, this boba coffee recipe has you covered. All coffee lovers will adore this fusion of boba pearls with rich coffee flavors to give you an equally delicious drink to the original.
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Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Tasty: Boba latte, anyone? With a coffee bubble tea recipe like this, you’re going to have a new after-dinner drink to serve at family gatherings.
- Hot or cold: You can enjoy this bubble coffee recipe hot or cold, to suit your tastes.
- Easy: Why look for coffee shops that serve this fantastic beverage when you can easily create it at home with little effort? Asian markets stock tapioca pearls, making it easier than ever to turn your kitchen into your own personal boba shop.
What Is Bubble Coffee?
Coffee boba tea, bubble tea, or pearl milk tea are one and the same. This is a popular drink in Asia that has been well-received in the U.S. in recent years. Everyone seems to love it, and with one sip, you will, too. For more info about milk tea, where it’s from, etc., check out this Classic Bubble Tea post, which shares much more info!
What Does Boba Coffee Taste Like?
Like coffee, coffee boba has that bitterness, but if you’re a coffee lover, you’ll be delighted. With the milk added in, it becomes sweet and creamy all at once, making it a distinctive contrast in flavors. The brown sugar boba is like a boba latte, hot or cold. It’s truly something special and a great way to enjoy boba if you prefer coffee to tea.
Nutrition For Wellbeing
Coffee has its pros and cons. Coffee contains caffeine, so consuming too much is not a good idea. On the other hand, caffeine can reduce drowsiness and fatigue [1]. Coffee has been shown to reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes [2].
A meta-analysis of observational studies found that coffee and caffeine intake was associated with decreased risk of depression [3]. However, there have been other studies that have shown that coffee and caffeine consumption increases symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Like many, I am on a journey of healing. I have found that learning how your diet can impact your mental health is very empowering!
Ingredients + Notes
With this bubble coffee recipe, you’ll be on your way to mastering the art of making boba drinks. It’s so easy, and with only a few steps and simple ingredients, you can do it anytime!
- Tapioca pearls: The chewy tapioca pearls at the bottom of your glass are great for texture and sweetness.
- Coffee: I used espresso for this recipe, but cold brew would work well too.
A full list of ingredients with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Variations + Substitutions
Making coffee boba is a simple process. That said, you can feel free to vary the recipe as needed.
- Sweeteners: Can sugar, brown sugar, coconut sugar, maple syrup, or even stevia will work in your boba coffee recipe. Keep in mind each one has a slightly different flavor.
- Milk: No oat milk? No problem! You can reach for your favorite milk of choice to add that creaminess to your drink, whether it’s almond milk or any other type of milk.
- Coffee: I used espresso in this recipe, but if you don’t have it, you can use instant coffee or grind up coffee beans and quickly brew them for this boba coffee. Additionally, dalgona coffee boba would also work.
- Grass Jelly: Grass jelly can also stand in for your instant tapioca pearl instead. It will give your bubble coffee recipe a slightly fruity note.
How To Make Boba Coffee
There are only three easy steps to making this coffee and milk tea recipe. You’ll be a lifelong fan once you give it a try!
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- Make The Boba: Pour two cups of water into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Then, add the tapioca pearls and boil for five minutes (until the pearls are all floating to the top). (If you don’t have quick-cooking tapioca pearls, follow your package instructions.) Scoop floating pearls into a metal mesh strainer and rinse with cool water.
- Make The Coffee: Make two shots of espresso. Add one teaspoon of cane sugar to one of the shots and stir until dissolved.
- Assemble The Coffee Boba: Scoop boba into a serving glass. Then, add ice on top of the boba. Next, pour oat milk over the ice, followed by the coffee. Finally, stir and enjoy with a glass boba straw.
Storage Tips
When making boba coffee, it’s tempting to make a ton of it in the hopes of drinking it all week. Trust me, you don’t want to do that, though, for the best flavors happen when you make it fresh. Plus, boba pearls get hard in the fridge and don’t retain that wonderful texture.
- Fridge: If you want to save your leftover coffee bubble tea, you should remove all the boba from the bottom. Then, you can keep your coffee boba in a mason jar for up to 2 days. Just make fresh boba when you’re ready to drink it. Here is a complete guide on How Long Does Milk Tea Last In The Fridge?
- Freeze: Please do not freeze this boba coffee recipe. Freezing it will ruin the texture, and it’s a waste. As you can see, the recipe is so simple you can make it whenever you want and enjoy the best flavors.
Meal Prep
Want to impress everyone with a boba coffee latte drink? You can meal prep this by brewing the coffee ahead of time. Then, when you’re ready to serve it, you can mix everything together. It only takes a few minutes to get the boba pearls all ready, and doing this one step ahead will definitely save you time.
FAQ
You make boba coffee by combining espresso or cold brew coffee with a milk of your choice and tapioca pearls. You can also add some sweetener to balance the bitterness of the coffee for your palate.
Just like anything, coffee boba tea is ok for you in moderation. Coffee has health benefits through antioxidants that fight free radicals. However, it does have caffeine, and too much caffeine is too much of a good thing. Additionally, the amount and type of sweetener you use will affect the health benefits of bubble coffee.
It’s probably not a good idea to have boba every day. It’s all about moderation, right? Making it home does have its benefits. You can control the sugar and milk type.
Boba and bubbles are the same. It is called boba tea and bubble tea, but definitely the same beverage, which is one that is made with tea, milk, and tapioca pearls. Whatever you want to call this drink, it has the same great taste.
If you tried this Boba Coffee Milk 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
Boba Coffee
Equipment
Ingredients
Boba Ingredients
- 2 cups water
- ⅓ cup tapioca balls
Coffee Boba Ingredients
- 2 oz espresso, 2 shots of espresso
- 1 teaspoon cane sugar
- 1 cup ice
- ¾ cup oat milk
Instructions
Instructions For Iced Boba Coffee
- Make The Boba: Pour two cups of water into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Then, add the tapioca pearls and boil for five minutes (until the pearls are all floating to the top). (If you don’t have quick-cooking tapioca pearls, follow your package instructions.) Scoop floating pearls into a metal mesh strainer and rinse with cool water.
- Coffee Instructions: Make two shots of espresso. Add one teaspoon of cane sugar to one of the shots and stir until dissolved.
- Assemble The Coffee Boba: Scoop boba into a serving glass. Then, add ice on top of the boba. Next, pour oat milk over the ice, followed by the coffee. Finally, stir and enjoy with a glass boba straw.
Instructions For Hot Bubble Coffee
- Make The Boba: Pour two cups of water into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Then, add the tapioca pearls and boil for five minutes (until the pearls are all floating to the top). (If you don’t have quick-cooking tapioca pearls, follow your package instructions.) Scoop floating pearls into a metal mesh strainer and rinse with cool water.
- Coffee Instructions: Make two shots of espresso. Add one teaspoon of cane sugar to one of the shots and stir until dissolved.
- Prepare The Milk: Pour milk into a microwave-safe container. Heat in the microwave for about 60 seconds (until hot).
- Assemble The Hot Boba Coffee: Scoop boba into a hot-safe serving glass. Then, pour oat milk over the boba, followed by the coffee. Finally, stir well and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Fridge: If you want to save your leftover coffee bubble tea, you should remove all the boba from the bottom. Then, you can keep your coffee boba in a mason jar for up to 2 days. Just make fresh boba when you’re ready to drink it. Here is a complete guide on How Long Does Milk Tea Last In The Fridge?
- Freeze: Please do not freeze this boba coffee recipe. Freezing it will ruin the texture, and it’s a waste. As you can see, the recipe is so simple you can make it whenever you want and enjoy the best flavors.
Nutrition
Did you make this recipe?
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References
[1] Evans J, Richards JR, Battisti AS. Caffeine. 2024 May 29. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024 Jan–. PMID: 30137774.
[2] Carlström M, Larsson SC. Coffee consumption and reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes: a systematic review with meta-analysis. Nutr Rev. 2018 Jun 1;76(6):395-417. doi: 10.1093/nutrit/nuy014. PMID: 29590460.
[3] Wang L, Shen X, Wu Y, Zhang D. Coffee and caffeine consumption and depression: A meta-analysis of observational studies. Aust N Z J Psychiatry. 2016 Mar;50(3):228-42. doi: 10.1177/0004867415603131. Epub 2015 Sep 2. PMID: 26339067.
This coffee boba recipe is next level! Thanks for another great recipe.
So glad you like it!