Coffee Boba Recipe: Coffee Bubble Tea 2 Ways (With Video)

Whether you love cold brew coffee or hot coffee, this bubble 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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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Tasty: Boba latte, anyone? With a coffee boba 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 Boba?

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.

It is typically made with a base of steeped tea, usually black tea though other varieties can be used. This is then mixed with milk and features boba, or chewy tapioca pearls, at the bottom of the glass.

It’s very easy to make yourself, which is great because you can control the ingredients you add to it. At bubble tea shops, there are a lot of artificial ingredients and too much sugar going in, meaning it’s not as healthy from there. 

Where Is Coffee Boba From?

Like all boba drinks, coffee boba is from Taiwan. While it is traditionally made with tea, using cold brew coffee is another equally delicious drink. 

You’ll probably see coffee boba on the menu at your local boba shop, but at those prices, it’s a lot cheaper to make at home. And with my recipe, you won’t just save money…you’ll be sure you’re getting only wholesome ingredients in every sip. 

What Does Coffee Boba 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. 

With the brown sugar boba, it is like a boba latte when hot or cold. It’s truly something special and a great way to enjoy boba if you prefer coffee to tea. 

Ingredients + Notes

With this coffee boba 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: Brew up some espresso for the best flavors!
• Maple Syrup: Maple syrup gives this a nice sweet hint without using refined sugar. 
• Oat Milk: Creamy plant-based milk, like oat milk, is a good one for adding that lusciousness to the boba coffee.
• Water/Ice Cubes

Step-by-step Instructions: Coffee Boba Recipe

There are only 3 easy steps to making this coffee boba recipe. You’ll be a fan for life once you give it a try!

1. 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. 

2. Coffee Instructions: Make two shots of espresso. Add one teaspoon of cane sugar to one of the shots and stir until dissolved.

3. 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.  

Full Coffee Boba Tea Recipe Video

Recipe Variations

Making coffee boba is a simple process. That said, you can feel free to vary the recipe as needed. 

• Sweeteners: Maple syrup may not be in your pantry, but that’s ok! You can use brown sugar syrup, coconut sugar, or even stevia for your boba coffee recipe.
• 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 up 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. 

Storage Tips

When making coffee boba, 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. 

Hot Coffee Bubble Tea Recipe Instructions

If you would prefer a hot coffee boba recipe, this is for you!

Hot Coffee Milk Tea Ingredients

Boba Ingredients

• 2 cups water
• ⅓ cup tapioca balls

Coffee Boba Ingredients

• 2oz espresso (2 shots of espresso)
• 1 teaspoon raw sugar
• 1 cup oat milk

Instructions For Hot Coffee Boba Tea

1. 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.

2. Coffee Instructions: Make two shots of espresso. Add one teaspoon of cane sugar to one of the shots and stir until dissolved.

3. Prepare The Milk: Pour milk into a microwave-safe container. Heat in the microwave for about 60 seconds (until hot).

4. Assemble The Coffee Boba: Scoop boba into a hot-safe serving glass. Then, pour oat milk over the boba, followed by the coffee. Finally, stir and enjoy with a glass bubble tea straw.

Homemade Boba Equipment

More Milk Tea Recipes

• How To Make Milk Tea
• Oolong Milk Tea Recipe
• Classic Milk Tea
• Matcha Milk Tea
• Brown Sugar Milk Tea
• Taro Milk Tea Recipe
• Jasmine Milk Tea Recipe

Recipe

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