Earl Grey Bubble Tea

Front angle view on a milk tea made dairy-free and with tapioca pearl (boba).

5 from 1 vote

Learn how to make Earl Grey milk tea using only 4 ingredients: black tea, plant-based milk, sweetener and chewy sweet tapioca pearls! This homemade bubble tea recipe uses oat milk for an ultra-creamy drink and you can sweeten it just the way you want. It is loaded with an amazing aromatic flavor and easier to make than it seems!

Prep Time15

Total Time15

Course: Drinks

Cuisine: American

Keyword: boba, bubble tea, dairy-free, healthy, milk tea, Vegan

Servings:

Calories: 295kcal

Author: Jessica Laroche

Ingredients

4 Earl Grey tea bags or about 4-5 teaspoons of loose tea leaves
2 cups plant-based milk I used oat milk from Oatly
1 cup water
½ cup uncooked bubble tea tapioca pearls
1-3 tbsp maple syrup or favorite sweetener or more to taste

Instructions

In a small saucepan, add the plant-based milk, water and warm up on medium heat until steamy hot. Then, turn the heat off and add the bags of tea. Let them steep for about 5 minutes. Then, press on the bags to get most of their flavor into the milk and discard the bags.
Add the sweetener to the saucepan with the tea (add to taste) and then, transfer to a large glass jar or container. Place the milk tea in the fridge until ready to use.
Give a quick rinse to the saucepan and add about 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then add the bubble tea tapioca pearls. Simmer for 5-10 minutes, depending on how chewy you like them. Then, turn the heat off and let them soak in the hot water for another 5-10 minutes. Drain the pearls (I like using a slotted spoon) and transfer them to a small bowl. Add a little maple syrup over them and stir.
To serve, divide the tapioca balls in between 2 large serving glasses. Then, add some ice cubes over and fill up the glasses with the milk tea. Stir and adjust the sweetener to your taste. Enjoy right away.

Video

Notes

How to prep a batch ahead: once the bubble tea is assembled, then enjoy it right away (the boba pearls are best when freshly cooked). But you can prepare the Earl Grey milk mixture ahead of time (you can make a double batch!) and keep it in the fridge for up to 4 days. Simply make a fresh batch of pearls whenever you are ready to enjoy your boba!
You can also use granulated sugar to sweeten this drink, which will dissolve easily in the warm tea.
I share a lot of tips on how to make this recipe and more variations in the blog post. Be sure to check it out!
Nutrition: please note that the nutritional information is an estimate per serving provided for informational purposes only (calculated by software) and accuracy is not guaranteed. Consult with your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian if you need precise nutrition calculations for health reasons.

Nutrition