Hot Bubble Milk Tea (Boba Tea)

Hot Bubble Milk Tea (Boba Tea)

This delicious hot bubble tea recipe is very easy to prepare right at home and features warm black tea with sweet vanilla milk and chewy tapioca balls. Makes for a tasty and fun boba tea you can serve during the colder months. 100% dairy-free and plant-based.

Prep Time10

Cook Time5

Total Time15

Course: Drinks

Cuisine: American, Chinese

Keyword: beverage, black tea, boba, bubble tea, drink, milk tea

Servings:

Calories: 215kcal

Author: Jessica Laroche

Ingredients

For the black tea

2½ cups water
2 bags black tea or about 2 heaping teaspoons of loose black tea leaves

For the sweet milk

½ cup plant-based milk I used oat milk from Oatly
½ tsp vanilla extract
1-2 tbsp sweetener (I used maple syrup) or to taste

For the boba pearls

½ cup boba pearls I used quick-cooking tapioca pearls that I bought online.
3 cups water
½ tbsp maple syrup

Instructions

Prepare the boba

Add the 3 cups of water to a medium-sized pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add the tapioca pearls and keep cooking for about 5-7 minutes. You can taste-test them while they boil to check for doneness.
Then, remove from the pot from the heat and let the balls sit in the hot water for another 3-5 minutes.
Drain (I like using a large slotted spoon for that), transfer the balls to a small bowl and add ½ tablespoon of maple syrup. Stir and set aside until ready to use.

Brew the tea

While the boba is boiling, brew the tea. Heat up 2 ½ cups of water and then, steep the tea bags for 5-7 minutes. Alternatively, you can use loose tea leaves and steep them using a French press or tea steeper. Remove the tea bags and discard them.

Flavor the milk

Meanwhile, add the vanilla extract to the milk and a little sweetener (you can adjust with more later). For the best result, I recommend warming up the milk until steamy hot (on the stove or in the microwave).

Assemble and serve

When ready to serve, you may need to briefly reheat the black tea. Then, divide the tapioca balls between 2 serving mugs, then pour the black tea over and add as much milk as you want. Enjoy right away with a spoon to scoop the tapioca balls!

Video

Notes

Storage tip: once the tea is assembled, then it is best to enjoy it right away (the tapioca balls will slowly change in texture while sitting in the hot liquids).
Make ahead tips: You can brew a large batch of black tea and keep it in the fridge. Reheat just what you need and freshly boil the tapioca balls just before serving (they do not store well).
You can tweak the flavoring ingredients if you wish. Try adding some cinnamon, chai spices, almond extract or even cacao powder.
I do not recommend serving hot bubble tea with a straw for the risk of burning. Simply sip on the mug and scoop the tapioca using a spoon.
You can use other kinds of tea if you prefer, such as green tea, oolong tea, rooibos or jasmine. Check out the blog post for more ideas!
Be sure to check your boba pearl packaging before cooking them. I used quick cooking or Instant boba, which cooks quickly. If you do not have a quick cooking brand, then you might need to boil for longer, up to 30 minutes.
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