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Tiger milk tea boba (also called brown sugar milk tea or brown sugar bubble tea) pairs thick, rich brown sugar syrup that has notes of caramel and toffee with creamy milk and chewy boba for a refreshing treat.
My love of boba continues with this fun bubble tea classic: tiger milk tea!
This drink is made from brown sugar-sweetened tapioca pearls, brown sugar syrup, and milk served over ice.
I love how unique this boba beverage is. When you see the stripes, you know exactly what it is! Despite the name, it doesn’t actually contain tea, so it’s naturally caffeine-free and a good choice for kids.
If you’re a fan of sticky-sweet gooey brown sugar toffee flavor that’s mellowed out with rich, creamy cold milk, this is the drink for you.
Why Do They Call it Tiger Milk Tea?
Tiger milk tea gets its name because of the syrup stripes on the inside of the glass. The caramel-colored stripes form when the brown sugar syrup is poured into the glass, and they show up really well when you add milk. They looks like a tiger’s stripes!
Tiger Milk Tea Boba Recipe
Ingredients
In this section I explain the ingredients. For the full recipe (including ingredient amounts), please see the recipe card below.
Brown Sugar Boba Ingredients:
- Water – this is to rehydrate the tapioca pearls so they become soft and chewy
- Black tapioca pearls – also known as boba; I’ve been using the same kind of boba for years because it’s delicious, easy to make, and available on Amazon
- Dark brown sugar – as the boba cooks, it absorbs the liquid and sweetener in it; here we use dark brown sugar to lend a rich sweetness with notes of caramel and molasses
Brown Sugar Milk Bubble Tea Ingredients:
- Prepared tapioca pearls – we need about 1/2 cup of prepared boba pearls for each serving of bubble tea
- Brown sugar syrup – this is the brown sugar-sweetened liquid from making the boba
- Ice – to keep this drink cold and refreshing
- Unsweetened milk – you can use any kind of milk you like, plant-based or otherwise; my favorite is regular whole milk because it makes a rich, creamy drink
Instructions
Step 1: Make the Boba and the Brown Sugar Syrup:
Add the water to a 5-quart pot, and bring to a boil. Once the water is boiling, add the tapioca pearls and boil for 20 minutes. They will float to the top fairly early in the cooking process; when this happens give them a stir.
After boiling for 20 minutes, reserve 1 cup of the cooking liquid, and then rinse and drain the boba.
Put the boba back into the pot. Stir in the reserved 1 cup of cooking liquid and the brown sugar. Bring to a boil, and boil until the liquid is syrupy, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Strain the boba, reserving the brown sugar syrup. Add the boba to a bowl with 2 tablespoons of brown sugar syrup and 1 tablespoon of water (this will help prevent the pearls from sticking together).
Step 2: Assemble the Drinks:
Drizzle 2 tablespoons of brown sugar syrup in stripes down the sides of each of 4 glasses. To each glass, add: 1/4 cup boba in the bottom, 1 cup ice, 1 cup milk, and 1/4 cup boba on the top.
Serve immediately.
Brown Sugar Milk Tea FAQs
What Flavor is Tiger Milk Tea?
The main flavor of this drink is caramel or toffee, thanks to dark brown sugar as the sweetener. Brown sugar syrup has flavor notes of molasses and caramelized sugar, and is made extra thick because we use the boba cooking liquid to make it.
In this drink, the rich, sweet flavor of brown sugar syrup is balanced with cold, creamy milk. Served over ice, this drink is surprisingly refreshing and the perfect way to cool down and satisfy a sweet tooth on a hot day.
Are Brown Sugar Milk Tea and Milk Tea the Same Thing?
No, this is where it can get a little confusing, but these are actually different types of boba drinks.
Brown sugar milk tea contains chewy boba, brown sugar syrup, and milk, while milk tea typically includes black tea (check out my recipe for milk tea). This means that brown sugar milk tea is naturally caffeine-free.
Are Tiger Milk Tea and Brown Sugar Milk Tea the Same Thing?
Yes! Depending on where you are, you’ll find tiger milk tea boba called brown sugar milk tea or brown sugar bubble tea interchangeably.
And interestingly enough, this type of boba is also referred to as a Mudflip in the UK. You can check out Yi Fang’s UK menu, which lists its drink options in the Mudflip family.
More Boba Recipes to Try
- Strawberry Boba (Strawberry Milk Tea)
- Oreo Milk Tea (Oreo Boba)
- Matcha Milk Tea Boba (Matcha Bubble Tea)
Let’s Connect
Did you make this recipe? Please rate it and leave a comment below. You can also tag @anediblemosaic on social media.
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Brown Sugar Milk Tea (aka Tiger Milk Tea Boba)
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Ingredients
Boba:
- 10 cups filtered water
- 1 1/3 cups black tapioca pearls
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
Brown Sugar Milk Tea:
- 2 cups prepared tapioca pearls boba
- 1/2 cup brown sugar syrup from making the boba
- 4 cups ice
- 4 cups unsweetened milk any kind you like
Instructions
For the Boba and the Brown Sugar Syrup:
- Add the water to a 5-quart pot, and bring to a boil. Once the water is boiling, add the tapioca pearls and boil for 20 minutes. They will float to the top fairly early in the cooking process; when this happens give them a stir.
- After boiling for 20 minutes, reserve 1 cup of the cooking liquid, and then rinse and drain the boba.
- Put the boba back into the pot. Stir in the reserved 1 cup of cooking liquid and the brown sugar. Bring to a boil, and boil until the liquid is syrupy, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Strain the boba, reserving the brown sugar syrup. Add the boba to a bowl with 2 tablespoons of brown sugar syrup and 1 tablespoon of water (this will help prevent the pearls from sticking together).
To Assemble the Brown Sugar Milk Tea:
- Drizzle 2 tablespoons of brown sugar syrup in stripes down the sides of each of 4 glasses. To each glass, add: 1/4 cup boba in the bottom, 1 cup ice, 1 cup milk, and 1/4 cup boba on the top.
- Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- Brown Sugar Syrup: If you want the brown sugar syrup even thicker, you can boil the syrup for an additional minute or so after you remove the boba pearls. Remember that the syrup will thicken as it cools.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximate.
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I’m the writer, recipe developer, photographer, and food stylist behind this blog. I love finding the human connection through something we all do every day: eat! Food is a common ground that we can all relate to, and our tables tell a story. It’s my goal to inspire you to get in the kitchen, try something new, and find a favorite you didn’t know you had.
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