Matcha Bubble Tea (Matcha Milk Tea Boba)

Matcha Bubble Tea (Matcha Milk Tea Boba)

Matcha Milk Tea Boba (Matcha Bubble Tea) combines the grassy fresh flavor of matcha with creamy coconut milk and chewy boba pearls. It’s basically a vegan iced matcha latte turned into bubble tea!

Course Drinks

Cuisine Taiwanese

Keyword Matcha Bubble Tea, Matcha Milk Tea, Matcha Milk Tea Boba

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 20

Time for the Boba to Steep 20

Servings servings

Calories 481kcal

Author Faith Gorsky

Equipment

Ingredients

Boba:

10 cups filtered water
1 2/3 cups black tapioca pearls
4 tablespoons dark brown sugar lightly packed

Matcha Milk Tea:

2/3 cups lukewarm filtered water
4 teaspoons matcha powder
1/2 cup simple syrup see Notes
2 cups prepared tapioca pearls boba
3 cups ice
2 cups canned light coconut milk

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

For the Boba:

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 2 cups of the cooking liquid, and then rinse and drain the boba.
Put the boba back into the pot. Stir in the reserved 2 cups of cooking liquid and the brown sugar. Cover the pot and let the boba steep for 20 minutes. Drain the boba except for 2 tablespoons of the liquid (this small amount of liquid will help prevent the pearls from sticking together).

For the Matcha Milk Tea:

While the boba is steeping, make the tea.
Add the lukewarm water and matcha powder to a glass jar with a lid and give it a good shake until foamy. Alternatively, add them to a bowl and whisk until it’s frothy.

To Assemble the Bubble Milk Tea:

To each of 4 glasses, add the following in this order: 2 tablespoons simple syrup, 1/2 cup prepared boba, 3/4 cup ice, 1/2 cup coconut milk, and then divide the matcha tea between the 4 glasses (each glass gets about 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons of matcha tea).
Serve immediately.

Notes

How Much Boba This Makes: 1 2/3 cups of dry black tapioca pearls cooks up to be about 2 cups of prepared boba. About 1/2 cup of prepared boba is a good amount for each drink, so you will get 4 drinks from 1 2/3 cups of dry tapioca pearls.
Simple Syrup: To make about 1/4 cup of simple syrup, combine 1/4 cup granulated sugar and 1/4 cup filtered water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, and then boil for 30 seconds. Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature before using. Feel free to add more or less to taste.
Best Served Immediately: Cooked tapioca pearls continue to absorb liquid. This causes them to expand more and take on a gummy texture. Additionally, you may have trouble getting them through a straw (even a large bubble tea straw) if this drink sits for quite a while.
Can I Prepare Boba in Advance? For the best flavor and texture, I recommend eating boba immediately after making it. However, if you prepare extra tapioca pearls, you can store them in simple syrup in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Coconut Milk: Use full-fat canned coconut milk for an even richer beverage.
Vanilla: Add about 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract per drink for a mild vanilla flavor that complements green tea well.
Green Tea: For the best flavor, use ceremonial grade organic matcha powder. And make sure to mix it with water until it’s frothy!

Nutrition