Coconut Bubble Tea (Homemade Boba Recipe) - Savory Tooth (2024)

Updated Published Aug 16, 2016 By Julia 25 CommentsThis post may contain affiliate links.

Summary:

Ever wonder how to make boba (bubble tea) at home? This recipe describes how to make boba with coconut milk and vanilla using home-cooked tapioca pearls, making it easy to adjust the flavors and sweetness to your liking.

Coconut Bubble Tea (Homemade Boba Recipe) - Savory Tooth (1)

Coconut Bubble Tea

4.3 from 6 votes

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Prep: 5 minutes mins

Cook: 15 minutes mins

Yield: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 cups brewed black tea (Note 1)
  • 2/3 cup canned coconut milk (Note 2)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparing Tapioca:

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Cook Tapioca: Cook tapioca pearls according to package instructions (Note 4). After cooking, let tapioca rest in cold water for half a minute. Drain, then stir tapioca with honey until evenly coated. Set aside.

  • Assemble Drink: Stir together brewed black tea, coconut milk, and vanilla extract until well-mixed. Stir in tapioca-honey mixture, and adjust honey for desired sweetness. Serve chilled with ice (Note 5).

NUTRITION

Makes 4 Servings
Amount Per Serving (8 oz drink):
Calories 210 (23% from fat)
Total Fat 6g8%
Saturated Fat 5g25%
Cholesterol 0mg0%
Sodium 20mg1%
Net Carb 39.5g
Total Carb 40g13%
Dietary Fiber 0.5g1%
Sugars 15g
Protein 1g

Vitamin A 0% · Vitamin C 0% · Calcium 1% · Iron 5%

PHOTOS

Coconut Bubble Tea (Homemade Boba Recipe) - Savory Tooth (2)

Coconut Bubble Tea (Homemade Boba Recipe) - Savory Tooth (3)

Coconut Bubble Tea (Homemade Boba Recipe) - Savory Tooth (4)


NOTES & TIPS

(1) Black Tea. I use black tea, but any kind of tea will work (like green tea). Just use two cups of brewed tea.

(2) Coconut Milk. Use an unsweetened full-fat version, not light or reduced fat. I’ve used Goya and Chaokoh brands. Before measuring out the amount to use, stir or shake well because there will be separation in the can. Properly stirred coconut milk should appear thick and creamy, not watery.

(3) Tapioca Pearls. Buy black tapioca pearls from a local Asian grocery store or online. I found mine on Amazon: 2 pack black tapioca pearls with straws.

(4) Cooking Tapioca. I usually cook tapioca by boiling for 5 minutes in a saucepan on the stovetop, then transferring to cold water to stop the cooking process. Adjust the cooking time to get your preferred tapioca pearl texture. For example, if you like them to be soft and squishy, cook them a minute or two longer.

(5) Serving. Adjust proportions of coconut milk and honey for desired sweetness and taste. Serve chilled with ice cubes and extra thick straws wide enough for the boba to pass through. Enjoy promptly because tapioca pearls lose their texture over time and harden.

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About Julia

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Julia is a recipe developer and the founder of Savory Tooth, and lives in Boston, Massachusetts. Since 2015, she has been sharing simple recipes for tasty dishes in a user-friendly format. She typically prefers savory foods over sweet, hence the name of the site. Contact her at julia@savorytooth.null.com.

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newest oldest most voted

Paz

can u make this with white tapioca pearls?

Vote Up6Vote Down Reply

3 years ago

☯︎︎♪♲︎♪ᴥ︎

Any tapioca pearls will do – their flavours will be different though. Also, it won’t look as ꧁𝕒𝕖𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕥𝕚𝕔꧂

Jotroop Kaur

*aesthetic

Vote Up2Vote Down Reply

2 years ago

Suzi

I love the tapioca pearls

Vote Up5Vote Down Reply

7 years ago

Boba Made

What a refreshing drink! I love boba tea, and I make it at home all the time (even from scratch with tapioca powder) I am definitely going to try this Coconut tea recipe next time, which is probably tomorrow =)

Vote Up3Vote Down Reply

5 years ago

Travis

Delicious! Will be making again soon.

Vote Up2Vote Down Reply

6 years ago

Joanne

This looks so cool! I’ve always wanted to try one of these boba bubble teas but for some reason I never did. Also I was intrigued about the little bubbles. I had no idea they were tapioca pearls! Oh and coconut and vanilla combo sounds amazing. I can’t wait to try it! Do you think I can use homemade coconut milk instead of the canned one?

Vote Up1Vote Down Reply

6 years ago

Julia

Thanks Joanne! Yes, homemade coconut milk would work as well. 🙂

Vote Up0Vote Down Reply

6 years ago

Sam

Love the tips !

Vote Up0Vote Down Reply

7 months ago

Kathy Swenson

Can you make pearls using coconut instead of the tapioca and if so can you buy them instead of making them?

Vote Up0Vote Down Reply

2 years ago

Julia

I’m not aware of any way to make the pearls using coconut instead of tapioca. Sorry I can’t be of more help!

Vote Up0Vote Down Reply

2 years ago

Shaheen

I’ve had black tapioca pearls in my cupboard forever and have been slow to make Bubble tea, hopefully this year I will get round to it.

Happy New Year to you too.

Vote Up0Vote Down Reply

7 years ago

Nicole

Did you use canned coconut milk or the more watery version in the carton? Also, what brand black tea do you recommend? Thanks! 😀

Vote Up0Vote Down Reply

7 years ago

Julia

Hi Nicole! I used canned coconut milk. As for the black tea, I used a Taiwanese brand that’s hard to find at most stores, but any brand will work nicely for this recipe. Hope that helps!

Vote Up1Vote Down Reply

7 years ago

Manar

Followed your directions. The same coconut can you have, I used. It was gritty. Tried straining it but still didn’t work. Didn’t taste good either. Not at all like the store bubble tea

Vote Up0Vote Down Reply

3 years ago

Caitlin

It probably went bad, did you check the expiration date?

Vote Up1Vote Down Reply

3 years ago

Julia @ HappyFoods

I am really curious about this bubble tea as I had never heard of it before! Do the tapioca pearls add some specific flavour to the tea? What do they taste like?

Vote Up0Vote Down Reply

7 years ago

Julia

Not so much flavor as texture. The tapioca pearls have a soft, squishy texture that make the drink more interesting. Instead of just drinking a beverage, you occasionally get something to chew on 🙂

Vote Up0Vote Down Reply

7 years ago

Julia @ HappyFoods

Thanks for the clarification! 🙂

Vote Up0Vote Down Reply

7 years ago

Roma Soodeen

The pearls actually don’t have any taste but you can change that by letting them sit and (soak) to absorb what ever flavor you like. such as strawberry syrup, honey etc.

Vote Up1Vote Down Reply

7 years ago

Pam

I’ve seen recipes for soaking or cooking them in brown sugar syrup. Yum!

Vote Up0Vote Down Reply

1 year ago

tiffany

i was wondering if you could use coconut water instead of coconut milk? would that work?

Vote Up-1Vote Down Reply

4 years ago

Julia

Coconut water would result in a much thinner drink, so I wouldn’t recommend it.

Vote Up2Vote Down Reply

4 years ago

ashley

Delicious! ONe question, where did you get those cups, i love them 🙂

Vote Up-1Vote Down Reply

7 years ago

Julia

Thanks Ashley! Those cups are actually milk jugs. You can get them on Amazon (http://amzn.to/2bREVWf) or at Red Hill General Store: http://www.redhillgeneralstore.com/housewares/kitchen/kitacc/Glass-Milk-Bottles.htm

Vote Up1Vote Down Reply

7 years ago

Coconut Bubble Tea (Homemade Boba Recipe) - Savory Tooth (2024)

FAQs

What are the ingredients in coconut jelly bubble tea? ›

Ingredients: Coconut pulp (70%), fructose, sugar, water, acidity regulator (330), Stabilizer (415), Emulsifier (452), Preservative (202).

Why is my homemade boba hard? ›

Sometimes if the tapioca pearls get too cold or come into direct contact with the ice before other liquid has been added, they can start to harden. Adding the ice last should help keep the boba soft and chewy. It's common to see boba tea served both with and without ice.

How to make homemade boba without tapioca starch or cornstarch? ›

Making Dry Boba Pearls

In a cooking pot, cook on low heat the 40g brown sugar and 100 ml water and bring to a boil. Once it boils, turn off the heat and add the glutinous rice flour while it's hot. Do not add all at once. Add glutinous rice flour gradually and mix well until you have a smooth doughy consistency.

What is coconut milk tea made of? ›

Process tea, coconut cream, ice, milk, and sugar together in a blender until combined. Scoop 1/4 cup of the tapioca into each tall glass and fill with tea. Enjoy with large straws to suck up the tapioca, or use spoons.

Is coconut jelly boba healthy? ›

It has many of the health benefits of the coconut such as vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber. It is a delicious addition in any drink, or put it on top of your dessert! These little juice boba jellies are filled with amazing good flavors.

What is the best jelly for bubble tea? ›

Both fruit and grass jelly tend to be the most popular options due to their health benefits and versatility, however custard jelly stands unique in its sweet dessert-like addition to any bubble tea.

What happens if you overboil boba? ›

Is it possible to overcook boba? Tapioca pearls, or boba, are made from tapioca and are gummy like gummy bears. The starch was overcooked if they squelch under your chomps or are so soft that they blend together. Alternatively, if they crunch, the starch is undercooked.

Why did my boba turn into oobleck? ›

If your dough has turned into an oobleck, where it oozes slowly through your fingers and does not hold its shape, your tapioca starch was added too quickly and did not properly absorb, start over. No amount of added tapioca starch can save it once it has become an oobleck.

How to tell if tapioca pearls are bad? ›

If it has been over a year, try the sniff test and toss it if you notice a distinct odor. Tips for Safe Storage To ensure tapioca starchlasts its proper cycle and remains edible, you should store it correctly.

Is it OK to make boba with cornstarch? ›

“What can you use instead of tapioca flour for making boba?” So many people have been asking me this question. For you all, I tried to make some cornstarch boba pearls. Surprisingly, I found out that you can actually use cornstarch, as a good replacement for tapioca flour, to easily make boba at home.

What can I use instead of tapioca starch for boba? ›

Here are 6 of the best substitutes for tapioca flour.
  • Cornstarch. Cornstarch makes a great replacement for tapioca flour and is easily accessible. ...
  • Cassava flour. ...
  • Potato starch. ...
  • All-purpose flour. ...
  • Arrowroot. ...
  • Rice flour.
Jul 25, 2023

How do you make popping boba? ›

To make popping boba, the fruit juice is mixed with sodium alginate which will then be dropped into calcium chloride solution. Each droplet will form into a small ball in the calcium setting bath, causing the formation of a thin gel-like skin that can burst when squeezed.

What is butterfly milk tea made of? ›

Butterfly pea milk tea is made from dried butterfly pea flowers steeped in hot water, combined with fresh milk, sweetened condensed milk, and evaporated milk for creaminess and sweetness.

Is coconut milk OK in tea? ›

With its sweet and nutty taste, coconut milk can add a unique depth to your cuppa's flavour. Whether you prefer Everyday decaf tea or even Green tea, there are endless flavourful combinations to be had with coconut milk. So if you fancy trying something new, you'd have to be coco-nuts to pass this combo by.

Is Starbucks coconut milk real coconut milk? ›

Is Starbucks coconut milk real coconut milk? Starbucks uses Single Origin Sumatra Coconut Milk, which is considered real coconut milk as its base is made up of water and coconut cream. However, this product does contain several additives, preservatives, and ingredients that aren't necessarily considered natural.

What is coconut jelly made out of? ›

Nata de coco, also marketed as coconut gel, is a chewy, translucent, jelly-like food produced by the fermentation of coconut water, which gels through the production of microbial cellulose by Komagataeibacter xylinus.

What is bubble tea jelly made of? ›

While traditional bubble tea contains tapioca pearls that are safe to eat, once you add toppings, the water becomes muddier with regards to whether the bubble tea is safe for you to consume. While some of the jelly toppings are safe to eat as they're made out of agar agar, many of them are made with gelatin.

Is coconut jelly in bubble tea vegan? ›

Despite their gelatinous appearance, boba pearls don't usually contain any non-vegan ingredients. Other possible vegan toppings include white coconut gel (nata de coco), fruit jellies, and sweet bean paste.

What are coconut jelly cubes made of? ›

It is made from fermented coconut water and has a unique gel-like texture. Here are some key aspects of nata de coco jelly: Texture and Appearance: Nata de coco jelly has a firm yet chewy texture. It is typically cut into small cubes or strips before being used as a topping.

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