Bubble tea is surprisingly easy to make at home. Once you have the basics down, you can play around with the tea, milk, sweetness and flavours until you find a combination you love.
At its simplest, a bubble tea recipe starts with a flavourful tea base and chewy tapioca pearls. Add milk for a creamy milk tea, pour it over ice for something refreshing, or sweeten it to your liking.
The tea matters more than you might think. Using loose leaf tea gives you plenty of room to experiment with different blends and control how strong you want your brew. If you've been wondering how to make bubble tea without another trip to the bubble tea shop, here's an easy way to do it.
What You Need to Make Bubble Tea at Home
You don't need much special equipment to make homemade bubble tea. A saucepan, tea infuser and a tall glass will get you most of the way there.
For one serving, you'll need:
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Loose leaf tea: Choose a tea you enjoy or one with enough flavour to pair with milk and ice.
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Water: For brewing your tea.
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Tapioca pearls: These give bubble tea its signature chewy boba.
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Milk or a milk alternative: Optional, depending on the style you're making.
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Sweetener: Use your favourite and adjust it to taste.
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Ice: For serving your bubble tea cold.
That's the basic formula. Once you've made it a few times, you can start playing around with different teas, flavours and combinations.
Easy Bubble Tea Recipe
Makes: 1 large serving
Ingredients
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2 tsp loose leaf tea, or enough to make a stronger-than-usual cup
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About 1 cup water
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¼ to ½ cup prepared tapioca pearls
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½ cup milk or milk alternative, optional
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Sweetener of choice, to taste
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Ice
The amount of tea you use may vary depending on the blend, so check the brewing directions for your chosen tea. You can also explore Tealish's loose leaf tea collection for a tea base to experiment with.
How to Make Bubble Tea at Home
Step 1: Brew Your Loose Leaf Tea
Start by brewing your tea a little stronger than you would for a regular cup. Since you'll be adding ice and possibly milk, a stronger brew helps keep the tea flavour from getting lost.
Follow the brewing instructions for your chosen tea, then remove the leaves once it has finished steeping.
Step 2: Cook the Boba
If you've never learned how to make boba before, don't overthink it. Most of the work comes down to properly cooking the tapioca pearls.
Cooking times can vary quite a bit depending on the brand and type, so follow the instructions on your package rather than relying on one set cooking time.
Once they're ready, drain the pearls and add your preferred sweetener if you'd like. When making boba at home, it's best to prepare the amount you plan to enjoy so you get that soft, chewy texture you're after.
Step 3: Let the Tea Cool
Give your freshly brewed tea some time to cool before pouring it over ice. Otherwise, you'll end up melting half the glass and watering down your drink.
Short on time? Brew a more concentrated cup so it can handle the extra ice.
Step 4: Put It All Together
Spoon the cooked tapioca pearls into the bottom of a tall glass, then pour in your cooled tea.
Add milk or a milk alternative if you're making a creamy version, followed by sweetener if needed. Finish with ice, give it a good stir and grab a wide boba straw.
Step 5: Make It Yours
Now comes the part you can't really get wrong.
If it's too creamy, add more tea. Want the tea flavour to come through more? Brew it stronger next time. Prefer it sweeter? Add a little more sweetener.
There's no perfect ratio you have to follow. That's one of the perks of making it yourself.
What Is the Best Tea for Boba?
The best tea for boba really depends on what kind of drink you're in the mood for. A creamy milk tea calls for a different base than a bright, fruity iced version.
Loose leaf tea makes it easy to switch things up instead of sticking with the same classic flavour every time.
Black Tea
Black tea is a great starting point for classic milk tea. Its fuller taste works well with milk, ice and sweetener.
Keep it traditional with a straightforward black tea, or choose a flavoured blend if you want something a little different.
Green Tea
For a lighter, fresher drink, try green tea.
It works especially well when you're leaning towards fruity or refreshing flavours and don't want the heavier feel of a classic milk tea.
Flavoured Tea
This is where things can get interesting.
Starting with a flavoured loose leaf tea lets you bring fruit, vanilla, spice, chocolate, citrus and other notes directly into the tea itself. It's an easy way to experiment without relying entirely on syrups to build your drink.
Tealish's Iced Tea collection is a good place to look for loose leaf teas made for a refreshing cold brew.
Dessert Tea
If you tend to order bubble tea that could double as dessert, try starting with a dessert-inspired blend.
Chocolate, vanilla, nutty and bakery-inspired teas can take your drink in a completely different direction, especially when paired with milk and chewy tapioca pearls.
Browse Tealish's Dessert Tea collection for inspiration.
You can also try Toasty Almond Tea for a cosy twist on homemade milk tea.
Other Tea Bases
Black and green tea aren't your only options. Rooibos and herbal blends can work too, depending on the flavour you're going for.
When choosing your tea for bubble tea, think about the finished drink. Some blends work beautifully with milk, while others shine when they're simply chilled and poured over ice.
Tips for Better Homemade Bubble Tea
A few small tweaks can make a big difference:
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Start with a stronger brew. Ice and milk can soften the tea flavour.
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Follow the instructions on your tapioca pearls. Cooking times vary between products.
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Enjoy your boba fresh. That soft, chewy texture is a big part of the experience.
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Taste before sweetening. Your tea and milk may change how much sweetness you actually want.
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Play with the ratios. More tea makes it bolder, while more milk makes it creamier.
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Grab a wide straw. Your tapioca pearls will thank you.
Make Bubble Tea Your Own with Tealish
Once you know how to make bubble tea, the basic recipe is just the starting point.
Go creamy one day and fruity the next. Try black tea, green tea or a dessert-inspired blend. You can even take a tea you normally drink hot and see what happens when you chill it, add boba and give it a completely different personality.
Explore Tealish's loose leaf teas and find a flavour for your next glass. 🧋
