Creamy Oolong Milk Tea

Oolong milk tea is a rich, toasty drink that's incredibly simple to make at home. With a base of oolong tea, milk, brown sugar, and tapioca pearls, it has the perfect balance of flavors and textures.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 5

Cook Time 15

Total Time 20

Course Drinks

Cuisine Chinese, Gluten-Free, Taiwanese, Vegan

Servings 3 servings

Calories 210 kcal

Equipment

Teapot
Medium saucepan
Mixing bowl
Bubble tea staw

Ingredients

US Customary - Metric

Boba

▢ ½ cup uncooked tapioca pearls
▢ 6 cups water
▢ ⅓ cup brown sugar (+ ⅓ cup water)

Oolong tea

▢ 4 cups filtered water
▢ 6 teaspoons loose-leaf oolong tea balls

Milk & sweetener

▢ 1 cup soy milk
▢ 3-4 tablespoons brown sugar syrup
▢ Ice to serve

Instructions

Boba

Boil the water for the tapioca pearls in a medium-large saucepan. Once boiling, add the tapioca pearls and lower the heat to just under medium.
Simmer them for 15-30 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes to prevent sticking. Cooking time will vary, so check the package for instructions — mine take 30 minutes.
In the meantime, prepare the brown sugar syrup. Add sugar and water to a small saucepan and whisk together. Bring the mixture to a simmer for about 3-5 minutes until the sugar has dissolved. Reserve ¼ cup, then pour the rest into a medium mixing bowl.
Strain the tapioca pearls through a fine-mesh strainer, rinsing them lightly. Transfer the pearls to the mixing bowl with the syrup and stir to combine. Set aside and let them soak.

Oolong tea

Boil water for the tea until it reaches 185-205°F. Brew the oolong tea for 2-3 minutes for a lighter flavor and up to 5 minutes for a more robust, earthy flavor, then strain the tea leaves and let the tea cool to room temperature.

Assembly

Add 3-4 tablespoons of tapioca pearls to a cup, followed by a handful of ice. Pour 2-4 teaspoons of syrup, then the oolong tea to ½ - ¾ of the way up. Fill the rest with soy milk and stir before serving. Happy drinking!

Notes

Soak pearls in syrup: Don't skip soaking the tapioca pearls in brown sugar syrup. This step infuses them with a sweet flavor and makes them much more enjoyable.

Straw size: Use a wide-mouthed straw designed for bubble tea. It makes the drinking experience smoother as you can easily sip up the tapioca pearls.

Freshness: For the best taste and texture, drink your oolong milk tea as soon as you make it. The pearls start to break down and turn hard, so they need to be fresh.

The exact cooking time will vary, so check your specific package for instructions, but my pearls always take 30 minutes.

The reserved syrup will sweeten the milk tea. If you forget to reserve some, you can always use maple syrup or agave.

Brew the tea for 2-3 minutes for a lighter flavor and up to 5 minutes for a stronger flavor. Don't let it steep past 5 minutes to prevent a bitter taste.

If you want a hot milk tea, skip cooling the oolong tea and omit the ice.

Nutritional information is a rough estimate and should not be taken as health advice.

Nutrition

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