Creamy Thai Tea Boba (9 Ingredients)
This Thai tea boba features a base of black tea, creamy milk, fragrant spices, and tapioca pearls. Cool down with your very own glass!
Equipment
- Teapot
- Medium saucepan
- Small saucepan
- Mixing bowl
- Boba straw
Ingredients
Boba
- ½ cup uncooked black tapioca pearls
- 6 cups water
- ⅓ cup cane sugar + ⅓ cup water
Thai tea
- 4 cups filtered water
- 1 tablespoon loose-leaf black tea
- 2 whole star anise pods
- 2 whole green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
- 1 inch cinnamon stick
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ - ¾ cup full-fat coconut milk
- 3-4 tablespoons extra simple syrup
- Ice to serve
Instructions
Boba
- Bring the water for the tapioca pearls to boil in a medium-large saucepan. Once boiling, add the pearls and lower the heat to just under medium.
- Simmer for 15-30 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes to prevent sticking. Cooking time will depend on your specific pearls (check the package for instructions — mine take 30 minutes).
- In the meantime, prepare the simple syrup. Add cane sugar and water to a small saucepan and whisk together. Bring to a simmer for about 3-5 minutes until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat, reserve 3-4 tablespoons, then add the rest to a medium mixing bowl.
- Strain the tapioca pearls through a fine-mesh strainer, rinsing them gently. Transfer the pearls to the mixing bowl with the simple syrup and stir to combine. Set aside for 30 minutes to soak.
Thai tea
- While the tapioca pearls are soaking, add water, black tea leaves, star anise, cardamom, cinnamon, and turmeric to a medium saucepan. Bring the mixture to a simmer for 5 minutes.
- Once steeped, strain the Thai tea into a heat-safe container or pitcher. Add simple syrup and stir to combine.
Assembly
- Let the tea cool to room temperature. Add 3-4 tablespoons of tapioca pearls to a glass, folllowed by a handful of ice. Pour the Thai tea ½ - ¾ of the way up, then coconut milk the rest of the way. Happy drinking!
Notes
Consume right away: Don't wait to drink your Thai tea boba! The tapioca pearls start to degrade and become hard the longer they sit, so it's best enjoyed immediately.
Use the right straw: Thai bubble tea should be consumed through a wide-mouth straw made specifically for bubble tea. While plastic or stainless steel straws are available, I love glass boba straws.
Water temperature: Boil the water for your tea just until it bubbles. Overheated water can make black tea bitter and overshadow the delicate spice flavors.
Syrup sweetness: Adjust the sweetness of your drink according to your preferences. Start with less simple syrup, as you can always add more but can't take it away!
Stir the pearls every 5 minutes to prevent them from sticking to each other or the bottom of the pan. The cooking time can vary, so refer to your package for specific instructions.
Soaking the boba in syrup not only sweetens them but also helps keep them from sticking together.
Adjust the steeping time based on how strong you prefer your tea. Start tasting it at 3 minutes to find your perfect brew strength.
Nutritional information is a rough estimate and should not be taken as health advice.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 315kcal | Carbohydrates: 60.7g | Protein: 1.7g | Fat: 8.9g | Saturated Fat: 7.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.8g | Trans Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 0mg | Sodium: 46mg | Potassium: 165.6mg | Fiber: 1.3g | Sugar: 35g | Vitamin A: 14.9IU | Vitamin C: 1.5mg | Calcium: 70.9mg | Iron: 3.5mg
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