Bubble milk tea

Name: Bubble milk tea
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 70 g tapioca pearls, dried quick-cook black pearls; 1000 ml water (optional); 40 g brown sugar; 40 ml water; 400 ml black tea (brewed), brewed double-strength (about 4 tea bags) and cooled; 200 ml milk; 200 g ice

Vegetarian

珍珠奶茶 · zhēn zhū nǎi chá

Strong black tea shaken with milk and ice over chewy tapioca pearls soaked in brown sugar syrup — Taiwan's most famous drink.

Bubble milk tea is a Taiwanese cold drink, ready in about 35 minutes and made with tapioca pearls, brown sugar and black tea (brewed). It serves 2 and is rated beginner to cook.

Start cooking

Chilled boba tea with tapioca balls and straw, set against a scenic seaside view in a modern café. — Photo: Shameel mukkath / Pexels · Pexels License

Prep: 10 min
Cook: 15 min
Rest: 10 min
Total: 35 min
Serves: 2
Level: Beginner
Calories: 266

Ingredients

2 drinks

70 g Tapioca pearls (opens in a new tab), dried quick-cook black pearls
1000 ml Water (opens in a new tab) (optional)For boiling the pearls; drained away.

Syrup

40 g Brown sugar (opens in a new tab)
40 ml Water (opens in a new tab)

Tea

400 ml Black tea (brewed) (opens in a new tab), brewed double-strength (about 4 tea bags) and cooledSwap: Green tea (brewed) (For jasmine or green milk tea.)
200 ml Milk (opens in a new tab)Swap: Soy milk; Almond milk (unsweetened); Evaporated milk (Richer, closer to some tea shops.)Contains milk
200 g Ice (opens in a new tab)

Equipment

Method

1
Step 1
Bring the water to a rolling boil, add the pearls and stir until they float. Simmer according to the packet (usually 5–10 minutes), then cover and rest off the heat for a few minutes.
- 12 min
- high heat
- Saucepan (opens in a new tab)
2
Step 2
Melt the brown sugar (opens in a new tab) with the syrup water in a small pan until it bubbles.
- 3 min
- medium heat
3
Step 3
Drain the pearls, rinse briefly and stir into the warm syrup. Leave to soak for 10 minutes.
- 10 min
- Sieve / strainer (opens in a new tab)
4
Step 4
Divide the pearls and syrup between two tall glasses. Shake the cooled tea, milk (opens in a new tab) and ice together, pour over and serve with wide straws.
- 2 min
How it looks · Photo: Willians Huerta on Pexels

About this dish

Origin: Taiwan · Well documentedCreated in Taiwan in the 1980s; more than one tea shop claims to have invented it.Also popular in China, United States, Japan, Malaysia, SingaporeMore food from Taiwan
Dish: Snack · Cold drinks
Cooking method: Boiled
Taste: sweet, creamy, refreshing
Diet: Vegetarian (lacto-ovo) · No gluten ingredients · No nut ingredients
All labels
Vegetarian (lacto-ovo) · Eggetarian · Lacto-vegetarian · Pescatarian · Flexitarian-friendly · No gluten ingredients · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Low-fat · Low-sodium · DASH-style
With the listed swaps: Vegan, Plant-based, Ovo-vegetarian, Dairy-freeWorked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for: Child-friendly
Cook more with: Brown sugar · Black tea (brewed) · Milk
Techniques: Boiling · Simmering

Allergens

Contains, can be adapted: Milkfrom milk

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

266 kcal per serving

Estimated

1 serving ≈ 478 g · recipe makes 2

Where the energy comes from

Protein 5%
Carbohydrate 84%
Fat 11%

Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
Nutrient	Per serving	Per 100 g*
Energy	266 kcal	56 kcal
Protein	3.3 g	0.7 g
Carbohydrate	56.2 g	11.8 g
Net carbohydrate	55.9 g	11.7 g
Sugars	25.8 g	5.4 g
Added sugars	19.4 g	4.1 g
Fibre	0.3 g	0.1 g
Fat	3.4 g	0.7 g
Saturated fat	1.9 g	0.4 g
Trans fat	—	—
Cholesterol	10 mg	2 mg
Sodium	59 mg	12 mg
Salt equivalent	0.1 g	0 g

Vitamins & minerals per serving

Potassium: 240 mg
Calcium: 152 mg
Iron: 0.8 mg
Magnesium: 21 mg
Vitamin A (RAE): 47 µg
Vitamin C: 0 mg
Vitamin D: 1.3 µg
Vitamin B12: 0.5 µg
Folate (DFE): 17 µg

How these numbers were made

Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
*Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
Optional ingredients are not included: water.
Ice: Frozen water; same composition as water.
“—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

Pearls harden in the fridge — cook them close to serving and use within a few hours.

Common mistakes

Adding pearls to water that isn't fully boiling, which turns them into a gluey mass.

Serve with

A treat on its own or alongside popcorn chicken.

Storage

Drink within a few hours; don't refrigerate the cooked pearls.

Variations

Brown sugar milk (hei tang): Skip the tea and pour cold milk over pearls in thick brown sugar syrup for 'tiger stripes'.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added 26 Oct 2026 · Updated 8 Nov 2026

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

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Built from the recipe’s own sections. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

Tapioca pearls, dried quick-cook black pearls70 g

Used in step 1

Less sweet, dairy-free, caffeine-free or for more people — the original stays as it is.

Customise in Sip & Blend

Reviews & corrections

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