Chai Tea Boba (Milk Chai Bubble Tea) is a delicious blend of milk, chai tea, and tapioca pearls sweetened with honey. Make it at home using my easy recipe (vegetarian, gluten-free).
Here are some more tea recipes that you may like – Lemongrass Chai, Sulaimani Tea, Pudina Chai, Irani Chai, Dry Fruit Tea, and Ginger Turmeric Tea.
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About Chai Tea Boba (Milk Chai Bubble Tea)
Chai Tea Boba (Milk Chai Bubble Tea) is a delicious beverage made with just 5 ingredients. It is a rich, creamy blend of milk, tea bags, and tapioca pearls sweetened with honey.
It is popular in South East Asia and is taking over the world due to its incredible taste and texture.
Making this milk chai bubble tea is incredibly easy at home. You can make it at a fraction of the cost, and the homemade tea tastes much better than the bought one.
Once you make it at home, I assure you, you will never want to repurchase it.
This recipe is vegetarian and gluten-free, and you can easily double or triple it.
Ingredients
To make Chai Boba Tea, you need a few simple ingredients – milk, tea bags, dried tapioca pearls, sugar, and honey.
Use any black tea bags to make the bubble tea. If you want to make it spiced, then use spiced tea bags.
You can easily find dried tapioca pearls in the “Asian section” of any grocery store. These are also available online.
How To Make Chai Tea Boba
Cook The Boba Pearls
Add 1 cup of water and ¼ cup of granulated sugar to a pan.
Heat over medium-high heat until it comes to a boil.
Reduce the heat to low.
Add ¼ cup of boba pearls to the pan and cook for 15 minutes.
Switch off the heat, add 2 tablespoon honey to the pan, and stir well.
Remove the pan from the heat and let the pearls soak in for 30 minutes.
Brew The Tea
Heat 1 cup of water in a pan over medium heat.
Once the water comes to a boil, switch off the heat and add 2 black tea bags to the pan and let the tea steep for 10 minutes.
Note – Do not steep for less time otherwise, the tea flavor in the final beverage will be very mild.
Discard the tea bag and keep the tea aside.
Assemble The Chai Boba Tea
Add the brewed tea, ¼ cup of chilled milk, and 2 tablespoon honey to a tall glass and stir well.
Take out the boba pearls from the pan using a slotted spoon and add them to the glass.
Add a few ice cubes to the glass and stir well.
Serve immediately, along with a large boba tea straw. These straws assist you in sucking up the tapioca balls from the bottom of your drink. Sip the pearls through the straw and then chew them in your mouth before swallowing them with your drink.
Pro Tips By Neha
You can brew a masala chai instead of plain chai to make a masala chai boba tea.
If you like more boba pearls in your tea, feel free to increase their quantity.
For a taste change, add some dried orange peels, ground ginger, dried rose petals, dried apple slices, vanilla extract, etc while brewing the tea.
Replace granulated sugar with dark brown sugar for an earthier taste.
To make the drink vegan, replace dairy milk with plant-based milk like coconut milk, oat milk, soy milk, or cashew milk, and replace honey with maple syrup.
This tea tastes the best when made fresh. However, you can brew the tea, cook the boba pears a day in advance, and refrigerate them. Just assemble the bubble tea just before serving.
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Recipe Card
Chai Tea Boba Recipe (Milk Chai Bubble Tea)
Ingredients
To Cook The Boba
- 1 cup water
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup dried boba pearls
- 2 tablespoons honey (replace with sugar for vegan)
To Brew Tea
- 1 cup water
- 2 black tea bags
To Assemble The Drink
- brewed tea
- ¼ cup chilled milk (dairy or plant-based)
- 2 tablespoons honey (use maple syrup for vegan)
- strained cooked boba pearls
- ice cubes (as required)
Instructions
Cook The Boba Pearls
- Add water and sugar to a pan.
- Heat over medium-high heat until it comes to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to low.
- Add boba pearls to the pan and cook for 15 minutes.
- Switch off the heat and add honey to the pan and stir well.
- Remove the pan from the heat and let the pearls soak in for 30 minutes.
Brew The Tea
- Heat water in a pan over medium heat.
- Once the water comes to a boil, switch off the heat and add tea bags to the pan and let the tea steep for 10 minutes.
- Note – Do not steep for less time otherwise the tea flavor in the final beverage will be very mild.
- Discard the tea bag and keep the tea aside.
Assemble The Chai Boba Tea
- Add the brewed tea, milk, and honey to a tall glass and stir well.
- Take out the boba pearls from the pan using a slotted spoon and add them to the glass.
- Add a few ice cubes to the glass and stir well.
- Serve immediately along with a large boba tea straw. These straws assist you in sucking up the tapioca balls from the bottom of your drink. Sip the pearls through the straw and then chew them in your mouth before swallowing them with your drink.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!