Chai Tea Boba Recipe (Milk Chai Bubble Tea)
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.
Here are some more tea recipes that you may like: Lemongrass Chai, Sulaimani Tea, Pudina Chai, Irani Chai, and Amritsari Pista Badam Tea.
A Quick Look At This Chai Tea Boba Recipe
- Prep Time: 5 minutes | Cook Time: 15 minutes | Soaking Time: 30 minutes | Total Time: 50 minutes
- Serves: 1 (Can be easily scaled up)
- Course: Beverage / Tea
- Skill Level: Easy
- Diet: Vegetarian, Gluten-Free
- Equipment: Saucepan, Tall Glasses, Slotted Spoon, Straw
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Why You’ll Love This Family Favorite Recipe!
- Combines the cozy warmth of chai with the fun chewiness of boba pearls.
- Rich, creamy, and perfectly spiced — just like your favorite café version.
- Easy to make at home with simple ingredients and no special equipment.
- Customizable — adjust the sweetness, milk type, or spice level to taste.
- A refreshing, energizing drink that’s perfect for both warm and cold days.
Table of Contents
About Chai Tea Boba
Chai Tea Boba (Milk Chai Bubble Tea) is a delicious beverage made with just 5 ingredients. It is a rich, creamy blend of milk, brewed tea, and tapioca pearls sweetened with honey.
It is popular in Southeast Asia and is gaining global recognition due to its incredible taste and texture.
Making this milk chai bubble tea at home is incredibly easy. 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 buy it again. And don’t forget to try my other variations of boba tea as well: Green Boba Tea and Blueberry Boba Tea.
Ingredients
To make Chai Boba Tea, you will need a few simple ingredients: milk, black tea bags, dried tapioca pearls, granulated white sugar, and honey.
You can use any black tea bags to make the bubble tea. If you want to add a spiced flavor, consider using spiced tea bags.
Dried tapioca pearls can be easily found in the “Asian section” of any grocery store and are also available online.
How To Make Milk Chai Bubble Tea
Cook The Boba Pearls
Step 1: Add 1 cup of water and ¼ cup of granulated white sugar to a pan.
Step 2: Heat over medium-high heat until it comes to a boil, stirring occasionally.
Step 3: Reduce the heat to low.
Step 4: Add ¼ cup of boba pearls to the pan and cook for 15 minutes.
Step 5: Switch off the heat, add 2 tablespoon of honey to the pan, and stir well.
Step 6: Remove the pan from the heat and let the pearls soak in for 30 minutes.
Brew The Tea
Step 7: Heat 1 cup of water in a pan over medium heat.
Step 8: Once the water comes to a boil, switch off the heat, 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.
Step 9: Discard the tea bag and keep the tea aside.
Assemble The Chai Boba Tea
Step 10: Add the brewed tea, ¼ cup of chilled milk, and 2 tablespoon of honey to a tall glass and stir well.
Step 11: Take out the boba pearls from the pan using a slotted spoon and add them to the glass.
Step 12: Add a few ice cubes to the glass and stir until the mixture is well combined.
Step 13: 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 create a Masala Chai boba tea.
To give it a fall twist, add soaked boba pearls to a Pumpkin Spice Chai Tea Latte.
If you like more boba pearls in your tea, then increase their quantity.
For a flavor change, add some dried orange peels, ground ginger, rose petals, apple slices, and vanilla extract while brewing the tea.
Replace granulated sugar with dark brown sugar for an earthier taste.
To make the drink vegan, replace dairy milk with a plant-based milk, such as coconut milk, oat milk, soy milk, or cashew milk, and substitute honey with maple syrup.
Chai tea boba tastes best when made fresh. However, you can brew the tea and cook the boba pears a day in advance, then refrigerate them. Just assemble the bubble tea just before serving.
Other Beverage Recipes We Recommend
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Chai Tea Boba Recipe (Milk Chai Bubble Tea)
Ingredients
To Cook The Boba
- 1 cup water
- ¼ cup granulated white 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, stirring occasionally.
- 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, 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 until well combined.
- 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.
I love making bubble tea, and this taste delish!