How to Make Bubble Tea At Home | The Easiest Bubble Tea Recipe
If you’ve ever wanted to learn how to make bubble tea at home easy, this guide walks you through everything step-by-step, but my first attempt at making bubble tea at home was a disaster. Not totally.
I didn’t ruin my kitchen or burn down my house (which is always an option). What I did manage to do, though, was burn the boba (those little round balls of chewy goodness) so badly that they tasted like caramelized brown sugar and I felt a sense of regret for even trying.
As I stood there with my spoon, looking at what I had created, I couldn’t help but think… How Hard Can This Really Be?
As it turns out, not very hard at all. But you will need the perfect rhythm and a good sense of humor if/when you get frustrated and lose it.
If you’ve ever looked at a $9 bubble tea and thought “Man, I bet I could make this at home”, don’t worry. You can!
Making bubble tea at home is easier than it appears, way less expensive than buying from a store every week, and also surprisingly fun to shake your own drink.
This is not a step-by-step guide from a professional bartender (or coffee shop barista).
This is the “real life” version. As in, “I have to take care of my kids, run errands, and hopefully have 20 minutes of peace and quiet.”
The Bare Minimum You Need
Here’s everything you need if you’re wondering how to make bubble tea at home easy with simple tools and ingredients you already have.
You don’t need fancy equipment or imported powders with labels you can’t pronounce. You just need the basics.
A pot to boil pearls.
A jar to shake things in.
A straw wide enough to fit the magic.
I use black tea most days, but jasmine or oolong work too.
Whole milk when I want it creamy, oat milk when I want to pretend I’m making a healthier choice.
Brown-sugar syrup when I feel extra.
If you want to make your own syrup, mix equal parts brown sugar and water, simmer for five minutes, and let your kitchen smell like heaven. Keep it in the fridge. It’ll quietly improve your life all week.
If you’re curious about the calories in your homemade bubble tea, you can plug your drink into my free BobaCal Bubble Tea Calculator. Just choose your tea, milk, sugar level, and toppings, and it will estimate the calories for you.
How to Make Bubble Tea at Home Easy
This method shows you how to make bubble tea at home easy, breaking it down into simple steps: brew, sweeten, shake, and add your toppings.
First, brew your tea (the stronger, the better).
I use two tea bags for each cup of water, and I let those sit for 5 minutes while I get everything else ready. This is the base of all your work.
As your tea steeps, you can also cook your “pearls” or bubbles. For most people, cooking the pearls is fun because when they are cold and raw, they sink in the bottom of the bowl, but as they warm up and begin to dissolve, they come to the surface — like mini-victories rising to the top.
After you have cooked the pearls, quickly rinse them with hot water and drop them into your sugar syrup to prevent them from sticking together.
My favorite part of making bubble tea is the shake. In a mason jar, pour:
¾ cup of that brewed tea,
¼ cup of milk,
A handful of ice,
And any sweetener your heart desires.
Shake the ingredients vigorously for ten seconds. It’s about an equal amount of time to take three deep breaths. If anyone looks at you funny, tell them you’re “emulsifying emotions.”
Finally, pour the contents of the mason jar over the pearls and drink using a wide straw. That’s it! You’ve made bubble tea.
Boba Toppings Explained
Once you know how to make bubble tea at home easy, you can start having fun playing with toppings pearls, jelly, and cream to build your perfect cup.
If you have been to a boba shop and had difficulty choosing from all of your boba topping options, I know what you mean.
Here is how we’ll simplify the choices for you:
Tapioca Pearls — This is the chewiest choice.
Popping Boba — These are small balls of juice that create a fun experience in every drink as they “pop” when you sip them.
Grass Jelly — The most subtle choice and my personal favorite — smooth, mild, underappreciated.
Lychee Jelly — Floral, sweet, and very attractive.
Feel free to mix and match. I typically choose one chewy option (tapioca pearls) and one fun option (lychee jelly) when I want to be fancy.
Ultimately, there are no incorrect boba topping combinations — only delicious ones waiting to happen.
Want to Check Your Bubble Tea Calories?
After you make your drink, open my free BobaCal calculator and enter your choices. It’s an easy way to see how much each topping adds so you can keep your homemade bubble tea as light or as indulgent as you like.
Storage Tips
You can optionally include this in your Notes section:
Best enjoyed fresh. Store brewed tea and syrup in the fridge for up to 2 days, but always make pearls fresh — they harden within a few hours.
How to Make Bubble Tea at Home (Easy Beginner Recipe)
Learn how to make bubble tea at home — the easy, real-life version. Simple ingredients, chewy black tapioca pearls, creamy milk tea, and just the right amount of sweetness. Cheaper, fun to shake, and made exactly how you like it.
Ingredients
- 2 black tea bags (or 2 tsp loose-leaf tea)
- 1 cup hot water
- ½ cup black tapioca pearls
- 2 tbsp brown sugar syrup
- ¼ cup milk (whole, oat, or almond)
- Ice cubes
- Optional: sweetener to taste
Instructions
- Brew the tea. Steep 2 tea bags in 1 cup of hot water for 5 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Cook the pearls. Boil tapioca pearls for 5–7 minutes until soft and chewy. Drain, rinse briefly, and toss in brown sugar syrup to prevent sticking.
- Shake it up. In a mason jar, combine brewed tea, milk, ice, and syrup. Shake vigorously for about 10 seconds.
- Assemble. Add pearls to a tall glass, pour the shaken tea mixture over them, and insert a wide straw.
- Enjoy! Sip, smile, and know it tastes better because you made it yourself.
Notes
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 1 Large Serving Size: 1 LargeAmount Per Serving: Calories: 220Total Fat: 3gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 8mgSodium: 40mgCarbohydrates: 46gSugar: 28gProtein: 4g
Nutrition information isn't always accurate.
Your Drink, Your Way
At this point, it’s no longer a recipe – it’s a personal ritual.
Some people choose 25% sugar; others choose 75%.
Whatever percentage you prefer is fine by me (and whatever the day brings).
You like less ice in winter and more in summer? Great!
You want whole milk when you are down and need comforting and almond when you are good? Wonderful!
There is something liberating about having a drink made the way you want it to be.
After many years of waiting on others to provide for me, I have to say — feeling that way feels very, very good.
Curious how your boba compares with calories? I developed an application called BobaCal so you could input your drink and know what you are getting yourself into. That said, sometimes the answer is simply: joy.
Things will go wrong. It is a fact of life.
But your pearl can be too hard in the center when it’s been cooked for too short of time. So boil them for a little while longer.
Your tea may taste watered down due to ice. Try using less ice or using stronger brewed tea.
You spilled all that brown sugar syrup? Welcome to the club!
However, when you see your drink doesn’t resemble what was served at the coffee shop – don’t worry. Your drink has love & probably fewer chemicals than theirs.
Flavor Inspiration
After getting the basics of making bubble tea at home down to an art form you will be able to get creative.
Cozy brown sugar lattes on those cold days we all love.
Winter time is peppermint taro latte time.
If you ever feel like the world weighs too much ginger milk tea is always there to give you something warm.
When you need a little bit of peace in a cup matcha jasmine is perfect.
When you just need a little pick me up strawberry cream is always a good idea.
Your go-to drink may evolve seasonally like many other things in life that are truly enjoyable.
A Few Real-Life Tips
Fresh is better when it comes to pearls.
If you make too much tea, brew it again as needed by keeping it cold in your refrigerator.
Do Not Put Pearls In Your Refrigerator. They will get harder than I am on Laundry Day.
I wouldn’t reheat milk tea. Just mix it again with some fresh ice and call it a restart.
Why I Keep Making It
Each time I make bubble tea at my house I am reminded of how simple pleasure can be without having to do much.
Making bubble tea is a simple process of measuring ingredients, shaking, and pouring, but in this process I feel like I am being pulled into the present.
I think the real secret ingredient to making bubble tea is attention to each individual step. The type of attention that says, “This moment is important. Whether you are drinking tea or not.”
Can I make bubble tea at home without tapioca pearls?
You can certainly make bubble tea at home without Tapioca Pearls, however, if you don’t have Tapioca Pearls, you can still create a “Pearl-Free” Bubble Tea at home and enjoy a cozy Milk Tea experience.
You can add Jelly, Pudding, or even small fruit pieces as your topping. The process for making the tea (brewing), combining the milk and Brown Sugar Syrup remains the same.
What type of tea is the best for Homemade Bubble Tea?
English Breakfast or Assam Black Tea are two good options when looking for a strong tea that will hold up to milk and brown sugar in homemade bubble tea.
Oolong or Jasmine tea may be used if you prefer a lighter flavor. In general, you want to brew the tea slightly stronger than you normally would when drinking it on its own.
Can I make a lighter version of this bubble tea at home?
Yes, once you learn how to easily make bubble tea at home, you can reduce the calorie content of your bubble tea by reducing the amount of brown sugar syrup used, increasing the ratio of tea to milk, or using low fat or Non-Dairy Milks.
Your flavors remain the same but now contain fewer calories and less sugar.
Want to Try More?
If you’re on a roll, you can keep experimenting:
- 🍠 Peppermint Taro Bubble Tea — purple, minty, surprisingly comforting.
- 🍯 Brown Sugar Boba Milk Tea — sweet and dramatic, like your favorite playlist.
- 🌿 Ginger Milk Tea — soothing warmth in a cup.
- 🔢 Bubble Tea Calories Guide — for when you’re just curious
The Sweet Finish
Making bubble tea at home has now become an easy ritual in our household. Occasionally I will set a couple of glasses on the counter and allow each of my daughters to pick her own toppings and desired amount of sugar.
At other times I will create a single serving for myself after working all day. The glass goes to the kitchen table, the phone goes to another room, and the quietness is peaceful and calming.
While it may be less expensive than purchasing a store drink, there are many benefits to creating your own at home.
I know exactly what is in the cup, I have full control over how I would like to prepare it, and that feeling of a small lift you receive from walking out of a coffee cafe is present, yet I never have to leave the comfort of my own home.
To make bubble tea in your home is not about getting it right; it is about making something small and good that is yours and yours alone.
It is being in your kitchen with a Mason jar, shaking your own happiness into existence. It is laughing as the syrup runs down the side of the jar, knowing you created this little moment just for you.
If you ever wonder what your favorite variations add up to, BobaCal will be there to do the math for you.
