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How to Make Homemade Boba Pearls (Tapioca Pearls)
5 from 6 votes

How to Make Homemade Boba Pearls (Tapioca Pearls)

Addictively chewy boba made in the comfort of your home! Mix in with brown sugar boba, your favorite tea, or drink!

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Rest Time
30 mins
Total Time
1 hr 10 mins
Servings: 2 servings
Calories: 396 kcal
Course: Dessert, Drinks
Cuisine: Asian, Taiwanese

Ingredients

Boba Ingredients
  • 70 grams tapioca starch divided in half
  • 36 grams water
  • 23 grams muscovado sugar dark brown
For Brown Sugar Boba
  • 1/2 cup muscovado sugar dark brown
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 4 tablespoons water
For Milk Tea
  • 2 cups water
  • 4 tea bags
  • 6 tablespoons milk dairy or non-dairy

Instructions

Make the Dough
    Cup of Yum
  1. Before turning on the stove, mix together the water, brown sugar, and half of the tapioca starch in a medium-sized pot. Make sure it’s smooth with no lumps before bringing it to the stove.
  2. Heat on medium-low, continuously stirring and watching carefully. Cook until it just starts to thicken into a sticky paste - Do not overcook. If the tapioca mixture forms a dry ball, it’s overcooked and it’ll be difficult to roll out.
  3. Turn off heat, add the rest of the tapioca starch, and mix. Not all of the tapioca starch will mix in well, but that’s okay!
  4. Roll out the dough onto a clean dry surface. The dough will be very warm. Quickly knead the dough until it’s smooth and one consistent color, about 7 minutes. Be quick when working with the dough because it becomes hard to manage when it’s cooled down.
  5. Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces and roll each section into long ropes. Cut them into small pieces, depending on how big you want your boba to be. Keep in mind they'll slightly expand once they’re cooked and will need to fit in your straw.
  6. Roll them into small balls then dust them in tapioca starch to prevent them from sticking. At this point, you can place them into the freezer for up to 3 months.
Cook the Boba
  1. In a medium pot, bring water to a boil. There should be enough to cover the boba by a few inches of water. Once the water is at a rolling boil, carefully add in the boba and stir to prevent them from sticking. Boil for 15 minutes with the lid on.
  2. Meanwhile, prepare the brown sugar mixture. In a small pan, add the brown sugar, salt, and water then heat on medium. Cook until it's turned into a thick syrup, about 5 minutes. Transfer the syrup to a heat-proof bowl. If you’re making brown sugar milk tea, reserve 4 tablespoons to drizzle onto the cup rims.
  3. Drain the boba then dunk them into an ice water bath for a few seconds to stop the cooking process. Drain them again, pour the boba into the brown sugar syrup, and allow them to soak for 30 minutes.
Make the Brown Sugar Milk Tea
  1. In a medium pot, bring to boil, then steep tea bags. Remove from heat and let it cool to room temperature.
  2. Prepare glass cups by swirling reserved brown sugar syrup on the sides of the glass, creating tiger stripes. Add boba to the bottom of the cup.
  3. Divide the tea into two cups and 3 tablespoons of milk to each. If you like your milk tea creamier, you can add more. Add ice, if desired, then serve with a wide-mouth straw and enjoy!

Notes

  • Tapioca Starch: Essential for boba, find it easily on Amazon or at Asian markets.
  • Mascavado Dark Brown Sugar: Use for a deep color. Lighter sugars work too but result in lighter pearls.
  • Tea Bags: Black tea is common, but feel free to use your favorite tea or drink.
  • Don't Overcook Dough: Turn off heat when mixture thickens, add rest of starch. Soft, elastic dough is good; dry or cracked is overcooked.
  • Account for Expansion: Cooked boba expands slightly, so keep this in mind so they fit in your straw.
  • Freezing and Storing: Cook only what you need. Freeze uncooked pearls in airtight containers for up to 6 months. Cook from frozen in boiling water, no need to thaw.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1boba drink Calories 396kcal (20%) Carbohydrates 98g (33%) Protein 2g (4%) Fat 1g (2%) Saturated Fat 1g (5%) Polyunsaturated Fat 0.1g (1%) Monounsaturated Fat 0.3g (2%) Cholesterol 5mg (2%) Sodium 631mg (26%) Potassium 164mg (3%) Sugar 67g (134%) Vitamin A 73IU (1%) Calcium 119mg (12%) Iron 1mg (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 2 servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 396

% Daily Value*

Serving 1boba drink
Calories 396kcal 20%
Carbohydrates 98g 33%
Protein 2g 4%
Fat 1g 2%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.1g 1%
Monounsaturated Fat 0.3g 2%
Cholesterol 5mg 2%
Sodium 631mg 26%
Potassium 164mg 3%
Sugar 67g 134%
Vitamin A 73IU 1%
Calcium 119mg 12%
Iron 1mg 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.