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Ube milk tea (Ube bubble tea)
5 from 10 votes

Ube milk tea (Ube bubble tea)

Ube milk tea combines a creamy, sweet ube base made from purple yam with tapioca pearls and milk, creating a vibrant and smooth bubble tea drink. This recipe yields a thick, custard-like ube mixture that blends with chilled milk and chewy tapioca for a refreshing drink. The coconut milk and ube extract enrich the flavor, making it suitable for homemade bubble tea enthusiasts.

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Additional Time
1 hr
Total Time
45 mins
Servings: 2 drinks
Calories: 320 kcal
Course: Dessert, Breakfast, Snacks
Cuisine: Asian, Filipino

Ingredients

Ube base (makes enough for 8 – 10 drinks)
  • 226 g ube ½ packet, frozen ube, frozen, thawed
  • 1 cup coconut milk canned coconut milk
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tbsp ube extract
  • ½ - 1 cup milk or evaporated milk
Ube milk tea (for two drinks)
  • ½ cup tapioca pearls or homemade tapioca pearls, quick cook
  • ½ cup of the ube base
  • 2 cups milk you can also use a plant-based milk, chilled
  • ice few cubes
  • honey optional

Instructions

Ube base
    Cup of Yum
  1. Place all the ingredients (except for the ube extract and evaporated milk) in a saucepan.
  2. Cook the mixture while stirring frequently, and bring it to a boil.
  3. Continue to stir more frequently while cooking, until the mixture becomes thick. The consistency at this stage should be such that when you stir it with a spatula, it should leave a trail in the mixture. Stir in the ube extract at this point.
  4. Add about ½ cup of evaporated milk to get the mixture to a thick but pourable consistency. Add more if needed. Heat through for 1 – 2 minutes.
  5. Place the ube base in a jar and store in the fridge for up to 4 – 5 days.
To make ube milk tea
  1. First, cook the tapioca pearls according to package instructions. If you'd like to make my homemade boba pearls instead, cook them according to the recipe here on how to make boba pearls.
  2. Let the cooked boba pearls soak in warm water (just for a few minutes) until you get the drink ready. Alternatively, mix the drained tapioca pearls with some honey to keep them from sticking to each other.
  3. Place the ube base in a blender, along with the ice and milk. Blend until the mixture is smooth and the base has mixed in well.
  4. Add honey if you like your drink to be sweeter.
  5. Divide the tapioca pearls into two glasses (at least 10 oz capacity).
  6. Optional - Create some purple streaks with the ube base along the wall of the glass (see pictures in the post). If the ube base is too thick the following day, take a small portion of it and heat it gently in the microwave to make it more spreadable.
  7. Pour the ube milk into the two glasses and serve with boba straws.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1glass Calories 320kcal (16%) Carbohydrates 41g (14%) Protein 9g (18%) Fat 14g (22%) Saturated Fat 10g (50%) Cholesterol 26mg (9%) Sodium 128mg (5%) Potassium 477mg (10%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 23g (46%) Vitamin A 3658IU (73%) Vitamin C 1mg (1%) Calcium 300mg (30%) Iron 1mg (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 2 drinks

Amount Per Serving

Calories 320

% Daily Value*

Serving 1glass
Calories 320kcal 16%
Carbohydrates 41g 14%
Protein 9g 18%
Fat 14g 22%
Saturated Fat 10g 50%
Cholesterol 26mg 9%
Sodium 128mg 5%
Potassium 477mg 10%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 23g 46%
Vitamin A 3658IU 73%
Vitamin C 1mg 1%
Calcium 300mg 30%
Iron 1mg 6%

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