When life gives you a boba shortage, kick it in the balls! These are the words of encouragement my husband told me as I was trying to perfect my homemade tapioca boba recipes haha. All you need is 3 simple ingredients: water, brown sugar, and tapioca starch!
Okay, so I won’t lie… making homemade boba from scratch is time consuming. I kind of think of it like making dumplings though. It’s not hard, it’s just a time investment. BUT it could be something fun to do with friends and family together or while catching up on your favorite Netflix show. You can make a bunch and pop it in the freeze for moments you’re craving that addictively chewy goodness!
Tapioca starch, also known as tapioca flour, is the key ingredient. This specific type of flour gives boba the signature chewy texture they’re known for and there is no substitute. Luckily, tapioca starch can be easily found at most Asian markets!
Pro-Tips for the Perfectly Chewy Tapioca Boba Recipe
- Don’t Overheat or Overcook the Dough: Overheating or overcooking will lead to tapioca pearls that won’t hold its shape. It will lose that beloved chewy texture. Combine the water, sugar, and half of the tapioca starch until smooth before bringing it to the stove.
- Cook Until You Have a Sticky Paste: As soon as the tapioca, water, sugar mixture starts to thicken into a sticky paste, turn off the stove and add the rest of tapioca starch. Not all of the tapioca starch will be mixed in & that’s okay. Don’t try to force all of the tapioca flour to mix in while the heat is still on. This will overcook the dough and it won’t be very elastic. You’ll have a much harder time rolling it out; not to mention the boba will be soft on the outside and hard in the center.
- Work Quickly with the Dough: Moving quickly while the dough is still warm is CRUCIAL. Once the dough cools, it’s much more difficult to roll out and manage.
- Take Into Account Boba Expanding: One of the great things learning how to make boba from scratch is that you can make them however big or small you like! The dough expands slightly when it’s cooked though, so keep that in mind. You’ll want to make sure it’ll still fit in your straw after it’s cooked… Otherwise, sadness.
- Let Boba Rest in Brown Sugar Syrup: When researching how to cook tapioca pearls, I noticed a lot of recipes call for them to steep in the hot water after it’s boiled. I did quite a few tests. Leaving the pearls in water definitely made it bland compared to resting it in brown sugar syrup. If you want a more flavorful boba (who doesn’t?!), I highly suggest not skipping this step.
- Either Freeze or Enjoy the Boba Immediately: If you’ve ever had milk tea with tapioca pearls that sat around for a while, you’ll know it’s a drastically different texture. The boba absorbs flavor at first, then disintegrates over time. So, enjoy the boba fresh or freeze for later!
Making Brown Sugar Milk Tea
Brown sugar milk tea has been all the craze in boba tea shops and I’m here for it! To get that mesmerizing “tiger pattern” in your drink, make a simple brown sugar syrup. This process will make your house smell like your favorite dessert shop!
Run the syrup along the inside of your glass. Then, layer on your fresh homemade boba, favorite tea, and top with a splash of milk. *chef’s kiss*
Whether you’re searching for tapioca boba recipes to add to your brown sugar milk tea, smoothie, or any other favorite drink, these balls will add an addictively chewy element that’ll have you coming back for more.
Let me know in the comments what you decide to mix your tapioca pearls with!
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How to Make Homemade Boba Pearls (Tapioca Pearls)
Ingredients
Boba Ingredients
- 70 grams tapioca starch* divided in half
- 36 grams water
- 23 grams muscavado dark brown sugar*
For Brown Sugar Boba
- ½ cup muscavado dark brown sugar
- ½ 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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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!
- 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.
- 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.
- 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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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
- In a medium pot, bring to boil, then steep tea bags. Remove from heat and let it cool to room temperature.
- 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.
- 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: Tapioca starch is not swappable for any other starch - it's needed to make boba. Luckily, you can easily find it on Amazon or your local Asian market.
- Mascavado Dark Brown Sugar: For a deep dark color, use mascavadp dark brown sugar. If you use regular dark or light brown sugar, your tapioca pearls will still taste delicious, but keep in mind that they'll be much lighter in color.
- Tea Bags: Black tea is typically used for milk tea, however, you can use any of your favorite tea, smoothie, or drink.
- Don’t Overcook Dough: As soon as the tapioca, water, sugar mixture starts to thicken into a sticky paste, turn off the stove and add the rest of the tapioca starch. Not all of the tapioca starch will be mixed in & that’s okay. Don’t try to incorporate all the flour while on heat is still on in the pot. This will overcook the dough. The dough should be soft and elastic, but if you see it starting to look dry or cracked, it's overcooked.
- Take Into Account Boba Expands: Keep in mind, the dough expands slightly when it’s cooked and you’ll want to make sure it’ll still fit in your straw… Otherwise, sadness.
- Don't Skip Soaking in Brown Sugar Syrup: Some recipes recommend allowing the boba pearls to soak in water after they're cooked, however, I found allowing them to soak in the brown sugar syrup made them significantly more flavorful!
- Freezing & Storing: I recommend cooking only the amount you are planning to finish in a sitting and freezing the rest. Store the uncooked tapioca pearls in an airtight container or Ziplock in the freezer for up to 6 months. Cook them directly in boiling water - no need to thaw.
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Nutrition
Nutrition information is calculated by software based on the ingredients in each recipe. It is an estimate only and provided for informational purposes. Nutrition may vary based on product availability, methods of preparation, origin, and freshness of ingredients, etc. For the most accurate nutritional information, use your preferred nutrition calculator, actual ingredients, and quantities used for the recipe. Please consult with your physician or registered dietitian if more precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.
HEY, I'M MIKHA!
...A fellow food lover who loves cooking up a delicious storm in the kitchen - and of course eating! These quick & easy Asian recipes will help you transform simple ingredients into a drool-worthy meal made with love, for the people you love - no matter your skill level & without spending all day in the kitchen.
Now come on - Grab a seat & let's eat!
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