Are you ready to learn how to make strawberry boba tea? This is a wonderful drink that combines many flavors and colors together. It’s a great drink for families and friends!
Making strawberry boba tea at home is easy. Using this guide, you’ll look like a pro in no time! This drink has sweet and tart bites of strawberries, a silky smooth chocolatey boba drink, and the perfect amount of sugar. The best part–this colorful combination is all made with 100% natural ingredients!
Strawberry Milk Bubble Tea
Make this easy Strawberry Bubble Tea at home in just a few simple steps. It’s perfect for summertime or anytime you want a refreshing, fruity drink.
Bubble tea is an iced tea drink that originated in Taiwan in the 1980s and has enjoyed growing popularity around the world in recent years. Bubble tea is also called Milk Tea, Boba Tea, Pearl Milk Tea, or just simply Boba. It typically consists of four main ingredients: tea, milk, sugar, and tapioca pearls. But, it can be customized in many ways, including with or without ice, or even blended into a smoothie consistency. The possibilities are endless!
You can find many kinds of tapioca pearls (boba) online and at Asian markets. Quick cooking boba is the most convenient but be sure to make each batch fresh to be used within about one hour. After that time, the chewy boba starts to harden. If you have never had bubble tea, the tapioca pearls are like a puffy, chewy gummy bear consistency and many people find them satisfying to suck up the traditional fat straw and chew while sipping their milk tea. For this reason, though I would suggest children under the age of four be supervised while consuming boba.
Strawberry Milk Bubble Tea
- PREP TIME5 minutes
- COOK TIME10 minutes
- TOTAL TIME15 minutes
- YIELD4 drinks
INGREDIENTS
3 bags black or green tea
1 1/2 cups hot water
4 cups strawberry milk (or lactose-free strawberry milk)
1/2 cup quick cooking tapioca pearls (boba)
4 tablespoons simple syrup
INSTRUCTIONS
- Steep the tea bags in water for at least 10 minutes for a strong tea. You can steep the tea and store in the refrigerator up to a day in advance, if needed.
- While the tea is steeping, prepare the boba according to package directions on the stove top. If it is quick-cooking boba, you will boil for 5 minutes and let simmer covered for 5 minutes.
- Remove the boba from the pot using a slotted spoon and transfer to a bowl with about 4 tablespoons of simple sugar syrup. See notes.
- Divide sweetened, cooked tapioca pearls among 4 serving glasses. Pour prepared tea into each glass topped with 1 cup of strawberry milk. Add ice if desired. Serve with fat straws or long dessert spoons to reach the boba.
Strawberry Bubble Tea (Strawberry Boba Milk Tea)
Delicious and perfectly sweet strawberry milk tea with boba is easy to make at home. Get step-by-step instructions and expert tips.
RECIPE HIGHLIGHTS
- Strawberry bubble tea (also called strawberry milk tea tea) is a fruity drink made with green tea, strawberry syrup, milk, ice, and tapioca balls.
- Store-bought or homemade strawberry syrup can be used. The syrup colors, sweetens, and flavors the drink.
- Tapioca balls are the “bubble” (or boba) in bubble tea. This recipe uses dry, store-bought tapioca balls that can be cooked in hot water.
- This recipe is made with a mellow green tea but any kind of tea can be used.
- My secret to the best bubble tea is to make it with warm tapioca balls. It makes a huge difference.
INGREDIENT NOTES
- Green tea
Loose tea, tea sachets, or tea bags can be used but I prefer using green tea in tea bags for making this drink since it’s easy, mess-free, and I don’t need the highest quality tea. Any kind of green tea can be used. - Tapioca balls
They’re sold dry so you just need to boil them in water to soften them up. - Strawberry syrup
The syrup what gives this drink its pretty pink color and sweet, strawberry flavor. Use store-bought or homemade strawberry syrup, but if you’re using homemade, make it ahead of time. - Milk
Whole milk is used to make the drink creamy, but any kind of milk can be used. - Water
Water is used to cook the boba and to make the green tea. Use filtered water, if possible, for the tea. - Ice
Use filtered water to make ice for a better tasting drink.
STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS
For full ingredients and instructions, scroll down to see the recipe.
- Steep tea in hot water.
Discard tea bags and let tea cool. - Cook tapioca balls.
Follow directions on package but all that’s involved is boiling tapioca balls in water for a few minutes.
- Put tapioca balls into a cup and add strawberry syrup.
- Add ice.
- Pour in green tea.
The green tea should have cooled down. - Top with milk.
Serve immediately. Stir before drinking.
STRAWBERRY MILK TEA
Refreshing and easy to drink, this strawberry milk tea recipe has a lot of fresh berries and can be made with or without tapioca pearls.
By following all these steps, you’ll be rewarded with a drink with a delicious strawberry taste and just a hint of black tea, as good as the one you get at Gong Cha!
IS STRAWBERRY MILK TEA GOOD? WHAT DOES IT TASTE LIKE?
You can taste the strawberry in this drink, but not so much the black tea. It has quite a bit of sugar, but it can be replaced for your favorite sweetener if you’re looking for a sugar-free version.
HOW TO MAKE IT
Strawberry milk teaPlay Video
If you want a very strong strawberry taste and sweeter drink, double the strawberry compote.
If you’re looking for more than a hint of black tea, use black tea ice cubes instead of water ice cubes.
INGREDIENTS AND SUBSTITUTIONS
Strawberry milk. You can use store-bought milk or make your own strawberry milk. Store-bought might give a more artificial strawberry taste for this drink: if you like it, go for it! If you’re looking for a more natural flavor, make your own. Also, this can be made with dairy or a plant-based milk.
Strawberry compote. It makes the strawberry flavor stronger and gives a nice texture.
Black tea. You can use your favorite black tea to make this recipe.
Ice cubes. Use filtered water for a better taste. If using black tea ice cubes, brew a cup of black tea, wait for it to get to room temperature and fill an ice tray with it. Keep it in the freezer until ready to use.
Brown sugar syrup. Gives a very faint hint of caramel that matches well with strawberry and black tea. It can be substituted for simple syrup, or a sugar-free syrup.
Boba pearls. Quick cooking boba pearls are more convenient and easier to prepare. But you can use your favorite tapioca pearls for this recipe. Always prepare them following the instructions in the package.Does this drink have caffeine?
Strawberry milk tea uses black tea that contains caffeine. A cup of black tea usually has about 47g of caffeine. That’s half the amount of a cup of coffee. You can make this recipe using decaf black tea, or substitute black tea for rooibos tea.Where can I find boba?
Boba pearls are easy to find in Asian markets. You can also find a vast variety online. Though they’re more common in black, they can have any color from green to white. When searching, look for boba pearls, black tapioca pearls, boba for bubble tea, 5 minutes or quick-cooking boba pearls.
HOW TO MAKE IT
Start by preparing the strawberry compote. Wash strawberries and remove the stem. Dice them into small cubes.
In a small saucepan, add diced strawberries and sugar. Cook for about 3 minutes on medium-high temperature, so the strawberries soften and the compote gets less watery. Check the video to see how it should look like.
Prepare the boba if using. Both white or black tapioca pearls are ok for this recipe. Rinse pearls, placing them into a small bowl. Pour brown sugar syrup over them. Let the boba rest for 10 minutes so it can soak the sugar syrup.
Steep black tea for 5 minutes. You can also use cold brew black tea for this recipe.
While the black tea cools, prepare the strawberry milk if using homemade. Wash and remove the stem of strawberries. In a blender’s cup, add strawberries, your choice of milk and vanilla extract, and blend until smooth.
When making fresh strawberry milk, you can use dairy milk, or your favorite plant-based milk. For this recipe, if using plant based, my favorites are oat milk and almond milk. You can use vanilla flavored or plain, sweetened or unsweetened plant-based milk.
Strain strawberry milk to remove strawberry seeds.
Divide evenly tapioca pearls between 2 tall glasses. Do the same with the strawberry compote. Give it a stir to mix them.
*If you’re not using boba, add 2 tablespoons of brown sugar syrup to the strawberry compote and stir to combine.
Fill ⅔ of the glasses with ice. Pour black tea, then top with strawberry milk.
Stir to combine and serve right away!
Can I prepare the boba pearls in advance?
Don’t prepare boba pearls in advance, as boba pearls don’t keep well. Some brands advise to use within 1 hour after preparing them. After 4 hours, boba pearls get mushy and won’t be pleasant to chew like freshly made pearls.
STRAWBERRY MILK TEA: EASY RECIPE TO MAKE STRAWBERRY BOBA TEA AT HOME
Strawberry milk tea is a sweet and refreshing drink perfect for adults and children.
Made with a base of fresh strawberries, milk and water it is a delicious and nutritious drink for summer that you can drink alone or with the addition of boba pearls.
In this recipe, we look at how to make strawberry milk tea and how to turn it into a fun strawberry boba tea.
Can’t make it now? Save this strawberry milk tea recipe to Pinterest for later!
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What is strawberry milk tea?
Strawberry milk tea is a summer beverage made with dairy milk, strawberries and boba pearls.
It has a pretty, pink color coming from the use of fresh berries and because it does not contain tea leaves and therefore caffeine, it is a drink you can savour any time of the day or even offer to your children. All ages adore the smooth combination and sweetness of milk and strawberries!
There are several ways to make strawberry milk tea.
The one we love most requires a bit of work in terms of preparation of the strawberry base but it is the best in terms of nutritional value and taste as it used fresh seasonal fruit.
This is also what makes them one of our favourite drinks for summer.
Where is strawberry milk tea from?
Strawberry milk tea, bubble tea or boba tea, as it is also called, is a variation on the Boba Tea, a type of drink originally from Taiwan that has recently conquered legions of fans all over the world.
In its original form, boba tea is a mix of black tea, milk and fruit all shaken together and served with boba pearls (tapioca balls) however, boba tea now comes in many different forms.
Some of them still use actual tea leaves in it while some, like this recipe, does not.
The main characteristic of boba milk is the presence of milk and the layer of boba balls which give boba drinks and distinctive and fun appearance.
What you need to make strawberry milk tea: ingredients and equipment
To make strawberry boba tea at home, you need the following items:
- Fresh strawberries
- Milk
- A pot
- A strainer
- A wooden spoon
- A blender
- Boba pearls
- A tall glass and straw for serving
How to make strawberry milk tea
- Take your strawberries out of their punnet, use a sharp knife to remove the stem and wash them under cold running water.
- Slice the strawberries in half, put them in a pot, dust with sugar.
- Put a kettle on. Once it boils, our a little amount of water on your strawberries and sugar and leave the rest to cool down.
- Bring them very gently to a boil, mixing them every now and then with a wooden spoon.
- Once the strawberries are cooked, pass them through a sieve and collect the syrup in a tall blender.
- Let it cool down and, in the meanwhile, move your attention to your boba pearls.
- Using a small pot, cook the boba pearls according to instructions on the package. Usually, you need to cook them in water for about 10-20 minutes, or until they gain their typical chewy texture.
- Once they are ready, pass them quickly under cold water and set them aside.
- Go back to your blender and add milk to the strawberry syrup. Blitz to mix, then gently add water from the kettle and blitz again: add as much water as you need to get your favorite drink consistency.
Now you are ready to assemble your strawberry milk tea!