This article was written by The Zillennial Zine’s spring editorial intern Alexandrea Ciardella. Find her on Instagram at @a6ysma1. If you would like to share an article with The Zillennial, send us an email at thezillennialzine@gmail.com.
If you’re a boba tea addict like me, you know that some of these drinks can get expensive! Starting at around $5 for a basic milk tea and adding on syrups, toppings, and different portion sizes, it’s likely that you’ll spend closer to $7-$9 per drink! But what if I told you there was a way to make boba tea at home? It’s surprisingly easy and much more affordable (considering some brands of tea cost around five dollars for 10-20 teabags) than going out to get your boba tea fix. Follow this at-home boba recipe for a delicious treat that won’t break your bank!
First, you’ll need to pick your tea. While pretty much any tea type can work with this recipe, I recommend using a black tea like Earl Grey to get that classic milk tea flavor. Steep a tea bag in a boiling pot of water. Wait for the tea to cool down and set aside one cup.
For milk, you can use any type you like – after all, this drink is to your preference! Whole milk, oat milk, even lactose-free milk works for this recipe. For every cup of tea, add two tablespoons of milk to achieve a perfect balance. If you enjoy the simple flavors of regular milk tea, you’re done here! However, if you want to add some extra flavor to your creation, try mixing in syrups!
Popular flavors like brown sugar, strawberry, and matcha can be added to your drink to give it an extra kick. You can choose to buy syrups at the store or make your own if you want to stay on budget. Most fruit syrups are just sugar, water, and fruit. For every cup of tea, add 2 tablespoons of syrup to taste.
I feel like we’re missing something… of course! The boba! This is the most difficult part of the recipe, as it might be easier for some people to buy already-made tapioca pearls. But if you enjoy making food and want a challenge, I recommend cooking some boba pearls.
Start by boiling a ⅓ cup of water. In a separate bowl, add ½ cup of tapioca starch and slowly pour in the boiling water on top of the starch. Begin mixing the ingredients until the mixture begins to form into a dough-like substance, then begin to knead it. Once your dough is kneaded, begin to break off small, dime-sized pieces of the dough and roll into balls, placing them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Let them dry for two hours. Boil about ½ pot of water before adding your tapioca pearls in to cook them. Let them boil for about 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the size of the pearls.
I have to say, I was proud of myself when I first made boba tea. Though I didn’t get the chance to make tapioca pearls, I was surprised at how easy it was to assemble. From now on, whenever I want a boba tea, I go down to my kitchen!
Did you enjoy this at home boba recipe? Let us know in the comments what you think!
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