Matcha Boba Milk Tea is an elevated matcha latte with sweet and chewy brown sugar tapioca pearls! Making bubble tea at home is so easy and only needs a handful of ingredients. Naturally gluten-free and vegan.
Matcha boba tea, green tea bubble tea, or matcha milk tea, whatever you call this popular drink, the creamy matcha milk and chewy brown sugar matcha combo is so irresistible!
Once you learn how to whisk matcha and cook pearls at home, you can make your own boba tea and save money! If you're interested in regular matcha, also try Vanilla Matcha Latte !
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What Does Matcha Taste Like?
Matcha tastes rich, earthy, and vegetal, with a sweet, refreshing aroma and subtle backbone of umami. Its very complex, grassy flavor is pleasantly balanced in a good way. It's made by grinding green tea leaves into a fine powder. Matcha has a vibrant green color and creates a silky, frothy texture when whisked with hot water.
Which do I need, Ceremonial vs. Culinary Matcha?
Ceremonial-grade matcha is high-quality matcha powder made for sipping. It offers the best flavor and sweet aroma, so I always recommend ceremonial-grade matcha when making drinks. High-quality matcha has a vibrant green color because tea leaves are covered from the sun before harvesting to increase the chlorophyll content and umami. Whisking with just hot water and sipping is the best way to enjoy matcha's delicate, complex flavor.
Culinary-grade matcha is affordable but lower-quality matcha. You can find a big bag of culinary-grade matcha at a much cheaper price compared to a small tin of ceremonial-grade matcha. The flavor is bitter and grassy for sipping, but great for baking as its strong flavor holds well after baking. No aroma, and the color is usually dull and yellowish-green.
Not all matcha is created equal, and it matters! The flavor varies among ceremonial-grade matcha powders. So, try and find your favorite blend. My favorite is Ippodo Ummon.
And remember, matcha oxidizes so quickly and loses its precious flavor and aroma! So keep matcha in an airtight container and store it in a dark, cool, and dry place. Enjoy within 1-2 months.
Ceremonial vs. Culinary Matcha Takeaway
- Ceremonial Matcha: Vibrant, smooth, and rich in umami, providing the best flavor. High quality but expensive. For sipping and making a latte.
- Culinary Matcha: Budget-friendly and available in bulk. It could be bitter and dull in color. For baking and smoothies.
- Matcha oxidizes quickly! Keep in an airtight container and store it in a dark, cool, and dry place. Enjoy within 1-2 months.
Ingredients for Iced Matcha Boba Tea
Once you have good matcha, making matcha babble tea is so easy! You only need a handful of ingredients.
- Frozen Instant Brown Sugar Tapioca Pearls - This makes making boba tea at home so easy! And the brown sugar syrup sweetened the matcha perfectly. You can also use dried tapioca pearls (available at Amazon and Asian grocery stores) and boil them at home. In that case, make sure to soak the cooked boba brown sugar syrup.
- Matcha Powder - Use ceremonial-grade matcha for the best result. My favorite is Ippodo Ummon (I'm crying because of the recent price increase).
- Hot water - Boiling water can kill matcha's delicate flavor. Use about 176°F (80°C) water for the best taste. For the old-fashioned way to do it without a thermometer, pour boiling water into a different cup before mixing with matcha. Transferring once before use brings down the temperature slightly to achieve the perfect hot water for matcha.
- Oat milk - I love oat milk, but any milk works. Use your favorite milk, like whole milk, skim milk, almond, macadamia, cashew, or coconut milk.
- Ice cubes - chill the drink.
- (optional) sweetener like maple syrup if you like extra sweetness to your drink.
Tapioca pearls are naturally vegan and gluten-free. But if you're sensitive, check the label to make sure they're made without additives like honey, gelatin, or wheat starch, and processed in a certified gluten-free facility.
How to Make Matcha Bubble Milk Tea
1. Cook the tapioca pearls
Cook the tapioca pearls according to the package instructions. If you're using instant frozen tapioca pearls, it should be so easy. Just snip the corner of the pouch to create a vent, place it in a microwave-safe bowl, and cook it in the microwave.
How to cook dried boba tapioca pearls at home for boba tea
If you can't find instant frozen boba, you can use dried tapioca pearls instead! Simply boil in plenty of water according to the package instructions. Some products are quick cooking, require only 5 minutes of boiling. But some boba pearls require a cooking time of 30 to 60 minutes. Soaking beforehand can reduce the cooking time.
After they're cooked, drain and rinse under the running water to remove starch around the pearls.
Then most importantly, sweeten the tapioca pearls! Place boba back in the pot along with an equal part of brown sugar and water (you can save cooking water for this), just enough to cover the pearls. You can also use maple syrup to steep pearls in. Then cook for about 3 minutes to dissolve the sugar. Remove from the heat and let steep for 30 minutes. Once they're cooled to room temperature after 30 minutes, they're ready for making boba tea!
2. Make the Matcha
Soak a bamboo whisk in warm water for a few minutes to bloom (softening the bristles).
In a small bowl, sift the matcha powder. Shifting is important for preventing cramps. Add hot water and use a bamboo whisk to whisk vigorously until smooth and foamy on the surface.
3. Assemble Matcha Boba Milk Tea
Add the cooked boba to a glass. Fill a glass with ice cubes and add the milk. Pour matcha over it and stir to enjoy! Make sure to use a thick boba straw to sip little boba pearls!
Variations and Substitutions
- Dairy Free Milk - While oat milk creates creamy matcha milk, other milk alternatives, like almond, coconut, and macadamia, each add fun flavor to the drink.
- Vanilla - Do you want Vanilla Matcha Latte vibes? Add a touch of vanilla paste for layered flavor.
- Fruit Puree or Jam - Pureed fresh fruits or jam of strawberry, blueberry, and mango will be a fun addition to the drink!
Storage
This drink is meant to be enjoyed immediately for the chewy texture. The boba tastes the best when they're made fresh, and best enjoyed within a few hours, and up to 4 hours of cooking. Unfortunately, the ice will melt to dilute the matcha milk, and the boba will harden after that.
But if you have leftover boba that you cooked and decide to store in the refrigerator for the next day, there's still a way to bring them back to life. Place tapioca pearls with syrup in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave them to revive the texture. Depending on the amount of boba, microwave for 30 seconds to a couple of minutes.
Top Tips and Tricks
- To avoid grainy matcha, sift matcha powder with a sifter and whisk with a bamboo whisk.
- Let tapioca pearls cool slightly before adding to the drink to prevent ice from melting and dilute the drink.
- Sweeten the tapioca pearls, not the milk! If you're boiling tapioca pearls at home, add cooked and rinsed pearls to a pot with 1 part brown sugar and 1 part water, cook for 3 minutes to dissolve, and remove from the heat. Let cool and use in your drinks.
FAQ
If stored in syrup, boba pearls remain chewy for up to 4 hours. But they taste best when made fresh, so I recommend enjoying them immediately.
More Matcha For You
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Matcha Boba Milk Tea: How to Make Matcha Bubble Tea at Home
Ingredients
- 1 packet frozen instant brown sugar tapioca pearls See note if you're using the dried tapioca pearls
- 2 teaspoons ceremonial grade matcha powder
- ⅓ cup hot water use about 176°F/80°C hot water for the best taste
- ½ cup oat (or any) milk
- Ice cubes
Instructions
- Cook the tapioca pearls according to the package instructions.
- In a small bowl, sift the matcha powder. Add hot water and use a bamboo whisk to whisk vigorously until smooth and foamy on the surface.
- Add the cooked boba to a glass. Fill a glass with ice cubes and add the milk. Pour matcha over it and stir to enjoy.
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