Chocolate Bubble Milk Tea (Boba)

This chocolate bubble milk tea uses easy to find ingredients for maximum flavour. It’s a super forgiving & affordable recipe you simply need to try out yourself! 

Jump to:

• 💌 Why I Love This Recipe
• 🥛 Ingredients
• 🥄 Equipment
• ⏲️ Steps
• 💡 Expert Tips
• 🍫 DIY Hot Chocolate Mix
• ❓FAQ
• 🌰 Variations
• Serving
• 📦 Storing
• 🍹 Similar Recipes
• Recipe

💌 Why I Love This Recipe

• Easy to find ingredients
• Use store-bought or DIY chocolate mix
• Use ANY milk or sugar you want 
• Customise it to your taste 
• No fuss and no fiddling around with many tools
• Just 5 ingredients (plus ice cubes and water)
• Much cheaper than store-bought boba 
• A super forgiving recipe

And if that’s not enough, you'll have step-by-step photos & video to guide you through making this chocolate milk tea boba.

Let’s get this boba party started!

Tip - This is a chocolate milk tea recipe, but it doesn’t actually contain any tea. It’s more of a refreshing sweet drink or light dessert. MIlk tea can refer to a huge variety of different drinks, some of them prepared without any tea (like this one!).

🥛 Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need for this richer-than-regular chocolate milk tea!

(PS - most of these are super cheap & easy to find)

Ingredient Details

Milk - I used oat milk. Feel free to use any favourite milk of yours. Thicker, creamier milk works best. 

Hot chocolate mix - I used a store-bought mix. If you can’t find it, I’ve explained how to make a quick & easy DIY mix below. 

Tapioca balls - Any tapioca balls (pearls) will do. Also called boba balls. Get them at your local Asia supermarket if you can - it’s the cheapest option. Also available on Amazon.

Sugar - I used caster sugar, but you can use any other sugar. Liquid sweeteners and stevia work well too.

🥄 Equipment

• Jar/glass
• Pan
• Spoon or scoop
• Large (boba) straw

⏲️ Steps

TIP - This is a super quick overview of how to make milk tea. Grab the ingredients, exact measurements & detailed instructions at the bottom of this page. 

1. Cook the tapioca (boba) pearls. Cover them with sugar.
2. Combine hot chocolate mix and water (in a separate cup/mug). Let it cool. Then add ice cubes to your boba pearls.
3. Add milk.
4. Lastly, add the hot chocolate mixture.

💡 Expert Tips

• Serve it hot or cold - whatever you prefer!
• If serving cold, use PLENTY of ice - it really makes all the different (lukewarm boba is not great)
• Cover the cooked boba in sugar right away.
• If you’re not using tapioca pearls, make sure to add more sugar to make up for the lack of sweetness.
• Don’t prepare tapioca pearls in advance.
• If you want it sweeter, double the amount of chocolate mix.
• Always taste before serving - and adjust the sweetness to your own personal taste.

Did you know? Bubble tea originated in Taiwan in the 1980s. It became hugely popular in the US in the 90s with the arrival of many Taiwanese immigrants (source). 

🍫 DIY Hot Chocolate Mix

Can't find a hot chocolate mix in your local store? Don't worry! Make your own simple one by combining equal amounts of sugar and unsweetened cocoa powder.

❓FAQ

🌰 Variations

There are so many ways you can get creative here! 

Some of my favourite suggestions! 

• Hazelnut Chocolate Milk Tea: Add a drizzle of hazelnut sugar at the end. Or use the syrup to sweeten boba pearls with. 
• Caramel Chocolate Milk Tea: Same as above - grab some caramel syrup (or make it yourself - it’s not difficult at all) and drizzle it over your drink. 

Remember, this milk tea can be served with or without boba pearls. 

Serving

Serve it in a large glass or a jar with plenty of ice. 

If you have a large boba straw, you can use it to suck up the pearls. If not, simply use a spoon to scoop them out. 

To serve HOT - Omit the ice cubes. Serve with warm milk (warm it up in a pan or a microwave).

📦 Storing

I wholeheartedly recommend enjoying it fresh - as soon as you’ve made it. 

If you want to keep it for later, I recommend storing boba pearls separately. Simply place them in an airtight container in the fridge and store them for up to 2 days. 

You’ll also want to avoid adding ice. It will melt and dilute the milk tea, making it taste bland. 

To store - Place the milk tea (no boba and no ice) in an airtight jar or container. Store in the fridge for up to 48 hours. When ready to serve, add boba pearls and ice. 

🍹 Similar Recipes

Lover of refreshing drinks? You’ve come to the right place! Check out my

• Peanut butter chocolate milkshake
• Matcha protein shake
• 6 plant based smoothies

Did you try out this wholesome chocolate drink yourself? I would LOVE to hear from you!

Go ahead and let me know in the comments below - I’d love to hear about all your remakes. 

Recipe