Earl Grey Milk Bubble Tea - Hot or Cold

This 4-ingredient Earl Grey milk tea is served with chewy tapioca pearls & SO delicious! Made with oat milk, simple sugar syrup, and exquisite Earl Grey tea!

Jump to:

• 💌 Why I Love This Recipe
• 🥛 Ingredients
• 🥄 Equipment
• ⏲️ Steps
• 💡 Expert Tips
• 🥄 Boba Pearls
• ❓FAQ
• 🍊 Add-ons
• 📦 Storing 
• 🍹More Boba Recipes
• 🍴Recipe

After receiving so much positive feedback on my honeydew, vanilla & jasmine milk teas, I'm here with another CLASSIC!

Making this DIY Earl Grey boba is so much cheaper than buying it from bubble tea shops (Gong Cha, Chatime, etc) but just as flavourful!

💌 Why I Love This Recipe

• Rich, gently sweet, malty flavor!
• Not watery
• Can be served hot or cold
• Super easy
• Made from just 4 ingredients

🥛 Ingredients

You'll need just 4 simple ingredients to make your own bubble tea.

Ingredient Details

Milk

I used oat milk but you can use any other milk you want (like soy, cashew milk, etc). Avoid strong-flavored kinds of milk like coconut milk or rice milk. Those will overpower the Earl Grey flavor.

Earl Grey Tea

I used decaf Earl Grey tea by Twinings. You can use any other Earl Grey tea - either regular or decaf. Both teabags or loose-leaf tea will work okay.

Boba (tapioca) balls

Find them in your local Asian supermarket or online (Amazon, eBay). In the United States, you can often find them in Walmart. I used quick-cooking boba pearls with a black sugar flavor.

Brown Sugar

I used light brown sugar to make a simple brown sugar syrup. It adds a lovely flavor but isn't so dark as to change the color of the drink. If you don't have brown sugar on hand, white granulated sugar will work too.

Did you know? Bergamot oil (or bergamot essence) is what gives Earl Grey tea its distinctive flavor! Bergamot orange is an aromatic green fruit shaped like a pear.

🥄 Equipment

• A small pan - for cooking boba pearls
• A mug - for making the tea
• A spoon or scoop - to stir & scoop out the pearls
• 2 large glasses - for serving
• 2 large straws - optional

⏲️ Steps

Hint - The photos below should serve as a super quick visual overview! For detailed steps & quantities scroll down to the recipe card.

This recipe makes 2 large portions.

If you prefer to serve it hot see my tips section below.

1. Prepare a cup of tea. Let steep for 2-5 minutes. Then set it aside to let it cool.
2. In a small pan, cook the tapioca pearls. Drain the water, but reserve about 3 tbsp. Once drained, cover the tapioca with sugar and the reserved water. This will create a simple syrup.
3. Mix well and set aside.
4. Add boba pears & ice cubes to a glass.
5. Pour cooled-down Earl Grey tea on top.
6. Then add cold milk.

Voilà!

💡 Expert Tips

• Don't steep the Earl Grey tea for longer than 2-5 minutes. Overstepping it will make it taste bitter.
• Give the drink a good stir before serving.
• If you have the time, it's a good idea to prepare the tea ahead of time and let it cool in the fridge before serving.
• If serving cold, use PLENTY of ice cubes especially if your boba pearls are still a little warm.

Want to serve it HOT? Simply skip the ice cubes and make sure that the milk & tea are warm before serving.

🥄 Boba Pearls

If it's your first time making boba pearls before you might find the process a little intimidating. There's no need to worry!

They are SO easy to make.

Just follow the easy steps below:

• Opt for quick-cooking boba pearls. They're ready within a few minutes.
• Once cooked, don't forget to soak them in sugar+water (as described in the recipe) immediately. This prevents them from sticking together.
• Alternatively, you can also soak them in maple syrup or any other liquid sweetener.
• You can adjust their texture to your taste. Cook them for longer if you prefer a softer texture.
• They won't get much softer once they're added to the final drink so make sure you're happy with their consistency.

❓FAQ

🍊 Add-ons

The brilliant thing about this drink is that you can customize it SO easily to take it to the next level.

I've recently tested a few add-on options and these made the top of my list:

• Vanilla extract. Just add a teaspoon or two to the drink & mix well. If you're using real vanilla extract it won't just add amazing flavor but also add beautiful black specks on top.
• Maple syrup. Compliments the flavors of Earl Grey so well! Simply add some at the end and stir well.
• Orange peels. You could add some orange peel directly to the hot tea. Let steep for a little longer (around 10 mins) and then strain.
• Non-dairy creamer. If you like a fuller, thicker texture. Simply use a little less milk and sub it for the creamer.

📦 Storing 

I always recommend enjoying boba tea fresh.

However, if you have any leftovers, store them in the fridge for 1-2 days.

Remember to remove any ice cubes before storing the drink because they will melt and dilute the drink. Nobody likes watery boba tea!

Got some leftover boba pearls? Serve them separately from the drink, covered in sugar syrup. They'll keep in the fridge for a few days.

🍹More Boba Recipes

Boba lovers rejoice! This blog contains a HUGE selection of boba recipes including:

• Chocolate Milk Tea
• Lychee Milk Tea
• Okinawa Milk Tea
• Peach Milk Tea
• Strawberry Milk Tea

And lots more! Simply use the search bar at the top (or in the menu if viewing on your phone) and type in 'milk tea'.

Considering making this Earl Grey milk tea but have questions? The comments section below is always open and waiting for your questions!

Made this recipe? I would SO love to hear from you. A star review, comment, or rating are always MUCH appreciated.

🍴Recipe