Okinawa Bubble Milk Tea - Boba - My Vegan Minimalist

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Okinawa milk tea made using traditional Okinawa (kokuto) black sugar. Quick & simple, using just 4 ingredients. Malty caramel notes & creamy milk join to make this amazing drink!

Milk being poured into a ribbed glass filled with boba pearls & tea.

Okinawa milk tea is a drink famous for 1 unique ingredient - Okinawa black sugar (sometimes called kokuto). This rich sugar has a caramel-like flavor that you simply need to taste!

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💌 Why I Love This Recipe
🥛 Ingredients
🥄 Tools
⏲️ Steps
💡 Expert Tips
🥄 Replacing Okinawa
❓FAQ
✨ Powder
🍫 Variations
🍵 Serving
📦 Storage
🍹 More Boba Recipes
🍴Recipe

There's really no reason why you shouldn't make boba at home. It's SO MUCH cheaper than buying it from places like Serenitea or Sharetea. Plus, it's just as good & ultra-simple to make.

💌 Why I Love This Recipe

It uses REAL Okinawa sugar
So simple & quick to make
Can be customized to taste
Only features 4 ingredients
Serve it ice cold or piping hot
Pairs well with my Oreo & chocolate milk tea too

Tip - As most of my blog audience is based in the US and UK, I also include instructions on how to make this milk tea without using the authentic Okinawa. More about that below.

🥛 Ingredients

To make this toffee-like & rich Okinawa bubble tea you'll need the following.

Milk, sugar, tea, ice cubes and tapioca pearls laid out on a flat surface.

Ingredient Notes

Okinawa sugar - To be completely honest, Okinawa sugar can be tricky to find. I got mine online from a small shop called The Wasabi Company (not sponsored). It's difficult to find it even in physical stores so my recommendation is to search online (Amazon, eBay).

Milk - I like to use unsweetened oat milk. Choose any milk you like the most.

Tea - I used black Assam tea. There are endless options - traditionally, you would use black or green tea. However, you can experiment with fruit tea, Oolong tea, or even matcha.

Tapioca (boba) pearls - The cheapest way to get them is from your local Asian supermarket. They are widely available. Opt for quick-cooking pearls - they only take 5 minutes. If you can't find them locally, grab them online on Amazon, eBay, etc.

🥄 Tools

2 tall glasses
Saucepan
Sieve/strainer
Fork
Large straw - optional

⏲️ Steps

Let's take the mystery out of this drink - here's how to make it!

TIP - This bit is just a quick visual overview. Want the exact ingredients & detailed instructions? Find them at the bottom of this page.

1. In a mug, make tea. Let steep & set aside to cool.

2. Add sugar & water to a pan. Bring to boil & let it dissolve. Then simmer for 5-10 more minutes. This will create a sugar syrup. Set aside.

3. Make boba according to the instructions on your package (or see details at the bottom). When boba is cooked, immediately soak it in sugar syrup.

4. To serve, divide pearls between glasses. Include the syrup! Fill the glass with ice cubes (if desired)

5 & 6. Add cooled-down tea & milk.

In a hurry? Try a quicker version of making this tea. Skip the sugar syrup (step 2) and instead add Okinawa straight to the tea mug. Stir to help it dissolve fully.

💡 Expert Tips

A close-up image of bubble tea filled with ice cubes.

Taste & adjust. Remember this - how you like your boba tea is a matter of personal preference. Adjust the levels of sugar, milk & tea to taste.
Cooking time. Every brand varies. Make sure to check the instructions on your own package.
Serving hot. To serve hot, skip the ice & make sure all the ingredients are piping hot when serving.
Decaf version. To avoid caffeine, opt for caffeine-free tea like fruit tea or decaf versions of black or green tea.

Did you know? Okinawa sugar dates back to the 17th Century and is considered one of the 'healthiest' types of sugar (Source). This is because it's relatively unrefined and still contains many minerals.

🥄 Replacing Okinawa

Okinawa rock sugar laid out on a wooden surface. — A whole block of Okinawa sugar has a much darker, near-black color. When broked into smaller blocks, it's golden brown like above.

You might be thinking - isn't it silly to replace the main ingredient?

It might be, but I also realize that most visitors to this blog will not be able to grab Okinawa from their local supermarket.

If you stumbled upon this recipe and are eager to replicate that beloved Okinawa flavor but simply can't access the sugar here's what you can use instead:

Dark muscovado sugar. Perhaps the closest you can get to Okinawa.
Coconut sugar. Another good option thanks to its caramel-like, toffee notes.

❓FAQ

A collage of two images showing uncooked and cooked tapioca pearls next to each other. — Uncooked (left) and cooked (right) tapioca pearls.

What does Okinawa milk tea taste like?

It has rich notes of malty caramel, with a hint of creaminess & herbal notes.

How many calories are in Okinawa milk tea?

There are roughly 380 calories per large portion (remember this is just an estimate).

Does Okinawa milk tea have caffeine?

It depends on what kind of tea you're using.

If you're using herbal, fruit, or decaf tea, then this drink is free from caffeine.

On the other hand, if you're using matcha, black, or green tea it will contain caffeine.

Can you make Okinawa milk tea without milk?

You can. Simply leave out the milk & serve the drink with more tea & sugar syrup.

What's the difference between Okinawa and Hokkaido milk tea?

They're quite similar in the sense that they are both a type of milk tea. However, what makes them different are their special ingredients.

For Okinawa, the main component is the famous Okinawa black sugar.

For Hokkaido, it's the traditional Hokkaido milk that's used to make the drink.

Is Okinawa milk tea sweet?

As sugar is one of the main components, this drink is quite sweet.

However, don't let that stop you from making it. You can easily regulate how much sugar you add.

✨ Powder

In some parts of the world, it's possible to buy pre-made Okinawa milk tea powder.

This is great for beginners and sometimes (but not always) works out cheaper than making the drink from scratch.

If you're able to buy Okinawa milk tea powder locally, simply follow the instructions on the back of the package. Remember you can always serve it hot or cold, with or without tapioca pearls.

🍫 Variations

A collage of two images showing light and dark tapioca pearls. — Choose quick-cooking boba (pictured above) if you can. Light pearls are great but remember you won't be able to see them in the drink.

One of the BEST things about this boba milk tea is that it creates the most wonderful base. After that, you can experiment as much as you want!

Add crushed Oreos to your milk. So good!
Introduce some fruit to the picture. Mango, strawberry & honeydew melon work SO well.
Experiment with tea flavors - Okinawa pairs well with matcha tea!
Finish it off with a dollop of whipped cream or a drizzle of caramel sauce.
Add flavored milk like chocolate milk or strawberry milk.

🍵 Serving

If you want to serve it as I did, simply place the syrup-soaked pearls in a glass.

Then fill the glass with ice cubes. Add tea & finish with milk. Grab a large boba straw,

You can find boba straws online (google large boba straws). Opt for reusable ones as they will last much longer and won't create as much waste.

📦 Storage

A close-up overhead image of milk tea filled with ice cubes.

I can't stress this enough - boba tea is best served FRESH. Don't let it sit around for hours.

However, if you do want to store it, make sure to omit the pearls & ice cubes. Place the drink in an airtight container in the fridge and drink within 48 hours.

Once you're ready to serve it, add boba pearls & ice.

🍹 More Boba Recipes

I'm on a mission to try all the boba tea I possibly can. Here are some recipes I developed & love:

Enjoyed this recipe? Make sure to leave a star rating or comment below. This truly helps me out! It also helps other boba fans just like you find this recipe.

🍴Recipe