Brown Sugar Boba Milk is a beloved Taiwanese beverage that has captured the hearts of many around the world. Today, I’m excited to share a delightful recipe that guides you through making tapioca pearls (boba) from scratch. We’ll also whip up a rich and creamy boba milk drink that’s sure to satisfy your cravings!
Brown Sugar Boba Recipe
Serves 4-6
Prep time: 45 minutes
Cook time: 35 minutes
For the boba:
1/2 cup water
¼ cup Taiwanese brown sugar (hei tang)
1 cup tapioca starch, plus 1 tablespoon for dusting
For the syrup:
½ cup water
1 cup Taiwanese brown sugar (hei tang)
For the boba milk:
4 cups whole milk
2 cups ice
Brown Sugar Boba Milk Instructions
1. Make the boba:
- In a pot over low heat, add the water and Taiwanese brown sugar. Stir until dissolved and bring it to a complete boil.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the tapioca starch inside pour in the boiling liquid. First, mix with a utensil, and then knead with your hands until everything comes together.
- On a flat working surface, continue to knead on until smooth.
- Pinch out a small piece of dough and shape it into a ball.
- On a lightly dusted plate, place the balls inside, and shake the plate around so all the balls are dusted with the starch.
2. Cook the boba:
- In a large pot of water over high heat, bring it to a boil. Transfer the boba, constantly stir for 1 minute, and cook over medium heat for 20 minutes until cooked through. Turn off the heat and cover for 5 minutes.
- Place the boba in ice water.
- In a pot over low heat, add the water and Taiwanese brown sugar. Stir until dissolved, and bring it to a complete boil. Return the boba and cook for another 5 minutes. (The color of boba will turn darker when you cook it this way.)
3. Assemble:
- In a glass, add the boba and syrup in it, and move the glass around, so the syrup will stick to the side. Place in the ice and milk. Stir and enjoy!
6 thoughts on “Brown Sugar Boba Milk with Tapioca Pearl Recipe”
Hi,
Great recipe! I just wanted to ask are the measuring cups you used are imperial cups or US cup?
Thanks, Emily
Hi Emily,
Thank you for the question! I used US measuring cups. Happy cooking and eating! 🙂
Made this with my daughter. Everyone loved it. Thank you. We used store bought boba since we had some in the house. Delicious!
Hi Abigial, I’m so happy that you and your daughter enjoyed the boba milk recipe! Cheers! 😀
Hi CiCi. Thank you so much for this recipe. My husband is Taiwanese and will enjoy this. May I ask; if I make more boba for next time, how would you store them? What do you recommend?
Thank you. Donna
Hi Donna! Thank you so much—I’m so glad to hear that, and I hope your husband enjoys it! If you’re making extra boba, you can store the uncooked ones by dusting them lightly with tapioca starch and keeping them in an airtight container at room temperature for 1–2 days, or in the freezer for longer. Just boil them directly from frozen—no need to thaw! For cooked boba, they’re best fresh, but you can store them in a simple syrup at room temp for up to 4 hours, or in the fridge for a day (they’ll get firmer though). Hope that helps—and happy cooking!