Boba Thai Iced Tea Recipe — Bubble Thai Tea

Boba Thai iced tea and bubble Thai iced tea at home: tapioca pearls, brewed Thai tea, and condensed milk. Easy bubble tea recipe.

Boba thai iced tea — or bubble thai iced tea — is the same sweet, creamy cha yen you love, with chewy tapioca pearls at the bottom. It’s a hit at bubble tea shops, and you can make this bubble thai iced tea at home with a few extra steps: brew strong Thai tea, cook the boba, then layer tea, ice, and milk over the pearls. One boba thai iced tea recipe, no fancy equipment.

Glass of Thai iced tea boba with tapioca pearls and cream
Boba thai iced tea — Thai tea with tapioca pearls.

Ingredients

Makes 2 drinks

  • Thai tea — 3 tbsp loose Thai tea mix (or 3–4 Thai tea bags)
  • Water — 2 cups (480 ml) boiling for tea; follow package for boba
  • Tapioca pearls (boba) — ½ cup dry (or 2 servings per package instructions). Use quick-cook or traditional; both work for boba thai iced tea.
  • Sweetened condensed milk — 2–3 tbsp, or to taste
  • Evaporated milk — 2 tbsp for topping (optional but classic for bubble thai iced tea)
  • Sugar or simple syrup — for boba and/or tea if you like it sweeter
  • Ice — for serving

How to make boba thai iced tea

  1. Brew the Thai tea
    Steep Thai tea in boiling water 5–7 minutes. Strain, sweeten with condensed milk while warm, and let cool. (Same base as our classic recipe — that’s your bubble thai iced tea base.)

  2. Cook the boba
    Boil water per your tapioca package (often 5–10 min for quick-cook, longer for traditional). Drain and rinse briefly. Toss in a little sugar or simple syrup so the pearls are slightly sweet. Use soon for the best texture.

  3. Assemble
    Put 2–3 tbsp cooked boba in each glass. Add ice. Pour cooled boba thai iced tea (the tea) over the ice to about ¾ full. Drizzle evaporated milk on top. Add a wide straw and serve. That’s your bubble thai iced tea done.

Tips for the best boba thai iced tea

  • Boba timing: Cook boba right before serving. They harden and lose chew after a few hours in the fridge.
  • Tea strength: Brew strong — ice and milk dilute it. Same rule as the classic Thai iced tea.
  • Straws: Use a wide boba straw so you can sip tea and pearls together.

What’s next

Love boba thai iced tea? Try the classic version without boba, or our vegan Thai iced tea for a dairy-free bubble thai iced tea option. For the tea and spices behind the flavor, see What is Thai iced tea?.