This easy brown sugar boba recipe calls for tapioca pearls simmered down in a tea-infused brown sugar syrup, to be enjoyed with a cup of fresh milk. Make your delicious cup of bubble tea at home using only a handful of ingredients!
What is Brown Sugar Boba and why is it so popular?
Brown sugar boba, also known as brown sugar bubble tea or milk tea, is a Taiwanese drink that has quickly gained popularity all over the globe with its ever-addictive taste and texture.
Also known as Tiger Sugar milk tea, this popular drink is notable for its tiger stripes formation made with the brown sugar syrup that the boba is served in.
This drink truly nails both the aesthetic and taste, making it to be one of the most popular drinks shared on social media.
Personally, this has been my absolute favorite kind of boba to enjoy over the years, and I simply cannot get enough of it!
It’s been a while since I have started to make this drink at home, and with many sessions of developing the recipe, this is hands down the most foolproof and delicious way to make this highly addictive drink at home. 
How do you make Brown Sugar Boba?
There are many ways to make bubble tea at home, including methods that make the tapioca pearls from scratch.
This recipe is truly the easiest and the most delicious way of making the drink, as it uses store-bought tapioca pearls to be simmered down in a tea-infused brown sugar syrup, ensuring to pack each pearl with maximum flavor.
During my initial sessions of making this drink, I used just brown sugar syrup and milk as per the traditional method. However, I found that infusing tea into the syrup made the drink a lot more flavorful, as well as balanced out the pure sweetness from the syrup.
Not to worry though, the process I will be sharing with you merges many components, including the brown sugar syrup that is made with no water, but the actual brewed tea itself. The methods are so easy to follow along, and you can refer to the video below for the step-by-step instructions!
To make this drink, you’ll only need a handful of ingredients including:
- A package of tapioca pearls like this one here. You will need a cup of these pearls to make about two servings of boba.
- Black tea bags, of any brand that you choose. You can also brew the tea using tea leaves, whichever method you prefer!
- Brown sugar, which will be the base of the sugar syrup.
- Milk and ice to serve
And… that’s it! You will be shocked by how easy it is to make your boba at home. The best part about homemade recipes is that you’re able to enjoy the boba right after it is cooked, and nothing beats fresh boba!
The texture of these pearls is absolutely divine, not to mention they are packed with an intense amount of flavor. To drink itself is an absolute treat of its own as the flavor of brown sugar and strongly brewed black tea merges together to create the most delicious milk tea.
Can you make this drink without the boba?
If you prefer the drink without boba, you can also skip the steps for cooking the tapioca pearls and make the tea-infused brown sugar syrup instead.
Add an amount that you prefer to your cup of milk (which can also be substituted with non-dairy options), and voila! A fresh cup of milk tea made easily in the comfort of your home. 
Feel free to also adjust the serving size to cater to your needs. If you are skipping the boba, I would recommend halving the recipe – for example, brewing a single tea bag in 1/3 cup of water, to be mixed with only 1/2 cup of packed brown sugar!
The consistency is easily customizable by adjusting the simmer time, but please do keep in mind that the syrup will thicken as it cools!
There are a few ways to serve brown sugar boba: on its own, with a glass of milk and ice, over a bowl of vanilla ice cream, or even for your baking needs. The possibilities are truly endless!
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as it is dear to me, and as always, please feel free to message me on Instagram or leave me a comment below for any questions! Happy boba-making! ✨
Other drink recipes you may like:
- Dalgona Matcha Latte
- Brown Sugar Dalgona Milk Tea
- Dalgona Whipped Coffee
- Taro Bubble Tea Milkshake
- Sweet Potato Latte
- Easy Iced Coffee
3- Ingredient Brown Sugar Boba
Ingredients
- 1 cup (180g) tapioca pearls
- 2 black tea bags
- 2/3 cup hot water to steep the tea
- 1 cup (200g) brown sugar
- 2 cups milk and ice to serve, or any non-dairy milk
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add tapioca pearls, and reduce the heat to medium. Boil for about 25-30 minutes (as per package instructions), stirring often. Remove from heat and set aside for 10 minutes. Wash and drain in a colander.
- Add 2/3 cup of hot water over the tea bags. Steep for about 6 minutes.
- In a medium pot, add brown sugar and steeped tea. When the mixture starts boiling, add cooked tapioca pearls and boil for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly until the syrup is thickened.
- In a serving cup, add the boba with syrup (adjust sweetness based on preference) and coat the cup by swirling it around. Add a handful of ice and milk to serve. Enjoy!
1 comment
Hi, just tried this out- ended up delicious! Thanks for sharing 🙂