How to Make Bubble Tea Pearls From Scratch

Are you one of the folks suffering from a bubble tea withdrawal? We have more reasons now than ever to learn how to make our own bubble tea pearls. It may involve quite a few parts, but the end result will be oh so satisfying.

For this recipe, you will only need three ingredients:

• One cup of water 
• One cup of dark brown sugar 
• Two & a half cup of tapioca starch

This recipe will yield 10 cups of pearls. You can adjust the ratio accordingly to make more or less! Let's get started shall we?

Part 1: Making raw bubble tea pearls

1. In a pot, boil one cup of water and add in dark brown sugar
2. Once brown sugar is melted, add in tapioca starch and stir until fully dissolved
3. Turn heat to low, making sure to stir continuously to prevent bottom from sticking 
4. Cook until mixture thickens and forms a dough-like texture
5. Transfer dough onto a clean surface and proceed to knead
6. When dough is smooth, roll into an elongated shape
7. Divide dough into a few parts and cover dough with a damp cloth
8. Taking one piece of the dough, roll into 1 cm diameter, then cut 1 cm in length
9. Roll between your palms to form into a round shape
10. Generously sprinkle tapioca starch into a clean bowl or container. Transfer raw bubble tea pearls into the container and coat the pearls with tapioca starch
11. Repeat until all dough pieces have been cut and shaped into pearls

Part 2: Cooking the bubble tea pearls

1. Bring a pot of 4 liters water to a boil
2. Add raw boba pearls into boiling water, bring back to a boil then reduce to a simmer
3. Simmer for 15 minutes, then transfer cooked pearls into ice water

Part 3: Braising bubble tea pearls

1. In a pot, add boiling water and dark brown sugar
2. Bring to a boil and stir to prevent bottom from sticking
3. As it is boiling, add all the cooked pearls into the sugar mixture
4. Once it reaches a full boil, reduce to a simmer and simmer for 20 minutes
5. Then remove from heat and let chill for 10 – 20 minutes.
6. Serve with your preferred drinks!

You can also watch this video for a clearer idea on how to make your own bubble tea pearls!: