Thai Tea with Boba is a rich, creamy iced drink made with spiced Thai tea, a splash of milk, and chewy tapioca pearls. It puts a spiced spin on classic bubble tea, and it is easy to make at home.
Since it first appeared in Taiwan in the 1980s, boba tea, also called bubble tea, has spread worldwide and grown massively in popularity. It is a tea based drink with boba pearls, small balls of tapioca that sit in the glass until you sip them up through a wide straw.
Thai boba tea uses a spiced Thai tea blend, which leans away from boba’s sweeter versions. Here is everything you need and how to make it, step by step.
Quick Answer
To make Thai tea with boba, simmer Thai tea with brown sugar, a cinnamon stick, star anise, cloves, and cardamom for 15 minutes, then strain and chill it. Cook the tapioca pearls according to the package and rinse them in cool water. Add the boba and ice to each glass, pour in the tea, top with a few tablespoons of coconut milk, and serve with a wide boba straw.
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Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique
- A strong, spiced tea. Simmering the tea with whole spices gives a bold flavor that stands up to the milk and ice.
- Sweeten the tea while it is hot. Brown sugar dissolves easily and adds a caramel note.
- Fresh boba. Tapioca pearls are best right after cooking, so have the tea ready first.
- Milk last. A few tablespoons on top gives that pretty layered look and a creamy sip.
Why You’ll Love This Thai Boba Tea
- Cafe treat at home for a fraction of the price.
- You control the sweetness, from barely sweet to dessert in a glass.
- Easy to customize with your favorite milk, tea, or flavored pearls.
- Make the tea ahead. It keeps in the fridge for a few hours. Here is how long brewed tea lasts.
Key Ingredients
- Tea: Traditionally, boba uses black tea, but you can use other teas. Matcha, chai, and even Earl Grey are all great alternatives. In this recipe I used Assam, and you can use a Thai tea mix or Thai tea bags.
- Milk: The milk is just as important as the tea. Dairy free options like oat and almond milk work well, or use cream or half and half for something richer. In this recipe I used coconut milk.
- Tapioca pearls: These are the stars of the show. Check the package for cooking time, since it varies by brand. Juice filled bubbles or jelly are fun alternatives.
- Sweetener: Brown sugar is the most popular choice, but white sugar, agave syrup, honey, or stevia all work.
- Spices: A cinnamon stick, whole cloves, star anise, and a crushed green cardamom pod give Thai tea its warm flavor.
- Ice and boba straws: Boba pearls are too big for a regular straw, so use a wide boba straw or a long spoon.
See the recipe card below for exact quantities and full instructions.
Customize Your Boba Tea
- Change the tea. Try matcha, strawberry, or taro, or make an iced latte version like my iced matcha latte or iced chai latte.
- Change the milk. Oat, almond, or coconut milk all work. For a more traditional Thai iced tea flavor, use a little sweetened condensed milk.
- Change the pearls. Use flavored tapioca pearls or juice filled bubbles for a fruity pop.
- Add a syrup. A splash of flavored syrup gives the tea a fun twist.
- Go floral. For something different, try my butterfly pea latte or lavender latte.
How to Make Thai Tea with Boba
- Make the tea. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat. Add the tea bags, sugar, cinnamon stick, star anise, cardamom, and cloves and simmer for 15 minutes. Strain out everything so you are left with just the tea, and refrigerate it to cool.
- Cook the boba. Bring a pot of water to a boil, add the tapioca pearls, and stir so they don’t stick. Cook according to the package, usually 5 to 15 minutes. Quick cooking pearls are faster. Rinse them under cool water and use them right away.
- Fill your glasses. Add a few scoops of boba and some ice to each glass. Pour in the tea, filling each glass about three quarters full.
- Top with milk. Add a few tablespoons of milk to each glass and stir with your straw. Taste and add more sweetener if you like.
Tips for the Best Boba Tea
- Make the tea a little strong. Steep it longer than usual without letting it turn bitter, since the ice and milk will mellow it.
- Make the boba last. Tapioca pearls get hard as they sit, so cook them right before serving.
- Sweeten in layers. Sweeten the tea slightly less than you like, then add a little sugar to the bottom of the glass.
- Iced in a hurry? Shake the cooled tea with ice in a cocktail shaker.
- Sip carefully. Boba can shoot up the straw quickly. Chew the pearls and don’t swallow them whole. A long spoon is a good option for young children.
- Store tea well. Keep loose tea fresh with these storage tips.
More Iced Tea Drinks to Try
- Iced Chai Tea Latte with Pumpkin Cold Foam
- Iced Blueberry Matcha Latte
- Oat Milk Matcha Latte
- Hibiscus Iced Tea
- Cold Brew Tea
- Homemade Iced Tea Recipes
Learn more about tea in my beginner’s guide to black tea, how tea is made, and all my Tea Guides.
Thai Boba Tea FAQs
No. Boba, or bubble tea, started in Taiwan in the 1980s. Thai tea with boba combines that idea with spiced Thai tea.
Thai tea is a strong black tea, often Assam, brewed with spices like star anise, cinnamon, cloves, and cardamom.
It depends on the package. Quick cooking pearls take about 5 minutes, and others can take 15 minutes or more.
You can make the tea a few hours ahead and keep it in the fridge, but cook the boba right before serving so it stays soft and chewy.
Coconut milk is lovely, and whole milk, oat milk, almond milk, half and half, or sweetened condensed milk all work.
Boba can be a choking hazard, so supervise young children, remind them to chew, or let them use a long spoon.
Thai Tea with Boba
Ingredients
- 4 Teabags Thai Tea Bags Or use Loose leaf Thai Tea
- 1 Cinnamon Stick
- 1/4 teaspoon Turmeric
- 4 Cups Water
- 3/4 Cups Brown Sugar or granulated sugar
- 3/4 Cup Coconut Milk
- 2 Whole Cloves
- 2 Star Anise Pods
- 1 Green Cardamom Pod Crushed
- 8 Oz Tapioca Pearls
Instructions
- Heat the Water in a saucepan for the Thai Tea until boiling. Reduce heat and Add the teabags, sugar, cinnamon stick, star anise, cardamom, and cloves and let simmer for 15 minutes. Remove and strain all ingredients until you are left with just liquid. Place in the refrigerator to cool if desired.
- Heat 6 Cups of water in a saucepan once boiling reduce heat and add the tapioca pearls. Cook based on directions 5-15 minutes. Then rince under cool water. You will want to use the boba right away, so have the tea ready.
- Add the finished boba into the glasses, add Ice. Then add the tea, and a few tablespoons of milk to each glass. Add the straw. Check for sweetness, and add more sweetener accordingly.
