Ube Milk Tea with Chewy Boba Pearls

Ingredients

• 0.33 cup Dried Tapioca Pearls (Boba)
• 3 tbsp Brown Sugar, Divided — for cooking pearls and simple syrup
• 0.25 cup Water, For brown sugar syrup
• 3 tbsp Ube Halaya (Purple Yam Jam), Store-bought or homemade
• 0.25 tsp Pure Ube Extract, For extra color and floral aroma
• 1 cup Whole Milk or Oat Milk, Cold
• 1 tbsp Sweetened Condensed Milk, Adjust to taste
• 1.5 cup Ice Cubes

Instructions

1. Cook the Boba Pearls Bring a small pot of water to a boil and add the dried tapioca pearls. Simmer according to package directions, usually 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally so they don't stick to the bottom.
2. Make the Brown Sugar Syrup Drain the cooked pearls and return them to the pot with 2 tablespoons brown sugar and the water. Simmer for 2-3 minutes until syrupy and glossy, then set aside to cool slightly.
3. Coat the Glass Spoon the syrupy boba pearls into the bottom of a tall glass, letting some syrup drizzle up the inside walls for a marbled look.
4. Shake the Ube Milk Tea In a cocktail shaker or lidded jar, combine ube halaya, ube extract, milk, condensed milk, and remaining brown sugar. Shake vigorously for 20-30 seconds until frothy and evenly purple.
5. Assemble & Serve Fill the glass with ice over the boba pearls, then slowly pour the shaken ube milk over the ice. Serve immediately with a wide boba straw, stirring from the bottom before each sip.

Pro Tips

• Tapioca pearls turn hard and chewy within a few hours, so cook them fresh and use within 2-4 hours for the best texture.
• Shaking the milk mixture instead of just stirring is what gives boba-shop drinks their signature light, frothy top.
• For an iced-coffee twist, swap 1/4 cup of the milk for a shot of chilled espresso.

Variations

• Dairy-Free Ube Milk Tea: Use full-fat coconut milk or oat milk and swap condensed milk for sweetened coconut condensed milk.
• Ube Milk Tea Slush: Blend the shaken milk mixture with the ice instead of pouring it over, for a frozen slushy texture.

Nutrition (estimated, per serving)

310 calories · 52g carbs · 6g protein · 8g fat · 38g sugar · 1g fiber

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use ube powder instead of ube halaya?

Yes — whisk 1 tablespoon of ube powder into 2 tablespoons of hot water until it forms a smooth paste, then use it in place of the ube halaya.

Where can I find dried tapioca pearls?

Most Asian grocery stores carry them near the desserts or baking aisle, and they're also widely available online. Quick-cook 15-minute pearls work best for this recipe.

Recommended Ingredient

Monika Ube Halaya Purple Yam Jam (12 oz Jar) — read our review.

More Drinks Recipes

• Iced Ube Coconut Oat Milk Latte
• Ube Horchata
• Ube Buko Shake
• Iced Ube Halaya Milk