Matcha Bubble Tea Recipe

This matcha bubble tea is a creamy iced matcha milk tea with chewy tapioca pearls. It takes about 20 to 30 minutes, mostly for cooking the boba. The matcha layer is smooth and earthy, and the pearls add a fun, chewy texture.

Prep time	10 minutes
Total time	30 minutes
Servings	1 serving
Difficulty	Medium

Matcha bubble tea (also called matcha boba) is basically two parts: a cold matcha milk tea, and tapioca pearls that you cook and sweeten. The pearls are the work, but it is very doable once you know what to expect.

If you want the simplest cold matcha drink first, start with iced matcha latte. If you want the classic hot base method, see how to make a matcha latte. For more recipe ideas, the hub is matcha recipes.

Bubble tea can be quite sugary, depending on how you sweeten the pearls and the milk. If you are curious about the numbers, see matcha calories and adjust syrup amounts to taste.

Ingredients

• 50g dried tapioca pearls (quick-cook pearls work well)
• 2 tbsp brown sugar (for a simple syrup coating)
• 2 tbsp water (for the syrup)
• 1 to 2g matcha powder (about half to one level teaspoon)
• 30ml hot water (about 80°C)
• 200ml cold milk (dairy or oat)
• Ice cubes (enough to fill a tall glass)
• Optional: extra sweetener (simple syrup, maple syrup, or honey)

You will also need a wide straw or a spoon. Boba pearls are hard to drink through a normal straw.

How to Make Matcha Bubble Tea

1. Cook the tapioca pearls. Bring a pot of water to a strong boil, add the pearls, and stir so they do not stick. Cook using your packet instructions as the main guide. As a rough reference, many quick-cook pearls take 15 to 20 minutes, then 5 minutes resting off the heat.
2. Make a quick brown sugar syrup. In a small pan, heat the brown sugar and water for 1 to 2 minutes until dissolved and slightly syrupy.
3. Coat the pearls. Drain the cooked pearls well, add them to the syrup, and stir for 1 minute so they are glossy and sweet. Keep them warm while you make the drink.
4. Whisk the matcha smooth. Sift matcha into a small bowl or cup, add the hot water (80°C), and whisk until completely smooth and bright green.
5. Assemble the bubble tea. Spoon the warm pearls and a little syrup into a tall glass, fill with ice, pour in the cold milk, then pour the matcha over the top. Stir before drinking.

How to Keep Tapioca Pearls Chewy (and Not Hard)

Boba is at its best right after you cook it. The chewy texture comes from heat and moisture. When pearls cool down, they firm up fast, especially if they sit in the fridge.

• Cook until fully chewy: if the centre is hard, keep cooking. If the outside is mushy but the centre is hard, the heat is too high. Lower to a gentle simmer and give them time.
• Rest after cooking: many pearls soften during the “rest” step. Keep the lid on so they stay hot.
• Keep pearls in syrup: coating cooked pearls in syrup helps stop them sticking and drying out.
• Use them within 1 to 2 hours: that is the realistic window for the best texture at home.
• If pearls go firm: they are hard to fully fix, but you can briefly warm them in hot water and re-coat in syrup. It will help a little, but fresh is better.

Tips for the Best Results

• Follow your pearl packet first - pearl cooking times vary a lot. Use the packet as the truth, and treat any online timing as a rough guide.
• Stir at the start - pearls love to stick to the bottom in the first minute. A quick stir prevents one big boba clump.
• Do not chill cooked pearls in the fridge - they turn hard fast. Keep them warm in syrup and eat them fresh.
• Whisk matcha with warm water before milk - matcha does not dissolve well in cold milk, so the warm-water step prevents gritty clumps.
• Sweeten in small steps - the pearls add sweetness already. Taste the drink after you stir, then add extra syrup only if you want it sweeter.

Variations

• Dairy-free: oat milk is creamy and slightly sweet, so it works well without extra syrup.
• Lighter sugar: coat pearls in 1 tbsp syrup instead of 2, and skip extra sweetener in the milk.
• Vanilla matcha bubble tea: add 1 tbsp vanilla syrup to the milk before you assemble. If you like that flavour, see vanilla matcha latte.

If you enjoy blended drinks more than boba, try a matcha smoothie. It is faster and the texture is easier to get right.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make matcha bubble tea without tapioca pearls?

Yes. It will taste like an iced matcha milk tea. You can also use popping boba, jelly, or skip toppings completely.

Why did my boba turn hard?

It usually happens when pearls are undercooked or left sitting too long after cooking, especially in the fridge. Cook until fully chewy, then keep them warm in syrup and use them straight away.

Can I make matcha bubble tea ahead of time?

You can whisk the matcha base and chill it for a short time, but the pearls are best fresh. For the best texture, cook pearls right before you drink it.

What's the best milk for matcha bubble tea?

Oat milk is a favourite because it is creamy and slightly sweet. Dairy milk is richer, while soy is more neutral and still foams well.

Is matcha bubble tea healthy?

It depends on how sweet you make it. Matcha itself is low calorie, but bubble tea can be high in sugar because of syrup and sweetened pearls.

More Matcha Recipes

• Matcha Recipes: 12 Ways to Use Matcha
• Iced Matcha Latte Recipe
• Matcha Smoothie Recipe
• Vanilla Matcha Latte Recipe

Written by the Popcha team.