A specialty of Taiwan, Matcha Bubble Tea is like nothing I ever had before with the chewy tapioca pearls that dance into an iced matcha latte. It's such a delicious drink that you can skip dessert.
Bubble tea, also known as boba tea, originated in Taiwan in the 1980s. It was reportedly invented by Lin Hsiu Hui, who was a teahouse owner in Taichung, Taiwan. While the exact origin of matcha bubble tea isn't as well-documented, it likely emerged as a variation of traditional bubble tea with good quality matcha powder and finely ground green tea leaves.
I am not the only Matcha Lover around the world, the growing popularity of matcha in various culinary around the world has sprung the desire for a matcha bubble tea recipe! It has become so popular in the United States that cafes with Bubble Tea have sprung up everywhere in the United States.
Taiwan Country in East Asia
Taiwan has been in the news lately for its semiconductor chips but it's not how it started. Known for night markets and street food, street markets are considered the country's top tourist attraction.
Taiwan is blessed with the highest concentration of high mountain peaks for any island in the world and two-thirds of the island is covered in high mountains. The island has been settled for at least 25,000 years with a population today of over 23,500,000 people. Now I have never been but maybe one day I will be able to visit another great culture that has invented the Bubble Tea.
For now, I have a Magic Tea & Coffee down the street from me or I just make my boba tea at home. Here's a simple recipe for making Matcha Bubble Tea, also known as Matcha Boba Tea, at home.
What is Boba?
The first time I had matcha boba tea was last summer and the best way is with ice for a . What makes it so unique is the boba pearls which are tapioca balls made of tapioca flour. It has a chewy texture with a sweetness that are made of different flavors. I love the blueberry which is what I am making for this recipe.
For the Matcha Tea
- matcha powder
- hot water
- milk (whole dairy milk or plant-based milk)
- Sweetener of your choice (optional), such as honey, sugar, or agave syrup
For the Boba
- tapioca pearls of blueberry (also known as boba)
- Sweeteners (optional)
- Ice cubes
- Extra milk
- Whip Cream, optional
- Boba straws (wide straws for tapioca pearls)
Prepare the Matcha Tea
- In a small bowl, whisk together the matcha powder and hot water until smooth and frothy.
- Taste and sweeten the matcha tea with your preferred sweetener, if desired. Set aside to cool.
Assemble the Matcha Bubble Tea:
- Fill a tall glass with ice cubes.
- Add a spoonful or two of tapioca pearls (boba) to the glass.
- Fill a tall glass with ice cubes.
- Add milk half of the cup.
- Pour the prepared matcha tea over the ice milk, leaving some space at the top of the glass.
- Insert a boba straw into the glass and give it a good stir to mix the ingredients together.
- Add whip cream on top and sprinkle some matcha on top, optional of course!
- Serve immediately and enjoy your homemade Matcha Bubble Tea!
- Feel free to adjust the sweetness level and milk ratio according to your taste buds. Enjoy!
Choice of Milk
Nowadays we have so many different types of milk and plant-based milk. Here are a few that can be used:
- cashew milk
- soy milk
- whole dairy milk
- plant-based milk
- almond milk
- coconut milk
- oat milk
Choice of Sweeteners
As a sweetener for the matcha milk tea recipe, I mix it with the green tea powder of the matcha. Here are a few of my favorite sweeteners for me and my husband.
- maple syrup
- dark brown sugar
- cane sugar
- coconut sugar
Some Items For This Recipe
(Amazon affiliate links)- Check out all of my Amazon Storefront or buy some items for this recipe. There are so many different boba drinks to make with a variety of tapioca pearls.
More Asian Recipes To Enjoy
Hope you enjoyed our journey today with a Taiwan boba tea. Until next time my beautiful friends as my quest for the perfect bite continues. As they say in Taiwan, Xiǎngshòu nǐ de chá" aka Enjoy your tea!
Matcha Bubble Tea
Ingredients
For the Matcha Tea:
- 1 teaspoon matcha powder
- ¼ cup hot water
- 1 cup ice cubes
- Sweetener of your choice optional, such as honey, sugar, or agave syrup
For the Boba (Tapioca Pearls):
- ¼ cup tapioca pearls of blueberry also known as boba
Instructions
Prepare the Matcha Tea:
- In a small bowl, whisk together the matcha powder and hot water until smooth and frothy.
- Taste and sweeten the matcha tea with your preferred sweetener, if desired. Set aside to cool.
- Add a spoonful or two of tapioca pearls (boba) to the glass.
- Fill a tall glass with ice cubes.
- Add milk half of the cup.
- Pour the prepared matcha tea over the ice milk, leaving some space at the top of the glass.
- Insert a boba straw into the glass and give it a good stir to mix the ingredients together.
- Add whip cream on top and sprinkle some matcha on top, optional of course!
- Serve immediately and enjoy your homemade Matcha Bubble Tea!
- Feel free to adjust the sweetness level and milk ratio according to your taste buds. Enjoy!
Notes
- maple syrup
- dark brown sugar
- cane sugar
- coconut sugar
Cheryl says
This is one of my favorite drinks now!
Lizzy says
that's great! me too - xoxo Lizzy