Description

This coconut bubble tea comes together quickly and is a great option for those with dietary restrictions. It is highly customizable, vegan, and gluten-free.

Ingredients

Units Scale

1 cup water
1 black tea bag (or 1 tsp of loose-leaf black tea)
1/4 cup full-fat canned coconut milk
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup quick-cooking tapioca pearls
1 tbsp sweetener (brown sugar, honey, or maple syrup)
ice cubes
coconut whipped cream (see recipe notes)

Instructions

Brew the tea: bring 1 cup of water to a boil. Remove from heat and add the black tea bag. Let it steep for 5 minutes. Discard the tea bag or tea leaves. Set aside to cool.
Prepare the tapioca pearls according to the package instructions. Drain and rinse quickly with cold water. Sprinkle 1 tbsp of sweetener over the tapioca pearls and stir to coat. Set aside.
Open the can of coconut milk and stir to combine*.
To serve: Spoon the cooked tapioca pearls into a serving glass. Top with coconut milk and vanilla. Add a handful of ice cubes and pour the brewed tea over the top.
Stir with a boba straw to combine the layers, if desired.

Notes

*Coconut milk separates in a can. The cream rises to the top, and the coconut water stays at the bottom. Stir the cream and water together until the mixture is thick and white before using it in the recipe.

You can use any black tea or green tea for this recipe. Thai tea is an excellent tea option for this coconut boba.

Brown sugar tapioca pearls, also known as black tapioca pearls, are a classic topping choice. However, you can also experiment with different fruit-flavored tapioca pearls or even flavored jellies.

Vegan whipped cream:

Place a can of coconut cream in the refrigerator the night before making your coconut boba tea. Once thoroughly chilled, open the can and scoop out the cream—DO NOT mix the cream with the water in the can. Save the water to use in smoothies.
Beat the coconut cream with a stand or hand mixer for about 30 seconds until it becomes fluffy. If you don’t have a mixer, you can do this by hand but it will take approximately five minutes.
Add 1/4 cup of vegan powdered sugar and 1 tsp of vanilla. Beat for one more minute. Place a spoonful or two on top of your boba tea.

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes