This easy taro boba milk tea recipe is a creamy, purple drink made with chewy tapioca pearls and sweetened to your liking. It’s quick to make and a fun summer treat for kids!
If you’re a fan of bubble tea, you’ll also love strawberry boba, mango and grass jelly boba!
What is taro milk tea
Taro milk tea is a refreshing, caffeine-free drink made with taro powder or paste, milk, sweetener, and sometimes chewy tapioca pearls. The drink has a purple, lavender color and a creamy, sweet, vanilla-like flavor.
More about this taro drink recipe
This easy recipe uses taro powder for convenience. Taro powder is a sweet, flavored mix often made from taro root and other ingredients, giving the drink its iconic purple color.
In Thailand, taro boba drinks from street food markets are also made with this powder, so this recipe delivers the real flavor. It’s simple to prepare and perfect for family parties or a refreshing treat at home.
What makes this milk tea stand out is its creamy texture and subtle sweetness, thanks to the sweetened condensed milk. You can easily customize the sweetness by adjusting the amount of condensed milk or sugar to suit your taste!
Below the ingredient notes you’ll find step-by-step image instructions for foolproof results
Ingredient notes
All the ingredients you need can be found at Asian markets or Asian grocery stores. For exact measurements, check the recipe card below!
For the taro drink
- Taro powder
- Warm water – For dissolving the taro powder. It should be around 120–140°F (49–60°C)—hot enough to dissolve the powder easily without making it clumpy, but not boiling.
- Sweetened condensed milk
- Fresh milk – For a dairy-free, vegan-friendly option, swap fresh milk with almond or oat milk.
- Natural cane sugar – Substitutable for white sugar.
- Ice
For the boba pearls
- Boba pearls – Boba pearls, a key ingredient in bubble tea, are made of tapioca starch and need to be boiled for the right texture.
- Water – For boiling the pearls.
- Natural cane sugar – Adds sweetness to the cooked pearls. You can substitute it with brown sugar.
Step-by-step image instructions
Step 1: Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil over high heat. Slowly add the tapioca pearls, stirring gently to prevent clumping.
Step 2: Lower the heat to medium and cook for 20–30 minutes (or as instructed on the package), stirring occasionally, especially near the end to prevent sticking. Once cooked, turn off the heat, cover the pot with a lid, and let the tapioca pearls sit in the hot water for an additional 30 minutes to fully cook.
Step 3: Drain the cooked pearls using a strainer and rinse under cold running water to stop the cooking process and remove excess starch.
Step 4: Transfer the pearls to a bowl and mix with natural cane sugar or syrup for sweetness. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a lid, and allow the pearls to cool to room temperature.
Step 5: Dissolve the taro powder in warm water, stirring until smooth and free of clumps.
Step 6: Add fresh milk, sweetened condensed milk, and sugar to the dissolved taro mixture, stirring until well combined.
Step 7: Fill a serving glass with ice, pour in the prepared taro drink, and top with the cooked tapioca pearls. Serve immediately and enjoy your homemade fresh taro milk tea!
How to store
- Bubble tea can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Keep the tapioca pearls separate.
- To store cooked tapioca pearls, place them in an airtight container with a small amount of sugar syrup. Keep them at room temperature for up to 4 hours, or refrigerate for up to 8–10 hours. If needed, reheat them in hot water briefly before using them to restore their chewy texture.
Frequently asked questions
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How many calories are in taro milk tea?
Taro milk tea typically contains 200–400 calories per serving (16 oz or 473 ml), depending on the ingredients. Factors like added sugar, sweetened taro powder, and tapioca pearls can significantly increase the calorie count, with tapioca pearls contributing about 150 calories alone.
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Is taro milk tea healthy?
Taro milk tea is a tasty drink but not very healthy due to added sugar, sweetened taro powder, and tapioca pearls, which increase calories. For a healthier version, use fresh taro, low-fat milk, and reduce sugar or skip the pearls.
More drink recipes to try
- Butterfly pea milk tea
- Pandan drink
- Nom yen (Thai pink milk)
- Thai tea (cha yen)
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Taro Milk Tea Boba Recipe
Ingredients
For making boba drink
- 70 ml warm water, not boiling, around 120–140°F / 50–60°C
- 12 g taro powder
- 20 ml sweetened condensed milk
- 12 g natural cane sugar
- 80 ml fresh milk
- ice, as needed, crushed or cubes
For cooking tapioca pearls
- 60 g uncooked tapioca pearls
- 1 l water
- 25 g natural cane sugar
Instructions
Cook tapioca pearls
- Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil over high heat. Slowly add the tapioca pearls, stirring gently to prevent clumping.60 g uncooked tapioca pearls, 1 l water, 25 g natural cane sugar
- Lower the heat to medium and cook for 20–30 minutes (or as instructed on the package), stirring occasionally, especially near the end to prevent sticking. Once cooked, turn off the heat, cover the pot with a lid, and let the tapioca pearls sit in the hot water for an additional 30 minutes to fully cook.
- Drain the cooked pearls using a strainer and rinse under cold running water to stop the cooking process and remove excess starch.
- Transfer the pearls to a bowl and mix with natural cane sugar or syrup for sweetness. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a lid, and allow the pearls to cool to room temperature.
Make the drink
- Dissolve the taro powder in warm water, stirring until smooth and free of clumps.70 ml warm water, 12 g taro powder, 12 g natural cane sugar
- Add fresh milk, sweetened condensed milk, and sugar to the dissolved taro mixture, stirring until well combined.20 ml sweetened condensed milk, 80 ml fresh milk
- Fill a serving glass with ice, pour in the prepared taro drink, and top with the cooked tapioca pearls. Serve immediately and enjoy your homemade fresh taro milk tea!
Notes
- Use the nutrition card in this recipe as a guideline.
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This recipe is versatile and can be used with other flavors of bubble tea powder, such as strawberry or mango—just swap the taro powder for your favorite!
I love Taro Milk Tea Boba