Save money and easily make this six ingredient Iced Boba Coffee at home in less than 20 minutes. Yum!
Suitable for gluten free and vegetarian diets.
Want an easy to make cold refreshing treat for breakfast or anytime? Then look no further than this homemade Iced Boba Coffee recipe. A perfectly refreshing breakfast drink, which is great for serving up as a drink on the go, for BBQs, backyard parties, pool hangouts, Memorial Day celebrations, and more.
If you love bubble tea and cold brew coffee then combining the two to make Iced Bubble Coffee is the natural next step. And I’m sharing the recipe so now you can enjoy an iced coffee with tapioca pearls any time you want and all at a fraction of the cost of a bubble tea shop drink.
More drinks you might like Caramel Frappe and Copycat Starbuck Pink Drink.
Table of contents
About Tapioca Pearls
These are marble sized balls made from tapioca that you can buy from online stores or your local Asian grocery store. You can find them in a variety of colors, and in this recipe we use black. What is great is that they have a neutral taste so really they allow the flavor of the drink to shine through.
It find it easier to buy quick-cooking tapioca pearls, but you can buy slower cooking ones which have a slightly better texture. Make sure to sweeten them by cooking them in sweetened water, and keep them stored in the cooking water if you are not using them right away, otherwise they will harden up .
Why Make This Recipe
- Easy – just 6 simple ingredients and it’s ready in 20 minutes.
- Perfect for sharing – you can easily double, triple, or quadruple this recipe.
- Mix it up – it is easily customizable with various add-ins.
- Economical – a few everyday ingredients go a long way toward quenching the thirst of your whole family without spending a fortune.
Ingredient Notes
- Tapioca pearls – Cook them according to the package instructions for the best results, and grab whatever color you like.
- Sweetener – I prefer using honey, but you can use either honey or brown sugar to both sweeten the tapioca pearls and the boba coffee.
- Coffee – You need a brewed black coffee for this.
- Dairy – I prefer using heavy cream for a richer, creamier taste. But feel free to use whole milk or a plant-based milk.
- Crushed ice – Since this is served chilled, crushed ice is essential, although you can use ice cubes as well.
- Wide straws – make sure to grab some wide straws to drink up those tapioca pearls. Some tapioca pearls packaging already come with the right size straws.
How To Make Iced Coffee Bubble Tea
Get full ingredients list and instructions from the recipe card below.
- Cook tapioca according to package instructions. The package I used needed to boil for 5 minutes, or until floating. I also add a bit of sugar.
- When done, transfer the pearls into an ice bath for 5 minutes and then strain.
- Mix honey or sugar with the heavy cream.
- Divide the pearls into the glasses and fill a glass with ½ cup of ice.
- Pour cold brew coffee over the ice until about ¾ full.
- Top with heavy cream, and serve.
Tips For Success
- Only cook the amount of tapioca pearls you need, as these do not store well.
- To store them for an hour or so, keep them in the cooking water.
- If you want to store them for longer, then use the slow cooking tapioca pearls and refrigerate them in simple syrup for a couple of days.
Variations
- Try brewed tea – Use cold brew tea instead of coffee.
- Add flavorings – Add flavorings like vanilla, caramel, chocolate, or hazelnut syrup to suit your taste.
- Vary the dairy – Try coconut milk or oat milk for a different flavor profile.
Budget-Friendly Tips
- Use leftover coffee – Repurpose leftover coffee into the beverage.
- Shop sales – Watch for sales or discounts on coffee and boba and stock up.
FAQs
This awesome drink originated in Taiwan although you can now find it in all over.
More Drinks You May Like
- Caramel Frappe.
- Copycat Starbuck Pink Drink.
- Rainbow Fruit Spritzer.
- Strawberry Sweet Tea.
- Melon Aqua Fresca.
Get The Iced Bubble Coffee Recipe
Iced Boba Coffee
Ingredients
- ½ cup (90g) 5-minute boil tapioca pearls raw dried
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 2 cups (280g) crushed ice
- 3 cups (709ml) cold brew coffee
- 1 cup (240ml) heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon honey
Instructions
- Cook tapioca according to package instructions. The package I used needed to boil for 5 minutes, or until floating. I also add a bit of sugar.
- When done, transfer the pearls into an ice bath for 5 minutes and then strain.
- Mix honey (or sugar) with the heavy cream.
- Divide the pearls into the glasses, and fill each glass with ½ cup of ice.
- Pour cold brew coffee over the ice until about ¾ full.
- Top with heavy cream, and serve.
Jac
Looks delicious my daughter is going to love this when I make it for her this summer! Although will use almond milk.
Farah Maizar
So refreshing! And how fun- can’t believe how easy it is to recreate at home!
Shivani Raja
This looks perfect for a sunny day! I love the idea of adding hazelnut syrup too <3
Allyssa
Wow! this recipe is amazing! the family loves it! Thanks a lot for sharing this! So perfect!
Jess Saunders
This is such an amazing idea, and it looks so easy to make too! I didn’t realise tapioca was used for this. And I think your photos are absolutely stunning!