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Make your own iced boba tea at home! This chocolate milk tea is irresistibly rich with plenty of sweet chocolate flavor. It's easy to make, ready in 10 minutes, and budget-friendly too!
If you haven't noticed, I have a thing for bubble tea drinks. The combination of sweet iced tea, creamy milk, and chewy boba pearls is so delicious! Fruit-based drinks are the most common, but I never overlook chocolate bubble tea. It's decadent but refreshing all at the same time.
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Despite its name, chocolate boba tea doesn't typically contain tea. It's a mixture of chocolate syrup or cocoa powder, milk, sweetener, and tapioca pearls. I've been making my own boba tea at home, and to say I'm obsessed is an understatement. It's just as tasty as a milk tea shop, but way more affordable!
For this version, I use hot chocolate powder because it's easy and I always have it on hand. Enjoy this homemade chocolate milk tea recipe with a lofty dollop of whipped cream and mini chocolate chips. Yum!
👩🍳 Why This Recipe Works
- Homemade chocolate bubble tea is budget-friendly!
- Easy to make
- Ready in 10 minutes!
- Rich chocolate taste
- Refreshing ice cold drink
- Easily made vegan, naturally gluten free!
- Makes a good light dessert
🥘 Ingredients
Chocolate milk tea with boba requires only five ingredients, plus ice!
- Tapioca Pearls: Also known as fresh boba pearls, these tapioca balls are made from tapioca starch. They have a mild, sweet flavor and offer a nice surprise at the bottom of the glass. You can find them at your local Asian grocery store or purchase them online.
- Maple Syrup: To sweeten the boba balls. Brown sugar works great too. The pearls aren't very sweet, so it's important to add a bit of sweetener to make a syrup.
- Hot Chocolate Powder: Hot chocolate mix is a simple way to add chocolate flavor. Since chocolate is the main ingredient, it's best to purchase a brand you know and love! I like Ghirardelli hot cocoa mix, but any brand will work.
- Milk: I have made this drink with both unsweetened almond milk and low-fat milk, but any plant-based or dairy milk works great.
- Water: Hot water dissolves the hot chocolate powder so it's smooth once you pour it over ice.
- Ice Cubes: Use plenty of ice for a chilled chocolate tea. Or refrigerate the chocolate mixture a few minutes before assembling. Warm bubble tea isn't the best, so go heavy on the ice!
- Whipped Cream: Optional, but recommended! For a vegan-friendly option, use whipped coconut cream.
📖 Variations
- Milk: Choose any milk you like. For a creamier drink, use whole milk or half and half. For a non-dairy version, use soy, cashew, oat milk, or almond milk instead.
- Tea: For tea lovers, heat the milk and steep a black tea bag in it. Follow the recipe as directed. This will boost the caffeine content a bit too.
- Sweetener: Feel free to sweeten your cocoa milk tea. Maple syrup, coconut sugar, brown sugar, and honey are great options. If you want it to dissolve, add it to the boiling water and hot cocoa mix.
- Sugar Free Bubble Tea: Use a sugar free syrup instead of the maple syrup, a keto hot chocolate mix, and unsweetened almond milk!
- Gluten Free: Be sure to buy a gluten-free hot chocolate mix. Some mixes are prepared on shared equipment with wheat and other gluten-containing ingredients.
- Vegan: Look for a vegan brand of hot chocolate. Some brands have milk powder in them. Swap the low-fat milk for a plant-based milk.
- Hazelnut Chocolate Milk Tea: To recreate hazelnut chocolate Chatime, swap the low fat milk with hazelnut milk. Sweeten with hazelnut syrup.
- Dark Chocolate Milk Tea: Swap the hot cocoa mix with a dark chocolate cocoa mix.
🔪 How To Make Chocolate Milk Tea
Cook Tapioca Pearls: Bring a small pot of water to a boil, add the tapioca pearls, then reduce the heat. Simmer for 5 to 6 minutes.
Strain Boba: Strain the pearls, transfer to a small bowl, and stir in the maple syrup. Set aside.
Dissolve Cocoa Mix: In a small bowl, mix together the hot chocolate powder and boiling water. Stir until the powder dissolves.
Assemble: Divide the tapioca pearls and syrup between two tall glasses.
Add Chocolate: Divide the chocolate mixture and milk evenly between the two glasses.
Enjoy: Add plenty of ice and whipped cream. Serve immediately.
❓ Recipe FAQs
What is milk tea?
Milk tea is any tea-based drink with milk in it. It can refer to brewed tea with a splash of milk, tea lattes, or bubble tea drinks. In this recipe, milk tea refers to bubble tea, an iced beverage with black tea, sweetener, milk, and tapioca pearls.
Does chocolate milk tea contain tea?
No, typically chocolate bubble tea is a chocolate syrup or chocolate-based drink with milk and tapioca pearls. It doesn't usually contain black tea, like other bubble tea recipes.
What does chocolate bubble tea taste like?
This chocolate boba tea recipe tastes like a creamy, iced hot chocolate with tapioca pearls on the bottom. It's sweet, but not overly so.
How should I store chocolate tea?
It's best to enjoy bubble tea immediately after its made! However, you can make the chocolate mixture and combine it with the milk ahead of time. Refrigerate the "chocolate tea" in an airtight container for up to three days, then cook the tapioca pearls and assemble.
💭 Expert Tips
- For best results, prepare the tapioca pearls right before you plan to use them. They lose their desired texture and stick together quickly.
- Use a jumbo or boba straw if you want to enjoy the tapioca pearls with the tea!
- To make this delicious drink ice cold, either refrigerate the chocolate mixture before assembling or use plenty of ice!
- Taste and adjust the sweetness as desired. If the drink isn't sweet enough for you, stir in more maple syrup. Or reduce the sugar considerably using my sugar free variation above!
- If you don't have hot cocoa mix, swap with cocoa powder and sweeten with sugar.
