Matcha Bubble Tea: Our Homemade Recipe

Pearls settle at the bottom of the glass, milk goes in next, then matcha draws a green layer on top. The chewy texture sets this bubble tea apart from other matcha drinks. Start with tapioca pearls that are already cooked: about 1 3/4 oz (50 g) is enough for a large glass. You'll need about 1 tsp (2 g) matcha and 6 minutes, not counting any cooking time for the pearls.

Check the package before you start. If your pearls need cooking, do that first according to its directions. A jar with a lid is enough to mix the tea afterward.

• Preparation 6 minutes
• Resting none
• Total time 6 minutes
• Servings 1 large glass
• Tools a fine sieve, a small jar with a lid, a large glass, and a wide straw or spoon

We mix matcha with water before pouring it over the milk. Clumps break up better that way, even if the closed jar makes less foam than a whisk.

Ingredients for a large matcha bubble tea

• About 1 3/4 oz (50 g) cooked tapioca pearls, ready to serve
• About 1 tsp (2 g) matcha
• About 1 1/3 fl oz (40 ml) cold water
• About 5 fl oz (150 ml) cold milk
• 2 tsp (10 ml) brown sugar syrup
• About 1.4 oz (40 g) ice cubes

How to assemble matcha bubble tea

1. Check that the pearls are cooked and ready to serve according to their package.
2. Sift about 1 tsp (2 g) matcha into a small jar with a lid.
3. Add about 1 1/3 fl oz (40 ml) cold water, close the jar, and shake for 20 seconds until no clumps are visible.
4. Put about 1 3/4 oz (50 g) pearls in a large glass, then add 2 tsp (10 ml) brown sugar syrup.
5. Add about 1.4 oz (40 g) ice cubes and about 5 fl oz (150 ml) cold milk.
6. Pour the matcha mixture over the milk and stir before drinking with a wide straw or spoon.

Our tip. Keep the pearls at the bottom until serving. Their texture mainly depends on the advance preparation described on the package, not the matcha you'll pour over them. Stir before drinking so the tea runs through the whole glass.

Which matcha should you choose with milk and syrup?

We'd choose Kura-ge Jade matcha for the water-based mixture so you can taste the tea before assembling the drink. Its nuances may, however, fade behind the milk and syrup. If you want more matcha flavor, reduce the syrup before changing the amount of powder.

Honey or ube: two ways to change this drink

The basic version contains 2 tsp (10 ml) brown sugar syrup. For honey bubble tea, replace it with 2 tsp (10 ml) runny honey. Mix the honey with the milk in the closed jar before assembling the glass.

For an ube version, combine about 0.7 oz (20 g) cooked, ready-to-use ube puree with about 4.4 fl oz (130 ml) milk. This mixture replaces the about 5 fl oz (150 ml) milk in the basic recipe. Ube is a purple yam. If the puree is already sweetened, omit the syrup.

Allergens. The drink prepared here contains milk. Check the labels on the pearls and syrup you use too.