13 of the Best Boba Flavors You Need to Try!
This is the ultimate review of the Best Boba Flavors.
I apologize in advance if I get you addicted to bubble tea!
There’s no denying that bubble tea has become a big part of our daily hustle.
But these days, more and more people are opting to make their own milk tea at home with different types of tea such as green tea or white tea, and their own ingredients and flavors.
Why not let me guide you through these fun and popular bubble tea flavors?
13 Best Boba Tea Flavors
Here are our picks for the 13 best bubble tea flavors:
- Taro Milk Tea - Best in Ice Cream Form
- Black Milk Tea - Best For Breakfast
- Strawberry Milk Tea - Best For Children
- Thai Bubble Tea (Thai Iced Tea) - Best For Summer
- Coffee Milk Tea - Best For Daily Use
- Honeydew Milk Tea - Best Worldwide
- Mango Bubble Tea - Best in Slush Form
- Jasmine Milk Tea - Best Stronger Flavor
- Matcha Milk Tea - Best Boba For Health
- Almond Milk Tea - Best For Winter
- Dalgona Milk Tea - Best Coffee Based
- Tiger Milk Tea - Most Famous
- Hojicha Bubble Tea - Best Japanese Inspired
1. Taro Milk Tea
Best in Ice Cream Form
Ingredients
| Servings | 1 cup |
| Jasmine green tea | 1 tablespoon or 1 bag |
| Taro powder | 4 tablespoons |
| Sugar or Brown Sugar | ½ cup |
| Water | ½ cup |
| Condensed milk | ½ cup |
| Honey | 1 ½ tablespoon |
| Tapioca Pearls | ½ cup |
SUMMARY:
With its thick and creamy texture, taro milk tea is quickly becoming one of the most popular bubble tea flavors. I'm not surprised since I've found the taro and jasmine green tea flavors blend very well together!
Pro tip: To create the best-tasting taro milk tea, make sure to dissolve the taro powder in hot water first to achieve a creamy ice cream-like texture.
Another tip: I also like to buy fresh root crops that are close to taro such as Ube and I scrape them into balls for a twist! It's a nice twist to the traditional taro milk tea!
And another tip: try using sweetened condensed milk instead of sugar!
But if you're too lazy to do all the work, then consider buying a bubble tea kit! Like the taro milk tea kit by Pearly below!
RELATED: Best Bubble Tea Kits to Level Up Your Game
2. Black Milk Tea
Best For Breakfast
Ingredients
| Servings | 2 cups |
| English breakfast black tea | 1 bag |
| Water | 2 cups |
| Milk | 2 ½ tablespoon |
| Honey | 1 tablespoon |
| Tapioca pearls | ½ cup |
SUMMARY:
Who says you can only drink tea or coffee in the mornings?
Make your early morning grind something to look forward to with a fine homemade breakfast black milk tea, one of the most popular bubble tea flavors, and the original classic milk tea!
The highlight of this breakfast black milk tea is none other than the English breakfast black tea.
Let me warn you though, that one tea bag is powerful enough to make you a single cup of dark and intense tea or 2 cups of milder ones.
After steeping your tea for about 4-5 minutes, I would immediately add the honey so that it can be dissolved in the hot liquid as the tea cools down.
And lastly, add the milk and the cooked tapioca pearls.
Enjoy this classic milk tea boba flavor hot or cold!
PRO TIP:
If you don't want to go shopping for all the ingredients and supplies, then take the easy route and buy a bubble tea kit that would be delivered straight to your doorstep, like the one below:
3. Strawberry Milk Tea
Best For Children
Ingredients
| Servings | 3 cups |
| Strawberries | 2 cups fresh or frozen |
| Milk | 1 cup milk |
| Honey | ¼ cup |
| Green tea (or white tea) | 3/4 cup cooled |
| Tapioca Balls | 2 cups |
SUMMARY:
Admit it or not, strawberry was the first flavor we loved as kids. Combine it with the playful textures of boba and you’ve got yourself a fun strawberry milk tea boba flavor for kids!
You can use either strawberry powder or fresh strawberries for this, but of course, fresh fruit is the best way to go for this fruit tea.
As for the green tea…
You can use black tea but if you’re mixing this up for the little tykes, an approachable green tea, oolong tea, or white tea is your best bet. I’ve used green tea for this. It’s mild enough to give just the right leafy feel and it’s also kind of sweet without adding any sugar.
Also, try brown sugar as a variation, I like the molasses flavor it leaves!
And of course, don’t forget the colorful, reusable milk tea straws!
Enjoy this delicious milk tea that tastes better than bubble tea shops!
4. Thai Milk Tea (Thai Iced Tea)
Best For Summer
Ingredients
| Servings | 4 cups |
| Thai tea mix | 1 cup |
| Water | 4 cups |
| Sugar | ¾ cup |
| Coconut milk | ¾ cup |
SUMMARY:
What better way to welcome summer than with this Insta-worthy bright orange boba tea!
Thai milk tea is originally made of spices such as anise stars, cardamom, and cloves. But I’ve used a readily available Thai tea mix instead, which is just as good!
Finish it with a splash of coconut milk and watch your bubble tea transform into the most delicious shade of orange ever.
5. Coffee Milk Tea
Best For Daily Use
Ingredients
| Servings | 2 cups |
| Instant coffee | 1 ½ tablespoon |
| Whole milk | 1 cup |
| Hot water | ½ cup |
| Loose leaf black tea | ½ tablespoon (or 1 bag) |
| Brown sugar | 2 tablespoons |
| Tapioca pearls | 3 tablespoons |
SUMMARY:
Coffee or tea?
Why not both?
Say yes to an exciting afternoon pick-me-up with a coffee milk tea flavored bubble tea!
Basically, it’s just coffee, tea, fresh milk, and sugar. I made sure to use brown sugar so it tasted caramel-ly. I bet this could also work with sweetened condensed milk. If you try it, let me know how this bubble tea tastes like with the sweetened condensed milk!
Worrying about too much caffeine intake?
Then pick a decaffeinated black tea, so you're only getting caffeine from the coffee. Or vice versa!
Pro tip: Whip up a cold foam and put it in your coffee milk tea along with ice cubes for a coffee shop-worthy treat!
6. Honeydew Milk Tea
Best Worldwide
Ingredients
| Servings | 1 cup |
| Honeydew tea mix | 2 tablespoons |
| Honeydew | 1 cup, cubed |
| Fresh Milk | 1 cup |
| Sweetener | To taste (optional) |
| Tapioca pearls | ¼ cup |
| Green tea | 1 bag (optional) |
SUMMARY:
The Honeydew Milk Tea staple first became popular in many Asian countries, until the fruity trend finally came to the west, promising world domination!
I try to use fresh fruits, but my bubble tea loving buddies recommended that I use a honeydew tea powder and I gotta say I almost couldn't tell the difference! It's not milk tea, but rather just a flavored tea mix, which makes it very versatile to be used in smoothies as well as hot drinks!
I've found it goes well with a vegetal green tea such as a sencha. Or even a bancha, no need to use high-grade green tea for this one!
It's the closest you can get to a fruit tea without actually using fresh fruit. Obviously not delicious, but way more practical and quick to prepare!
Make it even more interesting by adding fruit-flavored popping boba...
7. Mango Bubble Tea
Best in Slush Form
Ingredients
| Servings | 4 cups |
| Mango | 2 cups fresh or frozen |
| Milk | 1 cup milk or coconut milk |
| Honey | ¼ cup |
| Jasmine Tea | 1 cup cooled |
| Tapioca Pearls | 2 cups |
SUMMARY:
Fancy making a tropical milk tea treat at home with fruit purees? Then try making mango milk tea!
The tea used for this recipe is jasmine tea rather than the more flavorful black tea. That’s so that you only get a very subtle tea flavor while letting the mango taste shine.
All you have to do is steep your jasmine tea and then let it cool.
Oh, and it’s also organic with bleach-free bags to boot!
You can use any kind of milk but since we’re going tropical here, I’ve used coconut milk, which made the flavor very unique!
Blend them all together with a blender or smoothie maker (I use the Blendtec Stealth quiet blender), then add the tapioca pearls and you’re ready for a refreshing fruity bubble tea that rivals one from any boba shop!
8. Jasmine Milk Tea
Best Stronger Flavor
Ingredients
| Servings | 3 cups |
| Jasmine green tea | 4 bags |
| Hot water | 3 cups |
| Honey or Brown Sugar | 3 tablespoons (to taste) |
| Milk | 6 tablespoon |
| Tapioca Balls | ½ cup |
SUMMARY:
Don’t fancy sweeter candy in your bubble tea?
This jasmine milk tea flavor is my go-to whenever I just want a quick afternoon beverage to get me through the day. By the way, this was the first bubble tea flavor that I ever tried and I was hooked ever since!
Straightforward and strong, the floral notes coming from the jasmine green tea are subtly mellowed out by the milk, retaining a strong but pleasant flavor that’s perfect for bubble tea lovers.
9. Matcha Milk Tea
Best Boba For Health
Ingredients
| Servings | 1 cup |
| Matcha powder | 1 tablespoon |
| Hot water | 2 tablespoons |
| Sugar | 2 tablespoons |
| Almond milk | 1 cup |
| Tapioca balls | ¼ cup |
SUMMARY:
I’ve used an organic matcha powder with a really beautiful deep green flavor. You can adjust the matcha powder and milk according to your preference. You can also try to use a leafy Japanese green tea, but you will need to compensate as matcha has a very strong flavor...
The result is an authentic-looking matcha milk tea with stunning color, making for another intriguing Instagram image! Plus this boba is vegan for those who prefer a plant-based diet!
Note: If you want your matcha milk tea with a fuller body, you can use half & half milk instead. Also, try a brown sugar variation to add a bit more depth in flavor to your bubble tea!
10. Almond Milk Tea
Best For Winter
Ingredients
| Servings | 1 cup |
| Earl grey tea | 2 bags |
| Water | ½ cup |
| Brown sugar | 1 teaspoon |
| Almond milk | ½ cup |
| Almond extract | ¼ teaspoon |
| Tapioca balls | ¼ cup |
SUMMARY:
Almond milk tea uses almond milk and almond extract along with Earl Grey tea to create an interesting nutty flavor that’s just a little earthy.
I used earl grey tea because I love how it’s blended with pure bergamot oil to keep the tea’s strong aroma and taste, but you can use any type of black tea!
Some friends told me that this almond bubble tea flavor tasted like coconut. I didn’t think so, but it just proves that this concoction has a unique and intriguing flavor.
11. Dalgona Milk Tea
Best Coffee Based
Ingredients
| Servings | 1 -2 |
| Maple Syrup or Honey | 1 tablespoon |
| Instant Coffee | 2 tablespoons |
| Brown or White Sugar | 2 tablespoons |
| Tapioca Pearls | 1 cup |
| Water | 3 tablespoons |
| Milk & Ice | to taste |
SUMMARY:
This coffee boba looks like one of Ru Paul’s wigs, spirally high and perfectly in place. This whipped coffee drink may have recently gained popularity, but it’s been around for a while.
Where dalgona coffee (pronounced dal-go-nah) comes from is a bit of an enigma. No one knows where exactly dalgona coffee originates from.
Its name could have been derived from the Korean word “dalguna” which means “it’s sweet”.
So what is this drink exactly?
Well, it has whipped sweetened instant coffee which which forms into a thick foam. It contains coffee (duh), milk, sugar, ice, and brown sugar tapioca boba pearls.
This drink is sweet and bitter, while the milk gives it some creaminess. The ice makes this drink an excellent choice for those hot summer days after lunch, this drink is sure to wake you up with all that caffeine and sugar, and will help you power through those long after-lunch meetings while making your coworkers jealous!
Unfortunately, you most likely will not find this drink in any bubble tea shops. But don't fret, you will not be missing out as we are here to show you how to make it at home.
To make this delicious boba flavor, first, add the cooked tapioca pearls to the maple syrup or honey to sweeten them. In a separate bowl, whisk the sugar, water, instant coffee (electric whisk recommended unless you want to grow some muscles!). Then add the pearls to a glass cup, and top them with this whisked mix.
If you have any questions, go over our detailed Dalgona boba coffee post to learn how to make this drink and learn everything you ever wanted to know about this drink.
Sit back on your summer porch and enjoy this revitalizing boba flavor!
12. Tiger Milk Tea
Most Famous
Ingredients
| Servings | 2 |
| Fresh Milk | 1.5 cups |
| Black tea | 2 teabags or 2-3 tsp |
| Brown Sugar | 1 cup |
| Tapioca Pearls | 1/2 cup |
| Water | 1 cup |
| Ice | to taste |
SUMMARY:
Tiger milk tea is one of the most famous boba drinks at the moment, and it's easy to make at home with just a few simple ingredients.
No, tigers are not involved when making this drink, it would be both dangerous and expensive!
Tiger milk tea has a creamy texture that combines black tea, milk, sugar, and tapioca pearls. It's very similar to the classic pearl milk tea in terms of ingredients.
So what the heck does this drink have to do with a tiger? Well, the name comes from the color of the brown sugar syrup stipes. When preparing this drink, the brown sugar syrup is poured along the edges of a glass to form stripes like a tiger. Depending on the type of brown sugar you use, these can have an orange tone - similar to a tiger!
Making tiger bubble tea is very similar to a classic pearl milk tea:
Prepare the Brown Sugar Syrup: Simply heat 1 cup of brown sugar and 1 cup of water in saucepan until it starts to boil. Then reduce the heat and let it simmer for a few minutes while stirring continuously. Once it starts becoming thick, it's ready! Set aside to cool.
Make the Tea: We recommend a bold tea like an assam. Bring 1.5 cups of milk to a gently boil, then add the tea, and continue stirring to prevent the milk from burning. After 3-5 minutes, set aside.
Make the Drink: Grab a shaker, add some ice, and the tea. Then shake shake shake (but not so much to avoid aerating the milk). To a tall glass, add the tapioca pearls, then the brown sugar along the edges of the glass to form the fierce tiger stripes. Then pour the tea and add some ice if you wish.
Then enjoy, and you're welcome!
13. Hojicha Bubble Tea
Best Japanese Inspired
Ingredients
| Servings | 2 |
| Brown Sugar Syrup | 6-8 tablespoons |
| Tapioca Pearls | 1 cup |
| Hojicha Powder | 2.5 tablespoons |
| Fresh Milk | 1.5 cups |
| Water | 1/4 cup |
| Ice | to taste |
SUMMARY:
You may not have heard about this one. So let us explain a bit, what exactly this hojicha thing is.
Hojicha is roasted Japanese green tea. Because it is roasted it looks brown, and is low in caffeine. It also has a very unique taste and an irresistible smell.
Thinking of procrastinating? Then read our Hojicha tea guide to learn more!
So, someone had the genius idea of mixing hojicha with boba pearls, and now, we have Hojicha Milk Tea; one of my favorite drinks of all time.
This roasted green tea flavor blends extremely well with the creaminess of the milk and the sweet molasses flavors of the brown sugar.
Probably the most difficult part of making this drink is finding the hojicha tea leaves or the hojicha powder as this are hard to find unless you live in a large urban area. So see below, and you're welcome 😉 You won't be disappointed!
Pro Tip:
Hojicha is a roasted tea, which means it has low caffeine content. Hojicha milk tea can thus be a great dessert drink as it will not keep you up at night!
To make this mouthwatering drink, first, make the brown sugar syrup using a 1:1 water and brown sugar ratio (let it boil, then simmer while stirring to avoid a sticky mess).
Mix 2½ tbsp of hojicha green tea powder with 1/4 cup of cold water, using a whisk. Since you're using cold water the mixing will take a bit longer! So prepare those muscles!
Then add 1½ cup of milk to the hojicha tea mixture and mix well.
To assemble, grab two glasses and add 3-4 tbsp of boba pearls and brown sugar syrup. Add some ice to both glasses (gently to prevent splashes) until the glasses get halfway full (or as little or as much ice as you want!). Finally, pour the hojicha milk tea into both glasses and enjoy!
If you are confused, then check our more detailed post about hojicha milk tea.
If you want to add an extra oomph to this drink, you can add different types of boba toppings, such as coconut jelly, red bean paste.
What is Boba Tea?
Originating in Taiwan, the classic boba (or boba tea, or bubble tea, or pearl milk tea, or boba milk tea, or simply milk tea - I know, this can be confusing) is composed of black tea, milk, the boba pearls. This is the flavor that popularized boba, hence people refer to boba tea generally as boba or pearl milk tea sometimes.
Boba pearls can be anything from egg pudding to tapioca pearls and grass jelly, as long as it sinks to the bottom of the cup. There are even popping boba pearls
But as you have seen, bubble tea has evolved from its original milk tea flavor, and there are now countless popular boba tea flavors to choose from!
Why Make Boba Tea at Home?
More and more people are opting to make their own bubble tea flavors at home.
Why is that?
Well, firstly, you can customize the flavor all you want. Some bubble tea lovers like their milk tea more bitter and fresh, with a dominating tea flavor. Some like it milkier.
Making your own bubble tea flavors at home lets you do it the way you prefer it.
Secondly…
...drinking boba from bubble tea shops leaves a bigger footprint on our planet, with all the plastic cups and straws being used. Making your own boba tea flavors lets you reduce the usage of plastic by using your own reusable boba cups and glasses!
If you or someone you know is obsessed with boba, then check out these cute boba gifts that you can buy!
Related Read:
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the healthiest bubble tea flavor?
Of all the bubble tea flavors, matcha is believed to have strong cancer-fighting properties, with antioxidants and EGCG catechin. It also has the ability to prevent illnesses such as diabetes and heart diseases. Plus it's believed to be helpful in losing weight.
How does boba tea taste?
A basic bubble tea would taste milky with a subtle earthy flavor coming from the tea. The pearls are usually sweet as they’re mostly cooked with brown sugar.
Can you get boba tea at Starbucks?
Starbucks doesn’t currently sell boba but they are in the process of testing it in a couple of their stores. So you never know, Starbucks could soon have boba in their stores.
Can kids drink boba?
Kids can drink bubble tea occasionally. Just keep in mind that most of these bubble tea flavors have caffeine in them. You may also want to be careful with the tapioca pearls as they’re large enough to choke a toddler.
Conclusion: Best Boba Tea Flavors
We’ve come a long way from the plain coffee and tea of the past to these colorful varieties we have today!
Who would’ve thought?
With all the new products springing up left and right, there’s no excuse not to try a glass of this trendy drink, and if you love it so much then you can buy yourself a cute little boba plush!
As I’ve mentioned, the same way there are different types of tea to try, there are many milk teas with different flavors for everyone. Here are a few honorable mentions:
- Vietnamese Iced Coffee Boba
- Boba Latte
What are your favorite boba tea flavors? Are you planning to make any?
Or if you want to learn how to order boba tea like a pro, then read this article!
Hey, thanks for the article. Fantastic.
Thanks! We are glad you like it 🙂
Highly descriptive article, I loved that a lot. Will there be a part 2?
Hi Dagrilan! Yes, we are thinking of either doing part 2 or updating this article. Let us know if you have a favorite flavor which we could include!
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Thank you for your kind comment! We are happy you that you like it. Let us know which flavor you like best or if you have any suggestions! We can always update the post 😀
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