Admit it. You've thought about all the foods you miss eating during the school year. Whether it's the local pizza place a few blocks down from campus or the cafe that makes the best smoothies, there are some foods that you can't wait to reunite with once school starts. For many of us, bubble tea sits at the top of the list. Whether it's bubble tea from popular places such as Joy Yee or Kung Fu Tea or that amazing, hole-in-the-wall boba shop that has the best boba ever, it's unlikely you'll be able to put off your cravings until the end of Summer. Here are 5 homemade bubble tea recipes to help you satisfy your bubble tea desires. 

Tapioca Pearls (Boba)

  • Prep Time:10 mins
  • Cook Time:15 mins
  • Total Time:25 mins
  • Servings:2
  • Easy

    Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup instant boba
  • 4 cups water
  • 2 Tbsp honey/agave nectar or 1/2 cup sugar
berry, chocolate, sweet, coffee
Kayla Zhang
  • Step 1

    Measure out the boba. For every 1/4 cup of boba, boil 2 cups of water.

    sweet, corn, tea, popcorn
    Kayla Zhang
  • Step 2

    Bring the water to a boil over high heat.

    espresso, tea, beer, coffee
    Kayla Zhang
  • Step 3

    Add the boba to the boiled water and stir gently until the boba rises to the top.

    soup, coffee, chocolate
    Kayla Zhang
  • Step 4

    Once the boba rises to the top, turn the heat to medium and cover the pan.

    coffee, pepper
    Kayla Zhang
  • Step 5

    Allow the boba to cook on medium heat for 12-15 minutes.

    sweet, chocolate, coffee, cereal
    Kayla Zhang
  • Step 6

    Once the boba is done cooking, turn off the stove. Drain the water using a colander or bowl.

    beans, espresso, tea, coffee
    Kayla Zhang
  • Step 7

    Rinse the boba with cold water in the sink.

    espresso, tea, coffee
    Kayla Zhang
  • Step 8

    Transfer boba to a separate bowl or container and add sweetener.

    caviar, sweet, coffee, berry
    Kayla Zhang
  • Step 9

    Add 2 Tbsp of honey or sugar syrup.

    herb, coffee, berry, tea, sweet
    Kayla Zhang
  • Step 10

    Sugar Syrup: Boil 1/2 cup of water or heat up 1/2 cup of water in the microwave.

    beans, espresso, beer, coffee
    Kayla Zhang
  • Step 11

    Add 1/2 cup of sugar and stir until the sugar dissolves. Allow syrup to cool before use.

    milk, coffee, cream, chocolate
    Kayla Zhang

Brewed Tea

  • Prep Time:5 mins
  • Cook Time:5 mins
  • Total Time:10 mins
  • Servings:1
  • Easy

    Ingredients

  • 1-2 tea bags green or black or 1-2 Tbsp free tea leaves
  • 1 cup water
jam, oil, tea
Jocelyn Hsu
  • Step 1

    Boil water on stove or heat water in the microwave.

    Using free tea leaves: Place leaves into tea infuser or tea infuser teapot. Add hot water.

    Using tea bag: Place teabag in mug with hot water. Allow tea bag to infuse.

    coffee, tea
    Kayla Zhang
  • Step 2

    Wait for tea to cool.

    tea
    Kayla Zhang

1. Avocado Bubble Tea

  • Prep Time:5 mins
  • Cook Time:10 mins
  • Total Time:15 mins
  • Servings:1
  • Easy

    Ingredients

  • 1 spoonful boba
  • 1 medium avocado pitted
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 Tbsp honey or any sweetener
milk, avocado, green tea, tea, matcha, smoothie
Kayla Zhang
  • Step 1

    Cut the avocado in half and spoon out the edible parts into a blender.

    Kayla Zhang
  • Step 2

    Add 1/2 a cup of milk and 1 Tbsp of honey to the blender. Blend everything together.

    mint, lime, green tea, ice, tea
    Kayla Zhang
  • Step 3

    Add 1/2 cup of boba to the cup.

    coffee, wine, sweet
    Kayla Zhang
  • Step 4

    Add the avocado mix to the cup.

    cream, sweet, chocolate
    Kayla Zhang

2. Coffee Bubble Tea

  • Prep Time:5 mins
  • Cook Time:10 mins
  • Total Time:15 mins
  • Servings:1
  • Easy

    Ingredients

  • 1 spoonful boba
  • 1/2 cup coffee or 1 shot espresso
  • 1/2 cup milk or 2 Tbsp condensed milk
cappuccino, espresso, cream, tea, milk, coffee
Kayla Zhang
  • Step 1

    Add boba to the cup.

    wine, cereal, sweet, coffee
    Kayla Zhang
  • Step 2

    Brew the coffee. Allow the coffee to cool and add it to the cup.

    tea, espresso, milk, coffee
    Kayla Zhang
  • Step 3

    Add the milk.

    alcohol, liquor, wine, cappuccino, milk, tea, espresso, coffee
    Kayla Zhang
  • Step 4

    Optional: Add ice or chill in fridge.

    tea, mocha, cream, cappuccino, espresso, milk, coffee
    Kayla Zhang

3. Jasmine Bubble Tea

  • Prep Time:5 mins
  • Cook Time:10 mins
  • Total Time:15 mins
  • Servings:1
  • Easy

    Ingredients

  • 1 spoonful boba
  • 1 cup jasmine green tea
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 Tbsp honey/sweetener
coffee, milk
Kayla Zhang
  • Step 1

    Add boba to the cup.

    chocolate, jam, coffee, berry, sweet
    Kayla Zhang
  • Step 2

    Add tea to a separate cup.

    tea
    Kayla Zhang
  • Step 3

    Add milk and sweetener of choice to the same cup as the tea.

    cream, coffee, milk, tea
    Kayla Zhang
  • Step 4

    Pour all of the mixed ingredients into the cup with boba.

    dairy product, espresso, milkshake, cappuccino, cream, coffee, milk
    Kayla Zhang

4. Sweet Peach Bubble Tea

  • Prep Time:5 mins
  • Cook Time:10 mins
  • Total Time:15 mins
  • Servings:1
  • Easy

    Ingredients

  • 1 spoonful boba
  • 1 peach
  • 1 Tbsp honey or any sweetener
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup green tea
sweet, juice, apple
Kayla Zhang
  • Step 1

    Cut the peach into small pieces.

    dairy product, sweet
    Kayla Zhang
  • Step 2

    Throw the cut pieces of peach into a blender. Add milk.

    dairy product
    Kayla Zhang
  • Step 3

    Add honey/sweetener and blend.

    milk, cocktail
    Kayla Zhang
  • Step 4

    Place 1/2 cup of boba into cup.

    tea
    Kayla Zhang
  • Step 5

    Add the peach mix into the cup or add in the green tea and blend.

    chocolate, espresso, milk, tea, coffee
    Kayla Zhang
  • Step 6

    If green tea was not added to blender, add it to the cup with the peach mix.

    ice, cream, tea, milk, coffee
    Kayla Zhang
  • Step 7

    Stir the mix using a utensil.

    mocha, milkshake, espresso, cappuccino, cream, milk, coffee
    Kayla Zhang

5. Mango Bubble Tea

  • Prep Time:5 mins
  • Cook Time:10 mins
  • Total Time:15 mins
  • Servings:1
  • Easy

    Ingredients

  • 1 spoonful boba
  • 1 mango
  • 1 Tbsp sweetener
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup black tea
pattypan squash, vegetable, sweet
Kayla Zhang
  • Step 1

    Add boba to the cup.

    coffee, milk, chocolate, berry, cream, wine, sweet
    Kayla Zhang
  • Step 2

    Cut the mango in half and spoon out the edible parts into a blender.

    sweet, mango, ice
    Kayla Zhang
  • Step 3

    Add the milk.

    vegetable, sweet, dairy product
    Kayla Zhang
  • Step 4

    Add sweetener.

    cream, ice
    Kayla Zhang
  • Step 5

    Add black tea.

    wine, dairy product, milk, cheese
    Kayla Zhang
  • Step 6

    Blend all the ingredients together and pour mixture into the cup.

    coffee, sweet, dairy product, cream, milk
    Kayla Zhang

Whether you're an avid bubble tea drinker who has tried every bubble tea flavor the world has to offer or you've just now learning about the bubble tea craze, these bubble tea recipes are bound to make your Summer a bit more interesting. Who knows? Maybe once you've nailed these bubble tea recipes, you'll want to try more unique bubble tea flavors instead of ordering your usual drink. Either way, you'll have some new recipes to take back to school to impress your friends at the start of the semester.