Black Sesame Bubble Tea
Updated Sep 08, 2025
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Nutty black sesame is the star of this delicious bubble tea recipe. Sweetened with brown sugar and topped with milk, this caffeine-free drink is surprisingly easy to make at home.
Black Sesame Bubble Tea
Black sesame bubble tea is a caffeine-free drink made with black sesame paste, dark brown sugar, milk, and tapioca balls. Black sesame has a toasty, nutty flavor and it’s the main ingredient in this bubble tea. Black sesame seeds comes with its hulled intact, giving it a stronger flavor than white sesame seeds.
Also known as boba, bubble tea is an iced drink with chewy tapioca balls. Though this drink isn’t made with tea, it’s still called a bubble tea since it contains tapioca balls.
Note from Jee
The black sesame paste used in the recipe is pretty thick and I found it could only be mixed well with hot water.
I first tried to mix it with cold water but it just didn’t work since the black sesame paste contains oil. I also tried shaking it in a cocktail shaker with hot water but that wasn’t a success either, leaving chunks of black sesame in the drink.
The final method I used, which was using a handheld milk frother and hot water created the best results.
I tried this recipe using white sugar and brown sugar and the brown sugar definitely tasted better.
Recipe Summary
- Dark brown sugar and black sesame paste are blended together with hot water, then combined with boba and milk to form a creamy, nutty iced beverage.
- Black sesame paste can be purchased online or at an Asian supermarket.
- Store-bought tapioca balls are the key to making boba drinks easily at home. Simply cook in boiling water to soften and get them nice and chewy.
RELATED: Iced Black Sesame Latte
Ingredient Notes
- Tapioca balls: I find the dried, vacuum-sealed tapioca balls to make the best tasting boba for drinks. They become bouncy in minutes once cooked in hot water.
- Black sesame paste: Black sesame paste is formed by combining ground seeds with oil. It’s sold in jars and I like to get one that has just sesame listed in the ingredients.
- Brown sugar: Brown sugar adds a deep caramel flavor that goes well with the toasty black sesame. You can use white sugar if that’s what you have.
- Milk: Whole milk gives this drink its creamy texture, but you can use any kind of milk, including plant-based.
- Water: I recommend using filtered water if possible.
- Ice: Make ice from filtered water too if you can.
Photo Credit: amazon.com
For full ingredients and detailed instructions, please see the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Cook tapioca balls. Follow directions on the package but all that’s involved is boiling tapioca balls in water for a few minutes.
Step 2: Mix black sesame paste, hot water, and sugar. Use a handheld milk frother to mix.
Step 3: Put strained, warm tapioca balls into a cup.
Step 4: Pour in the black sesame and sugar mixture.
Step 5: Add ice.
Step 6: Top with milk. Serve immediately. Stir before drinking and use an extra wide straw.
Recipe Notes
Warm tapioca balls are soft and perfectly chewy.
My secret to the best bubble tea is to serve the tapioca balls while they’re still quite warm, almost hot. That’s when they have the most perfect soft and chewy texture. Let the tapioca balls cool slightly then make the drink.
Boba shouldn’t be made ahead.
Tapioca balls start to harden as they cool. About 4 hours after cooking them they’ll be too hard to eat, so prepare them right before you make the drink.
Use a handheld milk frother.
A handheld milk frother is used to mix the black sesame paste with hot water and sugar. Because the paste is fairly dense, this technique works best to create a smooth mixture that doesn’t come out chunky.
RELATED: Matcha Bubble Tea
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Black Sesame Bubble Tea
Ingredients
Tapioca Balls
- 2 cups water
- ¼ cup tapioca balls
Black Sesame Milk Tea
- ¼ cup hot water
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon black sesame paste
- ¾ cup ice
- 1 cup milk
Instructions
- Boil 2 cups of water in a saucepan and add tapioca balls.Boil water in a saucepan on the stovetop then add tapioca balls. Cook on medium-high heat for 8-10 minutes. Stir occasionally. Tapioca balls should be soft all the way through.(Follow directions on your tapioca ball packaging if you're using a different brand than the one I’m using.)2 cups water, ¼ cup tapioca balls
- Mix black sesame paste, ¼ cup hot water, and sugar.In a cup, add ¼ cup hot water and brown sugar to the black sesame paste. Use a handheld milk frother to whisk at low speed to combine.¼ cup hot water, 1 tablespoon black sesame paste, 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- Assemble the drink. Put strained, warm tapioca balls into a cup. Add ice, sweetened black sesame, then top with milk.Serve immediately and stir before drinking. Use an extra wide straw to drink.¾ cup ice, 1 cup milk
Notes
- My secret to the best bubble tea is to serve the boba while they’re still warm, but not hot. Let the tapioca balls cool slightly then make the drink.
- Tapioca balls start to harden as they cool. About 4 hours after cooking them they’ll be too hard to eat, so prepare them right before you make the drink.
- Any kind of milk can be used to make this drink, including plant-based milks like oat milk or almond milk.
- A milk frother is used to whisk, then blend the black sesame paste with hot water and sugar. Because the paste is fairly dense, this technique works best to create a smooth mixture that doesn’t come out chunky.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
