Earl Grey bubble tea is milky and creamy, with hints of citrus coming from bergamot-infused black tea. This drink is surprisingly easy to make at home.
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What Is Earl Grey Bubble Tea?
Earl Grey bubble tea is an iced beverage made with Earl Grey tea, brown sugar, milk, ice, and tapioca balls, also known as boba.
Usually made from a blend of black teas like Assam or Ceylon, Earl Grey tea gets its unique flavor from bergamot, a citrus fruit that’s commonly grown in Italy and the Mediterranean.
The tapioca balls in the drink is what makes this a bubble tea. If tapioca balls aren’t in the drink, it would just be an iced Earl Grey tea latte.
RELATED: 10+ Easy Bubble Tea Recipes
Recipe Highlights
- Earl Grey bubble tea is made with a handful of ingredients, including Earl Grey tea, brown sugar, milk, and tapioca balls.
- A caffeinated drink, this Earl Grey bubble tea is easy to make at home using an Earl Grey tea sachet and store-bought tapioca balls.
- Store-bought tapioca balls soften to plump, bouncy pearls when cooked in boiling water for a few minutes.
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Ingredient Notes
- Earl Grey tea
Tea bags or tea sachets are the best for making bubble tea since you don’t need high quality loose tea. - Tapioca balls
Store-bought boba is ready in minutes. Simply cook in boiling water to get a nice chewy texture. - Brown sugar
This is used to sweeten the tea and to make a brown sugar syrup for the tapioca pearls. You can also use white sugar but brown sugar has a deeper, richer flavor. - Milk
Whole milk produces a creamier drink, but you can also use plant-based milks such as oat or soy. - Water
Using filtered water to steep the tea will produce the best-tasting drink. - Ice
Make ice from filtered water if possible.
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Step-by-Step Instructions
For full ingredients and instructions, scroll down to see the recipe.
- Steep tea in hot water.
Remove the tea bag, stir in brown sugar, and let cool. - Cook tapioca balls in brown sugar and water.
Boil brown sugar in water, then add tapioca balls.
- Put tapioca balls and brown sugar syrup into a cup.
- Add ice.
- Pour in tea.
- Top with milk.
Serve immediately. Stir before drinking and use an extra wide straw.
RELATED: Iced Earl Grey Tea Latte
Recipe Notes
Warm tapioca balls means they’ll be soft and perfectly chewy.
For the perfect texture, serve tapioca balls when they’re very warm. Just make sure they’re not too hot, since they can burn your mouth.
Don’t make boba ahead of time.
Prepare tapioca balls right before you make the drink since boba starts to harden as they cool.
Use tea bags instead of loose tea.
Loose tea and tea sachets contain better quality tea than tea bags but since this drink is made with sugar and milk, opt for a less expensive tea. The subtle differences you find with high quality tea will be lost in the drink.
RELATED: Lavender Bubble Tea
Expert Tips
- While tapioca pearls shouldn’t be made ahead, you can prep the Earl Grey tea in advance. Steep and keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Add the sugar when you’re ready to make the drink.
- For the best bubble tea, serve the tapioca balls while they’re warm, but not hot. Allow boba to cool slightly.
- Bubble teas should be served with a wide straw so that with each sip, you’ll get a couple of tapioca balls. Make sure to chew the tapioca balls instead of swallowing them whole.
RELATED: Matcha Bubble Tea
Questions You May Have
Earl Grey tea and milk pair well together. In fact, they’re commonly combined to make the London Fog Drink.
Boba is made from tapioca starch, giving it a bouncy texture that makes bubble tea so unique.
Yes. Earl grey tea has caffeine since it contains black tea.
Related
- Black Sesame Bubble Tea
- Taro Bubble Tea
- Butterfly Pea Flower Bubble Tea
- Thai Bubble Tea
- Strawberry Bubble Tea
- Hong Kong Bubble Tea
- 17 Best Earl Grey Tea Recipes
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Earl Grey Bubble Tea (Earl Grey Boba Milk Tea)
INGREDIENTS
Iced Earl Grey Milk Tea
- ¾ cup water
- 2 Earl Grey tea bags or tea sachets
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- ¾ cup ice
- ⅓ cup milk
Tapioca Balls
- ¾ cup water
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- ¼ cup tapioca balls
INSTRUCTIONS
MAKE TEA
- Steep tea bags or sachets in ¾ cup hot water for 5 minutes. Set the temperature to 195°F if you're using an electric kettle with a temperature setting. Use filtered water if possible.
- Discard tea bags or sachets and stir in brown sugar.Set aside to cool.
COOK TAPIOCA BALLS
- Boil ¾ cup of water and brown sugar in a saucepan. Add tapioca balls.Combine water and brown sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Once you see big bubbles (2-4 minutes), add tapioca balls. Keep boiling for 8 more minutes on medium-high heat. Turn off heat and cool slightly, until tapioca balls are quite warm, but aren't too hot to eat.
ASSEMBLE DRINK
- Put warm tapioca balls and brown sugar syrup into a cup. Add ice, cooled down tea, and milk.Serve immediately and stir before drinking. Use an extra wide straw to drink.
NOTES
- For the perfect texture, serve tapioca balls when they’re warm. Just make sure they’re not too hot, since they can burn your mouth.
- Whole milk produces a creamier drink, but you can also use plant-based milks such as oat or soy.
- Prepare tapioca balls right before you make the drink since boba starts to harden as they cool.
- Use tea bags instead of loose tea. Loose tea and tea sachets contain better quality tea than tea bags but since this drink is made with sugar and milk, opt for a less expensive tea. The subtle differences you find with high quality tea will be lost in the drink.
- While tapioca pearls shouldn’t be made ahead, you can prep the Earl Grey tea in advance. Steep and keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Add the sugar when you’re ready to make the drink.
- For the best bubble tea, serve the tapioca balls while they’re warm, but not hot. Allow boba to cool slightly.
- Bubble teas should be served with a wide straw so you drink the tapioca balls at the same time as the tea.
- Make sure to chew the tapioca balls instead of swallowing them whole.