Hibiscus Strawberry Bubble Tea
on Oct 17, 2023
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This pretty hibiscus strawberry bubble tea is sweet, tart, and fruity! Get step-by-step instructions and tips for making the best bubble tea at home.
Hibiscus Strawberry Bubble Tea
A combination of hibiscus tea and strawberry syrup gives this bubble tea its vibrant color and flavor. Hibiscus has a tart, floral flavor that pairs nicely with strawberries. It’s naturally caffeine-free since the tea is made from the dried plant and not actual tea leaves.
The addition of tapioca pearls (or boba) makes this drink a bubble tea. Dried tapioca balls can be purchased online or at some Asian grocery stores. To get them nice and bouncy, all you need is to cook them in hot water.
Both bubble tea and boba tea are names for the same drink. They can be used interchangeably.
Note from Jee
If you like cranberry juice (I do), then you’ll probably like hibiscus tea. I added strawberry syrup to add sweetness and milk to make it creamy.
What I love about this recipe is how I can create a bubble shop-quality drink right in my kitchen.
Recipe Summary
- Hibiscus strawberry bubble tea is an iced drink made with dried hibiscus, strawberry syrup, tapioca balls, oat milk, ice, and water.
- This drink is caffeine-free because hibiscus is an herbal tea, but is still called a bubble tea since it contains boba.
- No additional sugar is needed since the strawberry syrup is already sweetened.
- The recipe makes a 16 ounce (2 cup) drink.
RELATED: Strawberry Matcha Latte Bubble Tea
Ingredient Notes
- Hibiscus tea: Loose hibiscus tea is what I already had so that’s what I used, but hibiscus tea bags also works well.
- Tapioca balls: Store-bought tapioca balls are the easiest way to make bubble tea at home. I’ve tried other tapioca balls but the packaged dried ones make boba like in bubble tea shops.
- Strawberry syrup: Store-bought or homemade strawberry syrup can be used.
- Oat milk: I like it with oat milk but you can use any milk you prefer, including dairy milk. To get the layers though, I would recommend using oat milk since it’s what created the layers the best.
- Water: For the best tasting drink, use filtered water.
- Ice: Use filtered water for the ice if possible.
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: Steep dried hibiscus in hot water. Strain out hibiscus leaves and let cool.
Step 2: Cook tapioca balls. Follow the package directions to make the tapioca balls.
Step 3: Put tapioca balls and strawberry syrup into a cup.
Step 4: Add ice.
Step 5: Pour in oat milk.
Step 6: Top with hibiscus tea. Serve immediately. Stir before drinking and use an extra wide straw.
How to Drink Bubble Tea
Bubble tea is always served with a wide straw so you can get some of the tea and tapioca pearls with each sip. Be sure to chew the boba and not swallow it whole.
Recipe Notes
Only use food-grade dried hibiscus.
Dried hibiscus at plant shops may be treated with pesticides and aren’t edible. Make sure to buy hibiscus that’s meant for eating and drinking. It will be labeled as food-grade or sold as hibiscus tea.
Serve tapioca balls while they’re still warm.
For the best texture, use boba that is still quite warm, almost hot. Allow them to cool down just a bit before eating so they don’t burn your mouth.
Make the tapioca right before you prepare the drink.
Boba starts to harden as it cools so don’t make them ahead of time. The texture won’t be as good as fresh tapioca balls.
Expert Tips
- Hibiscus tea can be steeped in advanced and stored in the fridge in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days. Add the strawberry syrup, milk, and tapioca balls when ready to serve.
- Strawberry syrup can also be made ahead of time and is good for up to 2 weeks if refrigerated in an airtight bottle.
- In addition to this bubble tea, you can use strawberry syrup to sweeten iced tea and lemonade.
Related
- Strawberry Hibiscus Iced Tea
- Strawberry Bubble Tea
- Rose Bubble Tea
- Purple Sweet Potato Bubble Tea
- Taro Bubble Tea
If you tried this Hibiscus Strawberry Bubble Tea recipe, please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ star rating and let me know how you like it in the comments below.
Hibiscus Strawberry Bubble Tea
Ingredients
Hibiscus Strawberry Milk Tea
- 2 teaspoons hibiscus tea
- ¼ cup water
- ⅓ cup strawberry syrup
- 1 cup ice
- ⅔ cup oat milk
Tapioca Balls
- ¼ cup tapioca balls
- ¾ cup water
Instructions
- Make tea. Put hibiscus tea and ¼ cup of hot water into a teapot.Boil water on the stovetop or use an electric kettle with a temperature setting. Set water temperature to 195°F.
- Cover and steep for 5 minutes. Strain tea and let cool.Herbal teas like hibiscus can be steeped for longer without getting bitter.
- Cook tapioca balls. Boil water and in a saucepan. Add tapioca balls.Bring ¾ cup of water to a boil in a saucepan. Once you see big bubbles (2-4 minutes), add tapioca balls. Keep boiling for 8 more minutes on medium-high heat. Cool slightly, until tapioca balls aren't too hot to eat. They should still be very warm.
- Assemble the drink. Put the warm tapioca balls and strawberry syrup in a cup. Add the ice, follow by the oat milk.
- Pour the tea on top.Serve immediately. Use an extra wide straw to drink.
Notes
- Oat milk tastes the best but you can use any milk you prefer.
- Dried hibiscus at plant shops may be treated with pesticides and aren’t edible. Make sure to buy hibiscus that’s meant for eating and drinking. It will be labeled as food-grade or sold as hibiscus tea.
- For the best texture, use boba that is still quite warm, almost hot. Allow them to cool down just a bit before eating so they don’t burn your mouth.
- Boba starts to harden as it cools so don’t make them ahead of time. The texture won’t be as good as fresh tapioca balls.
- Hibiscus tea can be steeped in advanced and stored in the fridge in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days. Add the strawberry syrup, milk, and tapioca pearls when ready to serve.
- Strawberry syrup can also be made ahead of time and is good for up to 2 weeks if refrigerated in an airtight bottle.
- Always drink bubble tea with a wide straw so you get a few tapioca balls with each sip.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
