We all know about boba tea but have you heard about boba coffee? That’s right, you can enjoy the sweet, chewy boba goodness and simultaneously get your daily dose of caffeine as well.
So, how exactly do you make boba coffee? Before you go dumping a pile of boba pearls into your drip coffee maker, how about you take a minute and read our ultimate boba coffee recipe!
The Ultimate Boba Coffee Recipe
You should begin by assembling the following tools and ingredients:
1
Cook the Boba: Cook the raw boba pearls in a small-medium saucepan, following the package directions.
Optional: Although it is not recommended, ready to eat boba pearls can also be used.
2
Rest the Boba: Remove the pan with the boba pearls from the heat source, cover it, and then let them sit for 10 – 15 minutes and rest.
3
Drain Water: Once this time has passed, drain the water and transfer the boba pearls to a small container or bowl.
4
Boil Saucepan: Put water in a small saucepan and bring it to a boil.
5
Make Simple Syrup: Add the sugar to the boiling water and stir the mixture for approximately 3 minutes. All of the sugar should be dissolved and the mixture should have a syrupy texture.
6
Cool Syrup: Remove this syrupy mixture from the heat and let it cool at room temperature. Tip: Make a large batch of simple syrup ahead of time so you don't have to wait for this process every time.
7
Add Syrup to Boba: Pour the simple syrup onto the boba pearls so that they are submerged.
8
Rest Mixture: Let this mixture sit for another period of 10 – 15 minutes.
9
Pull Espresso Shot: Grind enough coffee beans for your 2 oz (60 ml) espresso shot, tamp the grounds, and then extract your espresso.
Optional: If you don’t have an espresso maker, other brewing methods may be used (cold brew coffee is recommended.)
10
Ice the Boba Mixture: First, add the boba pearl mixture to your glass, and then add as many ice cubes as desired.
11
Add Espresso & Milk: Next, add your espresso shot and milk.
12
Enjoy: Enjoy your delicious Boba coffee!
Frequently Asked Questions: It's All About Boba!
Now that you've seen our recipe, let’s answer some of the most frequently asked questions that people have about boba coffee.
What are Boba Pearls?
A lot of people have drunk boba tea (or boba coffee) several times without actually knowing what boba pearls are made from or where they originated.
Boba pearls are also more commonly referred to as “tapioca balls” or "tapioca pearls" and as this name suggests, they are actually small balls of baked tapioca. So, what is tapioca? This is just another name for the starch that is extracted from the cassava root. That means that these little balls that you’re putting in your beverage are actually similar to flour.
Is Boba Coffee Healthy?
Boba coffee isn’t exactly comparable to fruit juice – your doctor isn’t likely to recommend that you drink a glass of boba coffee every day – but it isn't exactly unhealthy either.
Overall, (if you follow our boba coffee recipe) you can expect one glass of boba coffee to have approximately:
Do I Need Espresso To Make Boba Coffee?
Although our Boba coffee recipe has been made with an espresso shot in mind, you can use other types of coffee. If you don’t like espresso – or you just don't have an espresso maker – you can still go ahead and substitute any type of coffee in this recipe (even instant coffee works).
The most effective alternative that we recommend is cold brew coffee. Furthermore, cold brew coffee is one of the few coffee brewing methods that doesn’t require a coffee maker or complex equipment. All you need is coffee grounds, a glass jar, water, and a refrigerator!
