Ube milk tea is an easy, delicious, and refreshing boba tea that has a sweet Vanilla-like aroma coupled with a nutty undertone like that of pistachio and a vibrant purple color. Coupled with chewy black tapioca pearls, hints of black tea, and deep caramel-flavored brown sugar syrup, this ube drink is bound to become your favorite.
Since you are here you must be into boba. Do not forget to check out the matcha boba, boba smoothie, caramel milk tea, lychee boba, rose bubble tea, and more boba recipes.
What is Ube?
Ube is a purple yam that has a mild sweet aromatic flavor. This yam is native to the Philippines. It is often confused with sweet potato. Yes, it is starchy like any yam. Today it is widely used in desserts around the world. Be it ube ice creams, ube cakes, ube doughnuts, Ube puddings, Ube shake, ube cookies, and whatnot.
🧋What does ube milk tea taste like?
Ube milk tea often called ube boba is a bubble tea recipe that has an ube flavor. Ube flavor is sweet and aromatic like that of vanilla, but the lower notes of vanilla. It is also reminiscent of hints of pistachio with a nutty undertone.
- This refreshing tea is of course served with black boba pearls.
- It has the freshness and vanilla-like flavor of ube.
- Black Tea is there in the drink that pleasantly hits your palate from time to time.
- The boba not only gives the chewy surprise as you sip the tea through the boba straw but also gives it a characteristic brown sugar syrup flavor which is characteristic of any bubble tea.
- Milk gives it much-needed smoothness.
🍠Why should you try this ube milk tea recipe?
- Easy to make than it looks. It does have some steps involved when you are making the ube milk using the fresh ube. But if you use ube paste, it is going to be way easier and quicker. This purple boba tea is a drink to impress.
- For the love of Boba. If you are into boba, you must give this ube boba a try.
- Refreshing. The freshness that ube paste adds to this bubble tea is unbeatable. It is aromatic and refreshing.
- Easily available ingredients. The recipe is approachable. All the ingredients are easy to procure. I order my tapioca pearls and ube paste online from amazon.
- Make it to fit your health, diet, or taste. You can substitute the ingredients to match your dietary needs. If you are following a special diet like vegan, then you can replace the dairy milk with the plant-based milk of your choice. If you want to cut down on tea flavor, reduce the quantity of tea that you add to the boba. You can customize it to match your taste. You can reduce the syrup, add more ube, and use low glycemic sweeteners or sugar-free sweeteners if those are your choices.
- No preservatives or stabilizers. The packed bubble tea has some sort of stabilizer in them to stabilize the liquids in the boba. Some also use preservatives to enhance their shelf life. The best way to avoid them is to make your bubble tea at home.
Jump to:
🍶 Ingredients for making ube milk tea
Ube
You can use ube in the following ways:
- Fresh Ube: If you can get your hands on fresh ube, nothing like that. But fresh purple yam is not easy to source in the US. You will have to go shopping around in the Asian markets.
- Ube paste: I have used butterfly brand ube paste in this recipe. Ube paste is a concentrated form of ube that has a very strong color and flavor.
- Ube Powder: These are fine ube powders that could be used just like ube paste. But the only disadvantage with the ube powders is that they are not that strong and fragrant. Usually, you will need to augment them with ube paste to obtain a strong ube flavor in the recipe.
- Ube halaya: Ube halaya has a strong ube flavor and can be used as a flavoring agent for making ube milk tea. Make ube milk by adding ube halaya to milk.
- Ube Extract: You could also use ube extracts sold by various companies like McCormick Ube flavor extract. Sometimes it is also sold as purple yam extract.
Tapioca pearls
For making this ube bubble tea I have used black boba. They are made with tapioca flour and flavored with brown sugar. They become black on cooking, hence the name black boba. Brown sugar boba is the most widely used and easily available.
You can use any boba of your choice. Mini boba, clear boba, rainbow or pastel-colored boba, or ube popping boba.
You can DIY Ube boba pearls at home. To make it, you will need ube paste and tapioca starch. It is not a complex process but a little tedious.
Whole milk
Bubble tea demands whole milk. It must be rich and smooth. Though we can always substitute it with low-fat milk, that will alter the flavor and texture of the ube boba.
If you want to make it vegan, then use oat milk or soy milk.
Whole milk can also use with some whipped heavy cream to top the boba to make it super indulging.
Tea
I am using black tea in this recipe. You can use black tea, green tea, earl grey, or any other tea that you like. I like the flavor of black tea with ube. You can have a teabag of ube tea or use premade ube milk tea powder if you want.
Brown sugar syrup
The sweetener used in this ube boba tea recipe is brown sugar syrup just because it is very characteristic of a typical boba flavor. Also, the deep caramel flavor of brown sugar syrup complements the taste of ube. It is very easy to make. Combine 2 parts brown with one part water and cook till it becomes a thick syrup.
But you can use any sweetener of your choice. From simple sugar to simple syrup, maple syrup, honey, agave, etc.
🔪How to make ube milk tea
Step 1 Brew the tea
You can use any tea you like, as I stated in the ingredient section. I have used black tea.
I boiled 1 cup of water to make the tea. I switched off the heat when the water started to boil then I add tea leaves to the boiling water. To guarantee optimal tea flavor extraction, let the tea leaves steep covered. Steep the tea bag in the hot water for 3 minutes. Pour the tea into a cup and set aside.
This step should be completed ahead of time so that you have enough time to cool the tea.
Step 2 Make ube milk
In a glass of milk add 1 teaspoon of ube paste. Use a whisk to fully mix the ube paste in the milk. I suggest you whisk for at least 1 minute to get uniform ube flavor and color in the milk. Now set aside the ube milk.
Step 3 Cooking boba
Cook the boba according to the directions on the package. If you're using popping boba or jelly boba, there's no need to cook them however, if you're like me and use tapioca boba pearls, you'll be boiling the boba.
Brown sugar boba is what I'm using. It is better to purchase boba that cooks quickly.
Bring 3 cups of water to a boil to simmer ⅓ cup brown sugar or black tapioca balls. Allow them to boil for 4-5 minutes, or until they float to the surface.
The amount of time depends on the type of boba you use. However, expect them to rise to the top. Cook for a further 5-7 minutes over medium heat when the boba starts to float. Then remove the pan from the heat and cover it, allowing the boba to soak for another 5 minutes. After that, strain the water and collect the boba that has been cooked.
Place them in a mixing dish. The tapioca pearls are then dipped in brown sugar syrup.
Brown sugar syrup is the traditional option.
However, you can use any syrup you prefer. Cooked tapioca pearls tend to stick together. So, it is crucial to add some syrup to the boiled boba.
Step 4 Assemble the ube milk tea
This recipe will make 2 large or 3 small ube drinks. To make the ube milk boba, start by putting the boba in the glasses. Depending on how much boba you want in your tea, add more or less. I normally use less boba in my tea because it is high in calories and contains a lot of starch.
Then, in each glass, add 9-10 ice cubes. Pour half a cup of brewed tea into each glass. Now, add the ube milk and brown sugar syrup. Place a boba straw in the mixture and stir briskly.
If you like, you may also add cream to make it creamier. You can also add some popping boba instead of chewy boba.
That's it... Ube milk tea!
How to make vegan ube milk tea
To make vegan ube milk tea, just substitute the whole milk with plant-based milk that you like. Also, use a vegan sweetener like agave or maple syrup. Follow the rest of the recipe as such to make the vegan ube boba tea.
🫙How to store cooked boba?
There is no point in storing the cooked tapioca pearls for long. They get starchy and harden. You can simply brew a cup of coffee. Cook the boba and assemble it right when you want to serve it.
But if you desperately want to store the boba, refrigerate it while being dunked in syrup in an airtight container. Now, when you want to consume it, reheat it in a saucepan with some added water. It will become soft and chewy again. But note that it is not same as the freshly cooked.
💭 Pro Tips
- You can use fresh ube instead of ube paste.
- To brew the tea, the water temperature should be 212°F (100°C), which is the boiling point of water. As soon as the water begins to boil, you've attained the ideal temperature for steeping the tea.
- Make the tea ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator.
- Cook the tapioca pearls or boba right before making the ube milk tea. They taste best when made fresh.
- The amount of time it takes to cook boba depends on the sort of boba you use. It is preferable to use boba which cooks quickly.
- You can also use ube milk tea powder in place of ube paste.
- Substitute brown sugar syrup with maple extract, or any other syrup of your choice.
- To make brown sugar syrup, Combine ½ cup water and1 cup brown sugar in a saucepan. Place it over high heat and let all the sugar dissolve on its own without stirring it. Let it cook for additional 4-5 minutes or until the syrup starts to become bubbly. Now, add corn syrup or lime juice. Reduce the flame to its lowest and check the syrup temperature. It should have reached a temperature of around 228-230 degrees F. Turn off the flame and remove the pan from heat.
- Add more or less milk to adjust the consistency according to your preference.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
To make ube milk tea, first, you need to wash, peel, and cut it into small cubes. Then you can place half a cup of cubed yam in 2 cups of milk and boil it in the milk. This way you will get the flavor of ube in the milk and ube will also get cooked.
When ube cubes become tender, remove them from the milk and strain and set aside the milk.
Now mash ube cubes and cook ube in sugar and coconut milk, to obtain a thick paste. Finally, combine it with the base ube milk and assemble it as a milk tea with boba pearls and syrup.
Ube halaya is an ube jam made using a fresh ube that is cooked in sugar, coconut milk, and butter. Ube halaya has a strong ube flavor and can be used as a flavoring agent for making ube milk tea. Make ube milk by adding ube halaya to milk. Please note that the ube halaya is sweetened. Hence adjust the sweetness by reducing the amount of brown sugar or sweetener.
Ube is a brighter and sweeter tuber originally used in a lot of traditional dessert recipes in the Philippines and Hawaii. Whereas taro is less sweet and does not have a stronger purple color.
Also, their flesh texture is different when cooked. While cooked ube is smooth whereas taro is chalky and dry.
Ube is always used in desserts and sweet recopies, whereas taro has a fairly high amount of traditional savory preparations throughout China, Malaysia, India, and other Asian countries.
🧋More Bubble Tea Recipes:
Bubble tea makes great refreshing drinks. A few beverage recipes that you might want to try are:
- Lychee bubble tea: An easy lychee boba tea recipe
- Blueberry Boba with Homemade Blueberry Milk
- Tiger Milk Tea: Classic Brown Sugar Boba Recipe
- Chocolate Boba: Homemade Chocolate Milk Tea
- Rose Milk Tea | Homemade Rose Bubble Tea
- Mango Bubble Tea: Homemade Mango Milk Tea
- Strawberry Milk Tea: Boba Tea with fresh Strawberries!
- Watermelon Bubble Tea
- Honeydew Milk Tea
- Peach Milk Tea: Peach Flavor Bubble Tea
- Boba Smoothie (with Strawberry and Banana)
- Coffee boba
I hope you enjoyed this ube milk tea recipe. Share your results and opinions in the comment section below. Also, subscribe to never miss a recipe.
Till then,
Make it bubbly and delicious!
📝 Recipe Card
Ube Milk Tea
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon black tea leaves or 2 teabags
- 1 teaspoon Ube paste
- 4 tablespoon brown sugar syrup
- ⅓ cup black tapioca pearls
- 1 cup ice cubes
Instructions
Step 1 Brew the tea
- Boil 1 cup of water to make the tea. Switch off the heat when the water starts to boil.
- Then add tea leaves to the boiling water.
- To guarantee optimal tea flavor extraction, let the tea leaves steep covered.
- Steep the tea bag in the hot water for 3 minutes.
- Pour the tea into a cup and set aside.
- This step should be completed ahead of time so that you have enough time to cool the tea.
Step 2 Make ube milk
- In a glass of milk add 1 teaspoon of ube paste.
- Use a whisk to fully mix the ube paste in the milk. I suggest you whisk for at least 1 minute to get uniform ube flavor and color in the milk.
- Now set aside the ube milk.
Step 3 Cooking boba
- Cook the boba according to the directions on the package.
- Bring 3 cups of water to a boil to simmer ⅓ cup brown sugar boba or black tapioca pearls. Allow them to boil for 4-5 minutes, or until they float to the surface.
- Cook further for 5-7 minutes over medium heat after the boba starts to float.
- Then remove the pan from the heat and cover it, allowing the boba to soak for another 5 minutes.
- After that, strain the water and collect the boba that has been cooked. Place them in a small bowl.
- Now add a tablespoon of brown sugar syrup to prevent the cooked tapioca pearls from sticking to one another. Set aside.
Step 4 Assemble the ube milk tea
- This recipe will make 2 large or 3 small ube drinks.
- To make the ube milk boba, start by putting the boba in the glasses. Depending on how much boba you want in your tea, add more or less.
- Then, in each glass, add ice cubes.
- Pour half a cup of brewed tea into each glass.
- Now, add the ube milk, followed by brown sugar syrup.
- Place a boba straw in the mixture and stir briskly.
- If you like, you may also add cream to make it creamier or top it with some whipped cream.
- That's it... Ube milk tea! Stir, sip, and chew!
Notes
- You can use fresh ube instead of ube paste.
- To brew the tea, the water temperature should be 212°F (100°C), which is the boiling point of water. As soon as the water begins to boil, you've attained the ideal temperature for steeping the tea.
- Make the tea ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator.
- Cook the tapioca pearls or boba right before making the ube milk tea. They taste best when made fresh.
- The amount of time it takes to cook boba depends on the sort of boba you use. It is preferable to use boba which cooks quickly.
- You can also use ube milk tea powder in place of ube paste.
- Substitute brown sugar syrup with maple extract, or any other syrup of your choice.
- To make brown sugar syrup, Combine ½ cup water and1 cup brown sugar in a saucepan. Place it over high heat and let all the sugar dissolve on its own without stirring it. Let it cook for additional 4-5 minutes or until the syrup starts to become bubbly. Now, add corn syrup or lime juice. Reduce the flame to its lowest and check the syrup temperature. It should have reached a temperature of around 228-230 degrees F. Turn off the flame and remove the pan from heat.
- Add more or less milk to adjust the consistency according to your preference.
📋Nutrition Facts
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