Matcha Milk Bubble Tea Recipe (With Boba & Ube)

This matcha milk bubble tea recipe layers chewy boba, creamy ube milk and whisked matcha for a colourful drink.

This post contains affiliate links and I may receive a small commission if you visit a link and buy something. Purchasing via an affiliate link doesn't cost you any extra, and I only recommend products and services I trust. I may have been sent products featured here as a gift or paid to include them in coverage. Thank you for supporting this blog.

This matcha milk bubble tea recipe is such a fun one to make at home, especially if you love pretty cold drinks that taste as good as they look. It has chewy tapioca pearls at the bottom, a creamy purple ube milk layer in the middle, and a fresh matcha tea layer on top, so every tall glass looks like something you would normally buy from a bubble tea shop.

I love this because it feels a little bit special without being complicated. You get the earthy flavours of matcha, the sweetness of ube, the chewy texture of boba pearls and that lovely café-style layered effect. It is also a great one for matcha lovers who already enjoy an iced matcha latte but want to turn it into more of a delicious drink or dessert-style treat.

Making your own matcha boba tea at home also gives you complete control over the type of milk, sweetness, caffeine content and boba texture. You can use oat milk, almond milk, soy milk or coconut milk, and you can make the drink as sweet or as strong as you like.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

This matcha milk tea recipe is:

• Easy to make at home
• Naturally dairy-free when made with plant-based milk
• Beautifully layered with green and purple colours
• Perfect for matcha drinks lovers
• A fun alternative to classic black tea bubble tea
• Customisable with your favourite sweetener
• Refreshing enough for warm days but indulgent enough to feel like a treat

The best bit is that you do not need a complicated boba kit to make it. A small pot of water, a small bowl or matcha bowl, a whisk or frother and a tall glass are enough to get started. A bamboo whisk or bamboo matcha whisk will give you the smoothest finish, but a handheld frother works well too.

About the Ingredients

The ingredients for this matcha boba recipe are fairly easy to get hold of, especially if you have an Asian supermarket nearby or order online. Many supermarkets now sell green tea powder, plant-based milk and sometimes even instant tapioca pearls, while specialist shops often have better texture boba pearls and more bubble tea flavors.

The matcha is the star of the drink. Matcha is made from finely ground green tea leaves, which means you consume the entire tea leaf rather than steeping and removing the leaves like you would with other types of green tea or black tea. This is one of the reasons matcha has such a bold flavour and vibrant green color.

For the best flavour, use good quality matcha powder. Ceremonial grade matcha or ceremonial-grade matcha is often the highest quality and is lovely for drinks where the flavour really comes through. Culinary grade matcha or culinary-grade matcha can still work, especially in sweeter matcha drinks, but it may have a stronger, more bitter flavour. If you are making this for the first time, start with a smaller amount and adjust next time.

Matcha does contain caffeine, so it is worth keeping that in mind if you are sensitive to it. Green tea is also known for containing catechins and other antioxidant compounds, and matcha is often discussed for its antioxidant and amino acids content, including L-theanine. Some studies link green tea consumption with possible heart health benefits, although the evidence varies by population and it is best enjoyed as part of an overall balanced lifestyle rather than treated as a cure for blood pressure, heart disease or oxidative stress.

For the boba, this recipe uses matcha tapioca pearls or your favourite large pearl tapioca. Tapioca pearls are usually made from tapioca starch, also known as tapioca flour, which comes from cassava. Once cooked, they become chewy tapioca balls with that classic bubble tea texture.

The ube condensed creamer gives the drink its beautiful purple colour and sweet, creamy flavour. Mixed with oat milk or another creamy milk alternative, it creates the perfect base for the whisked matcha layer.

You will need...

• 1 cup matcha tapioca pearls, or favourite large pearl tapioca
• 2 tablespoon dark brown sugar
• 4 teaspoons matcha powder, or 2 packets matcha latte mix
• 6 tablespoons ube condensed creamer
• 1 cup oat milk, or any plant-based milk alternative
• Ice for 2 glasses

Instructions

Print

📖 Recipe

Ali's Tips for Success

Pour the matcha slowly to keep clean layers.

Use plenty of ice to prevent the layers from overmixing.

If the layers blend slightly, don't worry. It still looks beautiful.

For the best way to make a smooth matcha layer, whisk the matcha powder with hot water before adding it to the glass. A bamboo matcha whisk in a matcha bowl gives the most traditional result, but a small bowl and frother are absolutely fine for an easy recipe.

Do not leave cooked tapioca pearls sitting for too long. Boba pearls are best served fresh at room temperature or slightly warm, as they can become too firm if they sit in cold water or the fridge for too long.

Variations and Substitutions

You can easily adjust this bubble tea recipe depending on what you have at home.

For the milk, oat milk gives a lovely creamy milk texture, but almond milk, soy milk and coconut milk all work well too. I would avoid whole dairy milk for a vegan version, but any unsweetened or lightly sweetened plant-based milk will work.

For the sweetener, you can use maple syrup, simple syrup, sugar syrup or brown sugar syrup. Maple syrup is lovely if you want a more natural sweetness, while brown sugar gives more of a classic boba drinks flavour.

If you do not have matcha tapioca pearls, use regular boba pearls or instant tapioca pearls and cook them according to the package instructions. The cooking time can vary a lot, so always check the pack rather than guessing.

If you want a stronger matcha flavour, use good quality matcha powder rather than a sweetened matcha latte mix. High-quality matcha will give a brighter colour and smoother flavour.

If you prefer a softer flavour, reduce the matcha slightly or add more plant-based milk. A little bit of matcha goes a long way.

For a more dessert-like drink, drizzle a little ube creamer around the inside of the glass before adding the ice.

For a lower sugar version, reduce the brown sugar syrup and use unsweetened oat milk.

Serving Suggestions

Serve this iced matcha bubble tea straight away while the boba still has its chewy texture and the layers are fresh.

It is perfect as an afternoon treat, a weekend drink, or something fun to make when you want homemade boba drinks without going out. It would also be lovely served with vegan cookies, mochi, fruit, or a light dessert.

Use a wide boba straw if you have one, as the tapioca pearls are too large for a regular straw. If you buy a boba kit online, check that it includes wide straws as well as the pearls. Some kits also include reusable cups or spout sets, which can be handy if you make bubble tea regularly.

This is also a great recipe to share on social media because the green and purple layers look so pretty in a clear glass.

This matcha milk bubble tea recipe is a gorgeous homemade drink with creamy ube, earthy matcha and chewy tapioca pearls in every sip. It is colourful, refreshing, easy to customise and a lovely way to make café-style boba drinks at home.

Whether you are already obsessed with matcha drinks or trying matcha boba tea for the first time, this is such a fun recipe to make. If you enjoy it, don't forget to leave a star rating on the recipe card and save it for the next time you fancy a homemade bubble tea treat.

Frequently Asked Questions

Please let me know if you tried this recipe and liked it - and if you did, share this recipe with your friends and on social media, it really helps my little blog to grow!

Don't forget also to Pin this post for later...

I have lots of other vegan drink recipes on here, take a look!