Delicately floral, creamy, and just sweet enough — this Jasmine Milk Tea tastes like calm in a cup.
With quick 5-minute boba, it’s my go-to whenever I crave something cozy yet refreshing.
What’s Inside
Jasmine Milk Tea (with 5-Minute Boiled Boba)
As a Vietnamese, I sometimes laugh at myself for choosing milk tea or matcha latte over Vietnamese coffee. But honestly, milk tea in Vietnam is just as popular as coffee, maybe even more if you ask the younger crowd.
Lately, Jasmine Milk Tea has been my favorite. Jasmine tea, infused with the scent of jasmine blossoms, brings such a calming floral note that pairs beautifully with the creaminess of milk.
The 5-minute boiled boba is a little trick I picked up from a Vietnamese milk tea shop. Unlike most boba that takes nearly an hour to cook, this version softens up in just 5 minutes.
The pearls themselves aren’t made in 5 minutes, of course — but once you’ve prepared a big batch and kept them in the freezer, they’re ready to enjoy after just a quick 5-minute boil whenever your milk tea craving hits.
Ingredients
Jasmine Milk Tea
- Jasmine tea
- Full-cream milk
- Granulated sugar
- Condensed milk – I can’t skip this! I love adding condensed milk to milk tea just like in Ca Phe Sua Da (Vietnamese iced coffee).
Boba Pearls
- Tapioca starch – the beloved ingredient found in so many Asian treats, from Vietnamese pandan honeycomb cake to Taiwanese taro balls.
- Cacao powder – for that classic deep boba color
- Granulated sugar or brown sugar – brown sugar adds a lovely golden hue
- A pinch of salt
I make my boba pearls using the gelatinization method, similar to Tangzhong or Yudane in bread making.
The idea is to cook the tapioca starch with water first — this pre-cooks the dough, so the pearls only need a few minutes to boil later.
The only challenge is that the dough can be quite sticky and heavy to stir, so it’s not the easiest if you’re making a large batch.
These pearls won’t be perfectly round like store-bought boba — the gelatinized starch is too soft to shape — but they turn out wonderfully chewy and ready in just minutes.
Instructions
Make Boba Pearls
- In a small nonstick saucepan, combine tapioca starch, water, sugar, cacao powder, and a pinch of salt. Whisk well, then strain to remove any lumps.
- Bring the mixture to a gentle boil over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until it thickens into a sticky dough. (This is the gelatinization step — it should look smooth and stretchy, like mochi.)
- Transfer the hot dough onto a surface generously dusted with tapioca starch. When it’s cool enough to handle, knead it until smooth and no longer overly sticky. Once it holds together nicely, roll it out flat with a rolling pin.
- Cut the dough into thin strips (about the width of your desired boba size), then slice into small rustic chunks. If the pieces get sticky, dust them with a little more tapioca starch as you go.
- Finally, toss all the pearls in dry tapioca starch to keep them from sticking together. Shake off any excess starch using a sieve.
- You can cook them right away or divide them into small portions and freeze for later use.
Cook the Boba Pearls
- Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil, then add the pearls. Cook for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat, drain and toss the warm boba in a spoonful of sugar or honey to keep them soft and flavorful.
Make the Jasmine Milk Tea
- Heat water to 80–85 °C (176–185 °F) and pour it over the jasmine tea leaves. Let it steep for about 15 minutes to draw out that lovely floral aroma.
- Strain the tea, then stir in condensed milk and sugar until well mixed. Add full-cream milk and give it a gentle stir.
- Pour the milk tea over ice, top with chewy boba pearls, and enjoy this fragrant, creamy treat!
Other Popular Toppings
Besides the classic boba pearls, there are plenty of fun toppings you can enjoy with Jasmine Milk Tea:
Boba & Jellies: crystal boba, golden boba, white boba, grass jelly, or cendol (Vietnamese pandan jelly).
Puddings: silky egg pudding or Vietnamese flan.
Other delicious add-ins: ube halaya (purple yam jam) or kaya (coconut jam) for a touch of tropical sweetness.
Try More of My Favorite Milk Tea Recipes
- Caramel Milk Tea
- Vietnamese Milk Tea (Trà Sữa)
Jasmine Milk Tea (& 5-Minute Boiled Boba)
Ingredients
Boba pearls
- 100 g tapioca starch ¾ cup
- 30 g brown sugar (or granulated sugar) 2 tbsps
- 20 g cacao powder ⅕ cup
- 1 pinch salt
- 180 ml water ¾ cup
- 1 tbsp sugar or honey to mix with the boba after cooking
For the Jasmine Milk Tea
- 8 g jasmine loose-leaf tea 2 tbsps
- 300 ml hot water (80–85 °C / 176–185 °F) 1¼ cups
- 400 ml full-cream milk 1⅔ cups
- 50 g granulated sugar ¼ cup
- 45 g condensed milk 3 tbsps
Instructions
Make the Boba Pearls
- In a small nonstick saucepan, whisk together tapioca starch, water, sugar, cacao powder, and salt, then strain to remove any lumps.
- Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until it thickens into a sticky, mochi-like dough.
- Transfer the hot dough onto a surface generously dusted with tapioca starch. Once it’s cool enough to handle, knead until smooth and no longer sticky. When the dough feels firm and elastic, roll it flat with a rolling pin.
- Cut the dough into thin strips, then slice into small, rustic chunks — about your desired boba size. If they get sticky, dust with a bit more tapioca starch and toss to keep them from clumping.
- Shake off any excess starch using a sieve. Cook right away or freeze in small portions for later.
Cook the Boba Pearls
- Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil. Add the boba and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Drain, then toss the warm pearls with sugar or honey to keep them soft and slightly sweet.
Make the Jasmine Milk Tea
- Heat water to 80–85 °C (176–185 °F) and pour over the jasmine tea leaves.
- Cover and steep for 15 minutes to draw out the delicate floral aroma.
- Strain the tea, then stir in condensed milk and sugar until dissolved. Add full-cream milk and mix gently.
- Pour over ice, top with chewy boba pearls, and enjoy this fragrant, creamy treat!
