Sweet, creamy and eye-catching, homemade Tiger Milk Tea is just as fun to make as it is to drink. With its signature brown sugar stripes and velvety milk tea base, this trendy drink is a delicious way to bring boba shop vibes home. You only need a handful of ingredients to whip up this cozy treat in your own kitchen.
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About this Tiger Milk Tea recipe
I discovered bubble tea in college, when a boba shop opened up on the main drag. I went nearly every day to get my fix of brown sugar boba. The shop ultimately closed, and I longed to have those sweet and chewy tapioca pearls and flavored milk teas.
It took me a long time to find a local boba shop again, as it wasn’t popular then as it is now. That’s when I learned how to make boba at home. It’s actually a lot easier than you’d think! Still, if I come across a boba shop, I’ll always stop in.
Tiger Milk Tea is one of my recent favorites. Brown sugar on anything is superior, and it shines in this milky tea drink. Creamy, velvety milk steeped with black tea sits atop a layer of sweet, pillowy brown sugar boba while stripes of homemade brown sugar syrup cascade down the sides of the glass.
You might know this drink by one of its other names, the Mudflip or Dirty Boba. Whatever you call it, this tiger bubble tea is as gorgeous as it is delicious, and you’re going to love making this treat at home. It’s even sweeter when you take the time to make it yourself (especially if you haven’t had boba in a while, either).
More tea recipes: Honey Citrus Mint Tea • Peach Iced Tea • Thai Iced Tea
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Refreshing and bright, it’s perfect for a midday pick-me-up or sweet treat.
- It’s easy to make at home with just a few simple ingredients.
- The rich black tea, creamy milk and caramel-like brown sugar create a bold, balanced flavor.
Ingredients
👇 For full measurements and step-by-step instructions, scroll down to the printable recipe card. It’s all there waiting for you!
Boba tea dates back to the 1980s in Taiwan, at either a food market or a tea room (there are claims to both). But these days, it’s much easier to find the signature black tapioca pearls, either in specialty grocery stores or online. I used the WuFuYuan quick-cooking boba, but you could use any brand.
For this Tiger Milk Bubble Tea, simply prepare the boba according to package instructions, then sweeten with brown sugar syrup, which is easy to make with brown sugar and water. It’s important to make what’s called a “rich simple syrup,” which is a 2:1 ratio of sugar to water. This makes a thicker, more viscous syrup that is easier to drizzle on the glass to make the Tiger Milk Tea’s signature tiger stripes. You can use light or dark brown sugar.
The tea you use is up to you, but black tea is traditional for Tiger Milk Tea, especially Assam or Ceylon. These teas boast a strong, bold flavor that pairs well with the sweet brown sugar syrup and creamy milk. You can skip the tea if you want a milkier version, and you can use whole milk, oat milk, coconut milk or whatever milk you like. Black tea has caffeine, so be sure to use a caffeine-free version if needed.
Instructions
You can make this brown sugar milk tea recipe at home. It’s not hard, but it’s a little bit time consuming. Let’s take it step by step:
In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine brown sugar and water. Stir until sugar dissolves, then remove from heat and let the syrup cool. You can make this ahead of time if you like!
Next, make the boba pearls. Follow the instructions on your package. Once they are cooked, top them with brown sugar syrup and cover for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the milk tea part of the drink. Warm milk and tea bags over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Bring it to a boil, then turn off the heat and let the milk cool with the tea bags in, for about an hour. (You may refrigerate it for a few hours, if desired.) Discard the tea bags.
Once you have the milk tea, the syrup and the boba all ready to go, you can assemble your tiger milk tea! Spoon ¼ cup sweetened boba into the bottom of each glass (or as much as you’d like). Top with ice.
Drizzle spoonfuls of brown sugar syrup to decorate the glass for the “tiger” stripes. Do this like you would caramel sauce for an iced caramel macchiato. Add more syrup if you want a sweeter flavor in your brown sugar boba tea.
Carefully pour in the milk tea into the glass so as not to disturb the tiger stripes. Serve with a boba straw.
Tips & tricks
- The stripes appear when you coat the inside of the glass with the syrup. Then the ice and liquid settle in, helping define those bold, drippy lines.
- Be sure you are using a thick brown sugar syrup to coat the glass, or the stripes won’t hold up.
- Follow the directions for your boba package. It’s all in the timing (and your preference) as to whether they are soft and squishy or perfectly chewy with that signature bite.
FAQ
Honestly, it’s pretty sweet. The tapioca pearls are coated in brown sugar syrup, and so is the glass. If you are sensitive to sweetness, limit the amount of syrup you add — use a slotted spoon when adding the boba, and keep the tiger stripes light. You can skip adding the syrup to the boba altogether, but this can make them clumpy. Another thing you can do is brew the black tea extra strong to balance out any sweetness; however, this can make it bitter.
Boba is best used immediately or within a few hours of cooking, as it quickly becomes gummy and more solid as it sits. The boba will begin to stick together in one big clump if you don’t use it right away. For the best texture, try to serve it warm or at room temperature soon after making.
More trendy drink recipes
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Tiger Milk Tea
ingredients
Milk Tea
- 4 bags black tea
- 4 cups whole milk or your milk of choice
Rich Brown Sugar Syrup
- 2 cups brown sugar
- 1 cup water
Brown Sugar Boba
- 8 to 10 cups water
- 1 cup uncooked black tapioca pearls
Tiger Milk Tea (1 glass)
- ¼ to ½ cup brown sugar boba
- 1 to 2 tablespoons brown sugar syrup
- 8 ounces milk tea
instructions
Milk Tea
- Warm milk and tea bags over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Bring it to a boil, then turn off the heat and let the milk cool while the tea continues to steep. Once cooled slightly, refrigerate it for 1 hour while you prepare the other ingredients. Discard the tea bags.
Brown Sugar Syrup
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine brown sugar and water. Stir until sugar dissolves, then remove from heat.
Brown Sugar Boba
- Follow the instructions on your package. For quick-cooking boba: Bring water to a boil in a large pot. Slowly, add the black tapioca pearls.
- Once they float, cover pot and cook over medium heat, 3-5 minutes. Turn off heat, letting them continue to cook for 2 minutes for al dente boba or up to 5 minutes for softer boba.
- Strain, then rinse with cold water for 20 seconds to stop the cooking. Transfer to a bowl. Top with brown sugar syrup and cover for 10 minutes. Use within a few hours.
Tiger Milk Tea
- Spoon ¼ cup sweetened boba into the bottom of each glass. Top with ice.
- Drizzle spoonfuls of brown sugar syrup to decorate the glass for the “tiger” stripes.
- Carefully pour in the milk tea into the glass. Serve with a boba straw.
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