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Creamy Taiwanese Bubble Tea Popsicles with Tapioca Pearls

creamy taiwanese bubble tea popsicles - featured image
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A refreshing and playful summer treat inspired by Taiwanese night market bubble tea, combining creamy milk tea flavor with chewy tapioca pearls in popsicle form.

Ingredients

Scale
  • ½ cup dry black tapioca pearls (small or medium size)
  • 4 cups water (for cooking pearls and steeping tea)
  • 2 cups strong black tea (brewed, Assam or Thai black tea recommended)
  • 1 cup whole milk (or coconut milk/almond milk for dairy-free option)
  • ½ cup sweetened condensed milk (or honey/maple syrup as substitute)
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
  • Ice cube trays or popsicle molds

Instructions

  1. Bring 4 cups of water to a rolling boil in a medium saucepan. Add ½ cup dry tapioca pearls and stir gently to prevent sticking.
  2. Once pearls float to the surface, reduce heat to medium and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally until pearls are soft with a chewy center.
  3. Drain the pearls and rinse briefly under cold water. Return them to the pan and stir in ¼ cup brown sugar with a splash of warm water to create a syrup. Let them soak while preparing the milk tea base.
  4. In a separate pot, steep 2 black tea bags or 2 tablespoons loose leaf tea in 2 cups boiling water for about 5 minutes. Remove tea bags or strain leaves and let tea cool to room temperature.
  5. In a mixing bowl, combine 1 cup whole milk, ½ cup sweetened condensed milk, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Stir well, then add the cooled tea. Adjust sweetness to taste.
  6. Spoon a small layer of tapioca pearls into each popsicle mold, filling about one-third full. Pour the milk tea mixture over the pearls until molds are nearly full. Gently stir with a skewer to distribute pearls evenly.
  7. Insert sticks and freeze for at least 6 hours until solid. Avoid moving popsicles during the first few hours to prevent pearls from sinking unevenly.
  8. To unmold, run warm water briefly over the mold exterior and gently pull out the popsicles. Let sit at room temperature for a couple of minutes before eating if pearls feel too hard.

Notes

Do not overcook tapioca pearls to maintain chewiness. Rinse pearls well after cooking to remove excess starch. Use strong brewed tea for best flavor. Freeze pearls in syrup separately if worried about texture. Let popsicles sit at room temperature a few minutes before eating for softer pearls.

Nutrition

Keywords: bubble tea, popsicles, Taiwanese dessert, tapioca pearls, milk tea, summer treat, refreshing dessert

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