Brown Sugar Milk Tea Recipe

This brown sugar milk tea recipe is deliciously milky and sweet and it has the perfect amount of black tea flavor and chewy boba pearls in every sip. And the best part is that this brown sugar milk tea is surprisingly easy to make - all you need is just 5 ingredients to make it!

The Best Brown Sugar Milk Tea

Boba tea shops have been popping up absolutely everywhere, and it's easy to see why. Sweet milky tea paired with addictively chewy boba is practically a match made in heaven!

And one of the most iconic boba tea drinks lately has got to be brown sugar milk tea - also known as tiger milk tea.

This delicious drink is made up of fragrant black tea, creamy milk, bouncy boba pearls, and to take the drink over-the-top, brown sugar syrup.

And the brown sugar syrup truly sets this drink apart from other milk tea recipes. It gives this drink a toasty, caramel-like sweetness that adds an incredible depth of flavor to the drink.

Also, the drips of brown sugar syrup inside the cup - which inspired the name tiger milk tea - almost make it look like a hot fudge sundae. It's basically a drinkable dessert in tea form!

Best of all, this brown sugar milk tea recipe uses simple, easy-to-find ingredients and can even be customized with plant based milk for a vegan version.

It's a drink everyone can enjoy and is sure to love, just like this sweet cream cold foam and white chocolate mocha.

Ingredients

As I just mentioned, you essentially need just 5 ingredients to make this brown sugar milk tea recipe.

And aside from the boba pearls, everything on this list is a basic pantry staple. In fact, there's a good chance you already have most of what you need on hand!

With that said, here's a look at everything you'll need to make brown sugar milk tea:

• 4 tea bags of black tea
• 3 cups boiling water
• ½ cup of boba
• ½ cup dark brown sugar or muscovado sugar
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup boiling water
• 1 cup brown sugar or muscovado sugar + ½ cup of water
• 1 cup Milk

You can buy the brown sugar boba pearls online here, or at your local Asian supermarket. Or, if you're feeling adventurous, you can try making them yourself with tapioca starch, brown sugar, and water.

As for the sugar syrup, I like using muscovado sugar because it has a rich, deep flavor that goes great with the black tea in this recipe. But brown sugar also works really well and is perfect if you don't want something too intense.

Oh, and you can use the black tea to make this Thai tea recipe next!

How to Make Brown Sugar Milk Tea

So, this recipe can be divided into three parts - the tea, the brown sugar boba, and the syrup. And once you've made everything, it's just a matter of putting them together to make brown sugar milk tea for two (or more, if you double or triple this recipe).

All told, this brown sugar milk tea recipe takes around 30 minutes. And considering how ridiculously long the lines for tiger milk tea can get - on top of the time it takes to drive to get it - that's not a lot of time at all!

Step 1: Infuse the Tea

Of course, we have to start by making fresh black tea.

In a saucepan - or heat-resistant pitcher - steep the black tea bags in 3 cups of boiling water for at least 10 minutes. Don't continue boiling the water with the tea bags; the heat already in the water is enough.

The tea will taste strong at this point, but it'll get diluted by the milk tea and sweetened up by the syrup later.

Step 2: Make the Boba

While the tea is infusing, you can get started on the brown sugar boba.

First, fill a small pot with water and bring it to a boil. Then, add the boba bubbles and cook for about 5 minutes, and drain.

Be sure to double-check the instructions on the package, as cooking time can vary from brand to brand.

Then, combine equal parts boiling water, granulated sugar, and dark brown sugar in a bowl and stir well. Now add the cooked boba bubbles and let them soak in that sugary goodness for about 10 minutes.

Step 3: Make the Brown Sugar Syrup

In the meantime, combine 1 cup of brown sugar and ½ cup of water in a saucepan for the brown sugar syrup.

Bring that mixture to a boil with some stirring, then reduce the heat. Let it simmer on low, making sure not to stir it as this could crystallize the sugar. Cook for around 5 minutes or until it reaches a thick and syrupy consistency.

By the way, if you have a candy thermometer, this should read about 223-230°F (106-110 °C).

Step 4: Combine and Serve

Finally, it's time to assemble your brown sugar milk tea!

Grab a couple of glasses and pour in the brown sugar syrup. You can use a spoon to make vertical stripes inside the glass for a tiger milk tea effect.

Then, follow that up with the boba, hot tea, and milk.

Or, if you want to make it cold like the boba shops in Taiwan, chill the milk and tea to almost ice-cold and pour them over the warm boba and brown sugar syrup. That mix of hot and cold in the drink is magical.

Lastly, add a boba straw or any straw large enough to slurp the boba through - bonus points for using reusable straws. Enjoy!

Storing Brown Sugar Milk Tea

As I mentioned, this brown sugar milk tea recipe will make 2 servings.

So if you want to enjoy the boba tea throughout the day - or have it the next day - you can make a double batch and store the rest for later.

To store, first combine the tea and the milk in a large covered jug. Then, combine the syrup and boba pearls in an airtight container.

You can store both components in the fridge for up to 2 days. After that point, the boba will still start to harden and won't be as soft and chewy anymore.

FAQs About This Brown Sugar Milk Tea Recipe

Is brown sugar milk tea good?

Brown sugar milk tea is the perfect boba tea to get if you're a fan of sweet and milky drinks. It's big on milk and brown sugar syrup and it's also one of the sweetest boba drinks you can order. So, in my opinion, brown sugar milk tea is good. In fact, I think it's one of the most delicious milk teas out there.

What is milk tea brown sugar?

Milk tea with brown sugar has more caramel-like undertones than the usual milk tea since it's made with brown sugar syrup. It's usually made with black tea, which has a deep malty flavor that complements the creamy milk and sweet syrup.

What is the difference between milk tea and brown sugar milk tea?

Milk tea can be any combination of milk, tea, and sweeteners - like honey or sugar - while brown sugar milk tea specifically refers to milk tea made with brown sugar syrup. Brown sugar milk teas are usually on the milkier side, and some shops even make them with no tea at all.

Wrapping It Up

Well, that is how to make brown sugar milk tea that's so delicious you'll hardly believe you made it yourself! It tastes just like the one from your favorite boba tea place. Dare I say it, maybe even better!

Anyway, I hope you like this brown sugar boba as much as I do.

If you make it, be sure to leave a comment below and let me know what you think.

And for more easy treats like this, check out our Youtube channel, and Instagram!

Print