Homemade Strawberry Boba

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Who doesn't love boba? The chewy tapioca pearls, the sweet syrup, the creamy milk… it's a heavenly combination. And what could make it even better? Delicious, fresh strawberries!

This homemade strawberry boba recipe is so easy to make, and it's perfect for invigorating your taste buds and impressing your friends with this fun and unique twist on a classic favorite!

two tall glasses of strawberry boba milk on blue table

Homemade Strawberry Boba

This homemade strawberry boba recipe is so easy to follow and the results are amazing! You'll love the fresh taste of strawberries in every sip.
With this recipe, you can enjoy delicious boba tea or boba milk any time you want. It's perfect for sharing with friends or enjoying all by yourself. And it's much cheaper than buying boba tea at a cafe.

Need something to serve with this? Make a batch of the strawberry cream cheese danish recipe to serve alongside your fresh homemade boba tea. This also can be served beside strawberry French toast roll ups as a tasty breakfast or coffee treat. I love being able to include fresh fruit in other ways on our menu, and these are great together!

blue tray holding glass of strawberry boba milk by pitcher of milk

What is Strawberry Boba Made Of?

Boba is a type of tea that originates from Taiwan. It's made by combining tea with chewy tapioca pearls. The tapioca pearls are cooked in syrup, which gives them their signature sweetness. Boba tea is usually served cold or iced, and it's often topped with milk or cream.

In this case, the balls are made from tapioca pearls and the tea is made using tapioca starch and water. It is sweetened as needed and of course, has strawberries.

strawberry pieces on top of boba milk in martini glass on gray table

Ingredients

½ cup strawberries (72g)
2 tablespoons granulated sugar (25g)
2 tablespoons water (60ml)
3 tablespoons tapioca starch (23g)
¼ cup honey (60ml)

You will also want an additional 1 to 2 cups of tapioca starch for coating the boba pearls.

strawberry pieces in blue glass of boba milk

Handy Kitchen Tools

green straw on table by glass of strawberry boba milk

How to Make Homemade Strawberry Boba

To start making homemade boba, you will first prepare the strawberries. You can use either fresh or frozen strawberries in this, but if using frozen, thaw and pat them dry so you aren't left with excess moisture.

Remove the stems and cut the strawberries into small pieces. Add them to a bowl with the water and sugar. Stir this mixture together until the sugar is dissolved.

sugar being poured over strawberry pieces

Mash the strawberries and sugar together until it is combined and there are few if any chunks left of the strawberries. Then, microwave this for 1 minute, and continue mashing until the strawberry and sugar compote is smooth.

Now, stir in the 3 tablespoons of tapioca starch. This may be a bit moist still, but don't worry. You will then microwave the mixture again for 30 seconds to 1 minute to remove any remaining liquids. Then, if needed, add additional tapioca starch, a teaspoon at a time, until a dough forms.

tapioca starch being stirred into strawberry mixture

Now, roll the dough into small balls, and drop them into a bowl of tapioca starch to coat and prevent them from sticking together. You can also roll the dough into a log and cut small balls, but I find that just hand rolling is faster and easier for making this at home.

fingers pinching strawberry boba off to roll

Bring a saucepan of water to a boil, then drop in the strawberry boba and cook for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, remove this from the heat, but leave the boba in the water.

Now, drain the boba, and reserve the water if desired to make tea. Toss the boba with honey or sugar to sweeten to your preference.

To serve, pour milk or sweetened tea over the boba along with ice.

strawberry being put on edge of glass of boba milk

I find chilled boba is best for serving but it can be served immediately if desired.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is It Cheaper To Make Your Own Boba?

It is cheaper to make your own boba than it is to buy it. This is because you are paying someone else their time and effort to make it for you and that person has overhead costs as well. When you want to make homemade boba, you will need to buy tapioca starch, but otherwise, all of the other ingredients are probably already in your kitchen. You'll also need a pot and colander. If you want to go the extra mile, you can use a fine mesh sieve to remove any bits of seeds from the strawberries before adding them to the starch to form the dough.

How Long is Homemade Boba Good For?

When the Boba is stored properly, it will last for 3 to 4 days. You want to keep it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You can also keep the homemade boba in the freezer. It can be frozen for up to 2 months.

What Can I Use Boba Pearls In?

You can use boba pearls in many different drinks and foods. Boba tea is the most popular, but you can also add them to milk, a smoothie, or iced coffee. It can even be used as a topping for ice cream or in a favorite fruit cocktail.

blue glass of strawberry boba milk with black background

More Strawberry Recipes

If you have fresh or frozen strawberries and want to make something unique, we have even more tasty recipes for you to try. Boba is a great treat, and turn it into boba milk or boba tea and serve it alongside these sweet treats. Make sure that you bookmark the ideas you like, print out the recipes, or pin them to Pinterest to make them soon.

📖 Recipe

Yield: 3

Homemade Strawberry Boba

Make your own homemade strawberry boba for a delicious milk or tea treat that is cheaper than the local cafe!

Prep Time 50 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

Ingredients

½ cup strawberries (72g)
2 tablespoons granulated sugar (25g)
2 tablespoons water (60ml)
3 tablespoons tapioca starch (23g) - plus additional for coating as needed
¼ cup honey (60ml)

Instructions

Start by preparing the strawberries, fresh or frozen. Remove the stems, then cut them into small pieces and add to a large bowl with the water and sugar.
Use a fork to mash the strawberries into the sugar and water together. Then, microwave this strawberry mixture for 1 minute and continue mashing until it is smooth.
Now, add in the 3 tablespoons of tapioca starch and stir together.
Microwave this mixture to remove liquids, then continue adding tapioca starch a little at a time, until a dough forms.
Roll the dough into small balls, and then roll each of them into a bowl of tapioca starch to keep them from sticking together.
Now, in a saucepan, bring water to a boil, then pour the boba pearls into the water and cook for 20 minutes. Leave them in the water once removed from the heat, for another 20 minutes.
Drain the boba pearls and sweeten them with honey. Then, serve with ice and your favorite tea or milk. If making tea, use the drained cooking water to make the tea for a more traditional flavor.