Honeydew Bubble Milk Tea with Boba

Name: Honeydew Bubble Milk Tea with Boba
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 6 min
Total time: 16 min
Ingredients: ½ cup black sugar tapioca pearls; ¼ cup brown sugar or coconut sugar; 2 tbsp water; 2 green tea bags or black tea bags (I recommend Jasmine Tea); 8 oz hot water; 1 ½ cups milk of choice (I recommend coconut milk or oat milk); 4 cups fresh honeydew melon (cubed (about 440g or ½ a melon)); 2 tsp matcha green tea powder optional (for color and flavor); 2-3 tbsp sweetened condensed coconut milk or maple syrup - optional (to taste); 1-2 cups of ice to serve

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This honeydew bubble tea with brown sugar boba is creamy, fresh and fruity. Made with real honeydew melon and homemade chewy boba – you’ll want to make and sip on this bubble tea all summer long!

Why You’ll Love This Honeydew Milk Tea

If you’re craving a unique drink for a hot day, this melon flavored bubble tea is all you need. I’m a huge fan of fruity drinks during the summer. I’ve been loving my Strawberry Latte, this Homemade Peach Nectar and of course, this bubble tea recipe! It’s refreshingly cool, sweet, and so easy to make.

Emily’s Recipe Notes

Flavor: Authentic fruity flavor from fresh melon
Texture: Creamy with chewy boba pearls
Customizable: Add matcha green tea powder for a vibrant, earthy twist, or keep it simple with the creamy, honeydew-infused green tea.
Easy: Made with simple ingredients for delicious bubble tea at home!

Another pro of homemade bubble tea is that you can control your drink’s sweetness level with the amount of condensed coconut milk or maple syrup you add, making it perfect for everyone’s taste. You can also control the amount of ice, which is also a plus!

What is Milk Tea?

Milk tea is a popular beverage that you can find at bubble tea shops that blends tea with milk and other flavorings. In the case of this honeydew boba tea, we’re using fresh honeydew melon and optional matcha green tea or regular tea and homemade boba (tapioca pearls).

Ingredients

To make your own Honeydew Milk Tea with Boba, you’ll need:

Black Tapioca Pearls or Homemade Fruit Flavored Boba Pearls: These are the star of the show, adding a chewy and sweet touch to your milk tea. You can opt for other types of boba like rainbow or popping boba.
Brown Sugar or Coconut Sugar: You’ll use this to make the syrup for your boba pearls, giving them a deliciously sweet outer coating. This can be subbed for regular white sugar, although the brown sugar adds a nice caramel flavor.
Fresh Honeydew Melon: Fresh melon is the key to the fruity flavor of your milk tea. Make sure it’s ripe and sweet.
Milk of Choice: I recommend Coconut Milk, Soy Milk, or Oat Milk for their creaminess and flavor that pairs well with the honeydew.
Sweetened Condensed Coconut Milk or Maple Syrup: This will give your drink its sweetness. Adjust the amount to your liking or omit altogether.
Matcha Green Tea Powder (Optional): This can add an earthy twist and a vibrant green color to your drink if you choose to add it in.
Green Tea or Black Tea: Use these if you prefer the classic tea flavor in your boba tea.

Don’t have fresh melon on hand? No worries you can use store-bought honeydew milk tea powder in its place. However, it is difficult to find a dairy free and vegan powdered version. To keep this recipe dairy free, I recommend using fresh melon.

brown sugar boba with simple syrup in a small white saucepan. — brown sugar boba

Helpful Equipment

A few items that will come in handy when making your honeydew boba tea:

Blender or food processor: to combine the honeydew melon and milk
Saucepan: to prepare the brown sugar boba
Sieve (optional): to ensure a smoother texture for your tea
Bubble Tea Straw: for the full boba tea experience and to suck up the chewy tapioca pearls!

How to Make Honeydew Bubble Tea

To Make the Brown Sugar Boba:

I also have an in-depth post on how to make the best Brown Sugar Syrup for Boba here!

STEP 1: Make the brown sugar syrup by adding 1/4 cup brown sugar and 2 tbsp water to a saucepan. Simmer on medium heat until the sugar dissolves, then reduce the heat to low and let the syrup thicken for about 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool at room temperature. The syrup with thicken significantly once completely cool.

TIP: I recommend making the brown sugar syrup ahead of time so it has time to thicken and cool. By letting it thicken, you can drizzle it on the sides of your glass! You can also use the quantities in the link above to make a larger batch.

STEP 2: To make the boba, bring 6 cups of water to a boil. Add the black tapioca pearls, cover the pot, and cook for 3 minutes. Then, turn off the heat, and let them sit for another 2-3 minutes.

STEP 3: Once the tapioca pearls are cooked, drain them and immediately put them into the brown sugar syrup. Stir until all pearls are coated with the syrup. Let them cool.

Make the Green Tea:

STEP 4: Place the green tea bags in a teacup. Add the hot water and steep for 5-6 minutes. Remove the tea bag and set the green tea aside until ready to make the honeydew tea.

honeydew melon, milk, and green tea in a blender. — ingredients in the blender

matcha on honeydew melon, milk, and tea in a blender — ingredients in the blender

TIP: Make the green tea and the brown sugar syrup ahead of time and chill them in the fridge for a 1-2 hours. This will help prevent the hot tea and syrup from melting your ice.

To Make the Honeydew Milk Tea:

STEP 5: Cut the honeydew melon into chunks and place them into a blender. Add the milk, brewed green tea, and matcha powder (if using). Blend it together to form the honeydew milk.

the blended honeydew, milk, and tea in a blender. — the blended mixture

the honeydew milk in a small milk jug on a stack of grey plates. — the blended mixture

STEP 6: In a glass, add your desired amount of brown sugar boba along with some of the brown sugar simple syrup to the bottom of a glass. Add a handful of ice and pour the honeydew milk on top.

adding the boba to a ridged glass on a stack of grey plates. — adding the boba

adding the ice to a ridged glass on a stack of grey plates. — adding the boba

STEP 7: Taste, then sweeten your drink with sweetened condensed coconut milk or maple syrup according to your preference. Stir well to combine everything.

adding the honeydew milk to a ridged glass on a stack of grey plates. — adding the honeydew milk

adding the straw to a ridged glass on a stack of grey plates. — adding the honeydew milk

Serving Ideas

This honeydew milk tea is best enjoyed fresh, immediately after making it.

The fun part about this DIY boba tea is that you can adjust the sweetness level according to your preference, so be sure to give the milk tea a taste before serving.

I love sipping on bubble tea like this one on a hot day or when you need a fun and refreshing treat!

homemade brown sugar boba at the bottom of the honeydew milk tea. — homemade brown sugar boba and syrup

Storage Tips

⭐️ TIP: The brown sugar boba should ideally be consumed within 1-2 hours of preparation as they tend to get harder over time.

If you do need to store them, keep the boba in the syrup and at room temperature for up to 2 hours. They can be stored in the refrigerator for longer, but be aware that they will harden up.

The honeydew milk tea can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a day. Store it separately from the boba and ice to prevent it from getting watered down. Remember to stir well before serving.

The brown sugar syrup, without the boba, can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.

Bubble Tea Tips

Fresh Boba Pearls: The best boba tea is made with fresh boba pearls. Fresh boba gives you the ideal soft, yet chewy texture. You can find these at your local Asian Market or online.
Quality Ingredients: Use a ripe honeydew melon for the freshest flavor and to ensure the taste of honeydew carries through into the milk tea. Choose high-quality matcha green tea powder if you’re using it, and don’t over-steep if you’re using a green tea bag (this will make the tea bitter).
Use a fruit tea for a more fruity flavor: Opt for your favorite fruit-based tea instead of green tea to amp up and accentuate the honeydew flavor.
Opt for a creamier milk! I recommend coconut milk, oat milk or soy milk in this honeydew melon bubble tea because of their creamy textures. You can use thinner milks like almond milk, however the end texture may be different.
Customizable: Feel free to adjust the sweetness according to your preference. You can add more condensed coconut milk, brown sugar syrup or maple syrup if you like your milk tea sweeter.

honeydew milk tea with brown sugar boba in a glass with ice and a straw. — the finished honeydew melon milk tea!

FAQ

What does Honeydew Boba Milk Tea taste like?

Honeydew Boba Milk Tea is sweet and fruity with a creamy texture. With the boba added, it also has hints of a brown-sugary, subtle caramel flavor.

Does Honeydew Boba Milk Tea have caffeine?

The caffeine content in Honeydew Boba Milk Tea depends on whether you add matcha or tea bags to it. Both options contain caffeine, but you can omit them if you prefer a caffeine-free drink.

Can I use store-bought boba instead of making it myself?

Yes, you can. However, making it at home gives you control over the sweetness and texture, which can really enhance the final drink.

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