Tapioca Pearls (from Scratch)

With only simple ingredients you already know. This Tapioca Pearls recipe is what you need to make it from scratch at home!

Most people know bubble tea is one of the most delicious and fun drinks–especially for kids.

Even though I don’t usually let my daughter buy unhealthy drinks that are full of sugar and require single-use plastic cups, when it comes to buying bubble tea–I give in and let her enjoy it once in a while.

As I couldn’t stand the fact that bubble tea is highly processed, too sweet, and has so many unknown ingredients, I started to buy Tapioca Pearls to make my own bubble tea at home. I replaced the sweetness with healthier options, added lots of fruits and we all enjoyed it as much as the ones we bought from shops.

However, I wasn’t completely comfortable with the quality of the ingredients in the store-bought Tapioca Pearls. So, I started to experiment with ways to make my own at home. To my surprise, it’s easier than I anticipated, and best of all, I can use the high-quality ingredients I want.

When making your own, you can decide how many Tapioca Pearls you want at a time, plus there is no garbage after cooking. Then, once you have the pearls, you can create bubble tea flavors to suit your taste.

Making Tapioca Pearls can be great family fun time. Kids enjoy knowing how their foods are made, getting to see what goes in it, and appreciate what they eat more by preparing their own.

Are you feeling inspired to make this together with your family members? Let’s do it!

Ingredients

Note: this recipe makes about 3 generous servings. Feel free to double the recipe if you want more.

1 cup (128 g) of tapioca starch
¼ cup (32 g) of brown sugar
½ cup (64 ml) filtered water and another 1 ½ cups (192 ml) for boiling the pearls
Some sweetener for preventing the pearls from sticking together (optional)

Instructions:

In a small pot bring ½ cup (64 ml) of filtered water to a boil.
Add the sugar and let it dissolve then turn the heat off.
Gradually add the starch and mix well.
Transfer the mixture to a working surface and knead until it turns into dough.
Roll the dough by hand and shape it into about a 1-inch (2.5 cm) thick log.
Cut the log into about 2 inch (5 cm) sections and keep them covered with a towel.
Roll each section into small strips (about a ¼ inch or 6 mm diameter)
Cut the dough strips into small pieces and shape them by hand into balls. Let everyone roll their own part!
Dust the ball with some starch to prevent them from sticking.
In a small pot, bring another 1 ½ cups (192 ml) of water to a boil, add the balls, and cook them until all are floating.
Cover the pot and simmer for about 15 minutes.
Now, the balls have turned into clear coated Tapioca Pearls.
Wash the excess starch off with cold water and rinse until the water runs clear.
Transfer the pearls into a serving bowl, and add some liquid sweetener of your choice to prevent them from sticking together. (I use a little bit of maple syrup)
From now, you can create your own bubble tea flavors. See how I make mine on my earlier post.
Have fun and enjoy!