White Dust Bubble Tea with Tapioca Pearls
A refreshing homemade bubble tea featuring creamy milk tea speckled with white dust-like tapioca pearls for a fun texture. This Asian-inspired recipe, ready in about 20 minutes, brings together black tea bags, water, whole milk for a refreshing, crowd-pleasing drink — a bright, easy pour for parties, gatherings, or any warm-weather afternoon when you want something festive without alcohol-only options. Each serving lands at about 180 calories and feeds 2, so it works for entertaining, brunch, or a non-alcoholic option at the bar cart. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.
Ingredients
- 2 black tea bags
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1/4 cup tapioca pearls
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 cup ice cubes
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Instructions
- Step 1: Bring 2 cups water to a boil and steep 2 black tea bags for 5 minutes until strong and fragrant; remove tea bags.
- Step 2: While tea brews, cook 1/4 cup tapioca pearls in boiling water according to package instructions (usually 5-7 minutes) until soft and chewy; drain and rinse with cold water.
- Step 3: Stir 2 tbsp sugar into the hot tea until dissolved, then add 1 cup whole milk and mix well.
- Step 4: In a tall glass, add the cooked tapioca pearls and 1 cup ice cubes, then pour the milk tea over to create a speckled, white dust-like effect resembling tiny bubbles.






