To make ube milk tea, blend cooked ube with milk, sweetener, and brewed tea, then serve over ice for a delicious purple drink.
Ube milk tea is a vibrant, creamy drink that combines the earthy sweetness of purple yam with rich coconut milk and chewy boba pearls. This Filipino-inspired beverage has taken the boba world by storm, offering a unique twist on traditional milk tea. Whether you’re a bubble tea enthusiast or new to ube flavors, this guide will walk you through multiple methods to craft the perfect homemade ube milk tea.
What Is Ube Milk Tea?
Ube milk tea, also known as ube bubble tea, is a sweet, creamy drink featuring purple yam as its star ingredient. Unlike traditional milk teas, it often contains no actual tea leaves, making it naturally caffeine-free. The drink gets its stunning violet hue from ube, a tuber native to the Philippines prized for its natural sweetness and vibrant color.
Key Characteristics:
- Vibrant purple color (entirely natural from ube)
- Creamy, slightly sweet flavor with earthy vanilla notes
- Typically served with chewy tapioca pearls (boba)
- Often made with coconut milk for tropical richness
Ube Milk Tea Ingredients
You can make ube milk tea using several approaches, each with slightly different ingredients:
Option 1: Fresh Ube Method
- 1 cup grated fresh or frozen ube
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 1/4 cup sugar (adjust to taste)
- 2 cups milk (dairy or plant-based)
- 1/2 cup cooked boba pearls
- Ice cubes
Option 2: Ube Powder Method
- 2 tbsp ube powder
- 1 tbsp sweetened condensed milk
- 1 cup warm water
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 cup cooked boba
- Ice
Option 3: Ube Extract Method (Quickest)
- 1/2 tsp ube extract
- 1 tbsp ube jam (for swirls)
- 1 cup milk
- 1 tbsp simple syrup
- 1/2 cup boba
- Ice
Step-by-Step Ube Milk Tea Recipe
Method 1: Using Fresh Ube (Most Authentic)
1. Prepare the Ube Base
Combine grated ube, coconut milk, and sugar in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat for 15-20 minutes, stirring frequently, until thickened to a paste-like consistency. Let cool.
2. Cook Boba Pearls
Bring water to a boil and add tapioca pearls. Cook according to package instructions (typically 5 minutes for quick-cook boba). Drain and toss with brown sugar syrup.
3. Assemble the Drink
- Add 2-3 tbsp ube paste to a glass
- Swirl some paste along the sides for visual effect
- Add cooked boba pearls
- Fill glass with ice
- Pour in milk and stir gently
Method 2: Using Ube Powder (Quick Version)
- Whisk ube powder with warm water until dissolved
- Add condensed milk and mix well
- Pour mixture over ice in a glass
- Top with milk of choice
- Add prepared boba pearls
- Stir before drinking
Expert Tips for Perfect Ube Milk Tea
| Tip | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| Use coconut milk | Enhances the tropical flavor profile that pairs perfectly with ube |
| Make ube paste in advance | The flavor develops better when allowed to rest overnight |
| Experiment with milk ratios | Try 70% milk + 30% cream for extra richness |
| Add ube extract to powder | Boosts both color and authentic ube flavor |
Ube vs Taro: What’s the Difference?
While both create purple-hued drinks, ube and taro have distinct differences:
- Flavor: Ube is sweeter with vanilla notes; taro is nuttier
- Color: Ube produces a deeper, more vibrant purple
- Texture: Ube creates a creamier consistency
- Uses: Taro works in savory dishes; ube is primarily for desserts
Creative Variations to Try
1. Ube Cheese Foam Tea
Top your drink with a creamy cheese foam made from cream cheese, whipping cream, and a pinch of salt. The salty-sweet combination is divine.
2. Ube Latte Version
Add a shot of espresso to create an ube latte. The coffee complements ube’s earthiness beautifully.
3. Ube Smoothie
Blend ube paste with ice and milk for a thicker, frostier version. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream for extra indulgence.
Where to Find Ube Ingredients
Asian grocery stores typically carry fresh and frozen ube. For convenience, you can purchase:
- Ube powder on Amazon or specialty food sites
- Ube extract from Filipino markets or online
- Pre-made ube halaya (jam) in jars
For the best tapioca pearls, check out our guide to high-performance blenders that can also handle making homemade boba.
Storing and Serving Suggestions
Ube paste keeps well in the refrigerator for 5-7 days. Store boba separately in simple syrup and reheat gently before use. For the best presentation:
- Use clear glasses to showcase the purple color
- Add the boba last so they stay at the bottom
- Serve with wide straws for the full boba experience
- Garnish with a sprinkle of toasted coconut flakes
According to The Flavor Bender, the key to perfect ube milk tea is balancing the sweetness of the ube with the richness of the milk. Their recipe recommends using a combination of fresh ube and extract for maximum flavor.
For those interested in exploring more tropical drink options, Sugaryums suggests pairing ube milk tea with coconut-based desserts for a complete Filipino-inspired experience.
