Chocolate Milk Tea (Bubble Tea) - Entirely Elizabeth

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This easy Chocolate Milk Tea is sweet, chocolatey, creamy, and so delicious! It is made using 3 simple ingredients- black tea, hot cocoa mix, and half and half. Feel free to drink it hot or cold and with or without chewy boba.

For more milk tea, try my Strawberry Milk Tea, Caramel Milk Tea, Matcha Milk Tea, and Earl Grey Milk Tea.

Chocolate Milk Tea with a large straw and boba.

What is Chocolate Milk Tea?

Chocolate Milk Tea is a lightly caffeinated drink made with black tea, half and half, and dry hot cocoa mix. It tastes like milk tea and hot chocolate had a baby!

This recipe can be made hot or cold and with or without boba. If you don’t know, boba are tapioca pearls made from cassava flour. On their own they have no flavor but once they are steeped in the black tea and hot cocoa, they take on a rich chocolatey flavor. Milk tea with boba is called bubble tea.

Watch Me Make Chocolate Bubble Tea:

Ingredients in Chocolate Milk Tea

This recipe is only 4 simple ingredients, 5 if you include boiling water. Below are a few notes about the ingredients. Just make sure you are using high quality ingredients or the flavor will lack.

Black Tea (steeped in boiling water): This recipe uses 1 Twinings Irish Breakfast (100% pure black tea) tea bag, but if you would like a stronger flavor use 2. You can also use loose black tea in this recipe if you have it.
Dry Hot Cocoa Mix: This adds sweetness and that indulgent hot cocoa flavor to the milk tea. I use the Starbucks brand but you can use whatever you have on hand.
Half and Half: This is traditional for milk tea for creaminess. Feel free to substitute it for any milk to fit your needs.
Boba (optional): I recommend using quick cook boba. They require less time and effort to make which is great when you are craving boba milk tea.

Don’t forget to grab your favorite glassware and a reusable boba straw!

Ingredients in milk tea. Black tea, hot cocoa mix, prepared boba, and half and half.

How To Make Chocolate Milk Tea

Here are the abbreviated directions, the recipe card below will have more details. The directions are for hot chocolate milk tea, chocolate bubble tea, and chocolate boba tea.

Made Cold (with optional Boba):

Steep the black tea for 5 to 7 minutes (any longer your tea will become bitter).
Cool the tea to room temperature. Don’t skip this step, warm tea curdles the milk… gross!
Make the boba as specified on the package and then soak them in a hot chocolate tea mixture. This step is optional by the way.
To a glass add the hot cocoa and half and half, use a milk frother to whip it together.
To a separate glass add the optional boba, ice, cooled black tea, and chocolate milk mixture.
Stir well with a boba straw.

Made Hot:

Steep the black tea for 5 to 7 minutes in a tea cup (any longer your tea will become bitter).
Heat the half and half and hot cocoa mix in a saucepan.
Add the warmed chocolate milk mixture to the steeped black tea.
Stir well and sip carefully.

Boba prepared in hot cocoa mix and black tea.

Chocolate Milk Tea with bobas and a mint colored boba straw.

4 Things About Boba Bubbles You Need To Know

Boba needs to be soaked to add flavor to them. In this recipe the boba is soaked in black tea and hot cocoa so it takes on the chocolate flavors in this tea.
Make your boba right before you want to make your bubble tea. This is so they have the best texture and flavor. Boba tends to harden over time.
Never store boba in the refrigerator because they will get hard and really tough to eat. Use them immediately or throw any leftovers away.
Boba pearls are large and will not pass through regular straws. Grab yourself a few boba straws, I recommend these.

Fun Chocolate Milk Tea Variations:

Add a tablespoon of peppermint simple syrup to make it a Chocolate Peppermint Milk Tea!
Drizzle chocolate sauce on the inside of your glass and overtop of the bubble milk tea
Top it off with whipped cream or a sweet cream
Add mini marshmallows
Dust the top of your milk tea with unsweetened cocoa or cinnamon.
Try using any leftover bobas in a Boba Ice Cream Bar.

Chocolate Milk Tea with prepared boba on the side, and a large pitcher of black tea.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)

Does Chocolate Milk Tea have caffeine?

Yes because black tea has caffeine in it. You can always buy decaffeinated if you prefer this milk tea to not have caffeine in it. This change will make no flavor difference by the way.

Where do I buy boba/ tapioca pearls?

You can purchase them on Amazon. You can also check your ethnic food aisle for them, I have seen them on a few occasions but they are definitely harder to track down in the stores. Be sure to buy quick cook boba too!

More Indulgent Chocolate Recipes To Try:

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