Ever wondered how to make Boba Guys’ insta-worthy layered Strawberry Matcha Latte? Here is an easy and simple bubble tea strawberry matcha recipe that shows how to make this iced drink at home! It’s creamy, refreshing, and loaded with soft and chewy boba milk tea pearls.
When it comes to copycat drink recipes, Starbucks’ Strawberry Acai Refresher, Iced Pineapple Matcha Drink, Mango Dragonfruit Refresher, and this Boba Guys’ Strawberry Matcha Latte are my favorites. Strawberry puree, boba pearls, milk and matcha are beautifully layered, creating a unique experience you’ll never forget!
I’ve been obsessed with the strawberry matcha latte from Boba Guys since my trip to San Francisco. I wanted to recreate it at home, with the same look and flavors just like the one from Boba Guys! After a few trials, I nailed it with this easy recipe! The best part? You can make a healthier version and adjust according to your desired sweet level!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Strawberries: Adds the refreshing fruity flavor to this drink while giving it a bright red color at the bottom. I find that fresh strawberries taste best. Alternatively, you can use frozen strawberries.
- Sugar: I used the regular granulated sugar for this recipe. You can also substitute honey or simple syrup. Alternatively use stevia for a healthy drink.
- Matcha Powder: It’s important to use high-quality fresh matcha powder for the best flavor and bright green color. Old matcha powder has less flavor with a dull green color. You can buy them at the local grocery store or order online from Amazon. Note that green tea powder is different than matcha powder.
- Milk: Use whole milk if you’d like to have a creamier texture, but you can use whatever milk you have on hand.
- Tapioca Pearls: Also known as boba, tapioca pearls are soft and chewy, adding a special texture to this drink. They are translucent spheres once cooked, but once you first open the package, they have a weird “moldy” look, but this is normal.
Pro Tips: Matcha powder should be stored in the refrigerator once it’s opened. Use a container that’s as air-tight and light-tight as possible.
What Kind of Tapioca Pearls Do You Use?
I usually use these tapioca pearls, which take about 5 minutes to cook. You can find them in most Asian supermarkets or order them online from Amazon.
I recommend you only cook as many tapioca pearls as you need, as they don’t keep well. If you don’t use them right away, leave them in the cooking water, which helps the pearls to retain the softer texture.
How to Strawberry Matcha Latte at Home
Step 1: Make Matcha Tea
Add matcha powder in a medium jar, and then pour hot water on top. Whisk until completely dissolved. Chill the Matcha tea in the refrigerator.
Step 2: Cook the Tapioca Pearls
In a medium saucepan, bring the water to boil. Then add tapioca pearls. Stir gently and wait for them to float to the top. Let them cook for about 5 minutes or until soft. Remove the cooked pearls from the water using a slotted spoon. Quickly rinse them with cold water. Transfer them onto a plate and let them cool completely.
Step 3: Make the Strawberry Layer
Prepare the strawberries by removing green leaves and cut them into quarters. In a medium mixing bowl, add the strawberries and sugar. Let it sit for about 10-15 minutes, and then mash with a masher until the strawberries are broken down.
Step 4: Make Strawberry Matcha Latte
In a serving glass, add 1 to 2 spoons of cooked tapioca balls, and then pour in the strawberry puree. Fill the rest of the glass with ice cubes, and add the milk. Finally pour in the chilled matcha tea.
Tips & Tricks
- Make matcha tea with HOT water ahead of time, then let it cool down completely before you start to assemble the drink. Don’t cool down the tapioca pearls in the refrigerator, as it can become hard.
- You can puree your strawberry using a blender, but I like to use a masher so that my strawberries have a nice chunky texture.
- You can customize the sweetness of your drink. Note that all the sweet flavor of this drink comes from strawberry puree, so you can use less puree if you’d prefer a less sweet drink.
- For distinct layers, pour the matcha tea very slowly into the glass. More matcha tea will add a greener color to the drink.
- Stir the latte before drinking. You can use a thin straw to drink the latte and then use a spoon to eat the tapioca pearls, or you can use the wide straw to suck up the pearls (as the picture showing below).
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Boba?
Boba is a popular drink that contains boba balls, or tapioca pearls originally from Taiwan, China. The drink is down as bubble tea or tapioca tea, which has made its way to America and gained popularity rapidly.
Boba Guys is a tea shop that invented many tea drinks including this Boba Strawberry Matcha Latte. It started in the San Francisco Bay Area, but has expanded to many other cities in North Amercia.
What Does Strawberry Matcha Taste Like?
This Boba Guys copycat strawberry matcha is sweet, creamy, and refreshing with chewy and bouncy bubble tea pearls. My favorite part is those delicious boba pearls, so addictive!
Is Strawberry Matcha Latte Good for You?
Both strawberries and matcha have a lot of health benefits, but many calories of this drink come from sugar. When making this drink at home, you can make it healthier by using high-quality ingredients and lower the sugar level.
How Many Calories Does It Have?
There are about 250 calories for each high ball glass, but you can reduce the calories by adding fewer tapioca pearls to the drink, and replace sugar with Stevia.
If You Love This Recipe Try These Out:
If you tried this recipe, let me know how your Strawberry Matcha Latte turns out in the comments below!
Easy Strawberry Matcha Latte Recipe
Ingredients
For Boba Pearls
- 3/4 cup tapioca pearls
- 4 cups water
For the Drink
- 2 cups strawberries (fresh or frozen)
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons matcha powder
- 2/3 cup hot water
- 1 1/2 cup whole milk
- ice cubes
Instructions
- Make the Matcha Tea: Add matcha powder in a medium jar, and then pour hot water on top. Whisk until completely dissolved. Chill the Matcha tea in the refrigerator. (It’s best to make the matcha green tea ahead of time)
- Cook the Tapioca Pearls: In a medium saucepan, bring the water to boil. Then add tapioca pearls. Stir gently and wait for them to float to the top. Let them cook for about 5 minutes or until soft. Remove the cooked pearls from the water using a slotted spoon. Quickly rinse them with cold water. Transfer them onto a plate and let them cool completely.
- Make the Strawberry Puree: Prepare the strawberries by removing green leaves and cut them into quarters. In a medium mixing bowl, add the strawberries and sugar. Let it sit for about 10-15 minutes, and then mash with a fork until the strawberries are broken down.
- Assemble Strawberry Matcha Latte: In a serving glass, add 1 to 2 spoons of cooked tapioca balls, and then pour in the strawberry puree. (You can adjust the amount based on your preference: add more strawberry compote if you prefer a sweeter drink)
- Fill the rest of the glass with ice cubes. Then add the milk, leaving about half of an inch to the rim of the glass. Then pour in the chilled matcha tea. (Tips: pour gently so that you’ll have 3 beautiful distinct layers.) Stir and enjoy immediately!
Notes
- Don’t cool down the tapioca pearls in the refrigerator, as it can become hard.
- You can puree your strawberry using a blender, but I like to use a masher so that my strawberries have a nice chunky texture.
- To make distinct layers, pour the matcha tea very slowly into the glass. More matcha tea will add a more vivid green color to the drink.
Nutrition
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