Wintermelon Milk Tea Recipe With Boba

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If you want a refreshing bubble tea with a unique flavor, try this wintermelon milk tea with boba. I use homemade wintermelon syrup, jasmine tea, creamy milk, and chewy tapioca pearls. The tea has a gentle sweetness and subtle floral notes, with added caramel from the brown sugar.

Easy wintermelon milk tea with boba pearls in a glass with a straw.

I love making bubble tea at home because it allows me to control the sweetness, experiment with unique flavors, and save a few dollars. This wintermelon milk tea has a naturally light taste that pairs perfectly with the other ingredients. If you are not sold on wintermelon as a flavor, then try my strawberry milk tea instead! It has all the same goodness with a classic strawberry flavor.

Even after experimenting with many bubble tea flavors, I still had one friend who just was not a fan. She says it is the boba texture. But I made sure that she always had a fun, colorful, uniquely flavored drink whenever I served this. My blue butterfly pea latte has become her signature drink in our friend circle. It helps that her favorite color is blue. Ha!

One reason I enjoy this wintermelon milk tea with boba so much is the combination of ingredients. Wintermelon is an overlooked fruit with a refreshing, mildly neutral taste and subtle sweetness. It is also a great source of iron, zinc, magnesium, potassium, manganese, and calcium. The jasmine tea adds a gentle floral note, while the oat milk creates a creamy texture without overpowering the delicate flavors.

The cooking method allows me to develop the flavors in this tea. I cook the wintermelon with sugar to draw out the natural juices and create a concentrated syrup. Simmering the fruit allows the subtle flavor to intensify, and steeping the jasmine tea separately keeps it light and aromatic. When the syrup, tea, and milk are combined, the result is a layered drink with balanced sweetness and a velvety texture.

I was always wary of serving this tea with straws, worried my kids might choke. Typical mom, I know. What I did not know is that, now that they are older and have seen a few viral funny videos, I have much bigger concerns. A few weeks ago, we were sitting outside drinking our bubble teas in calm silence. Then I heard a weird, repetitive swoosh, splats, and a shriek. My youngest had pelted their sibling with a few tapioca pearls by blowing through the straw. I had to stop myself from laughing before explaining that we do not do that in this house.

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🥘 Ingredients

I use a handful of ingredients, some pantry staples, and others a bit more out of the ordinary, to make this wintermelon milk tea with boba. This is what I use:

Wintermelon: I use this in the syrup, which serves as the base’s primary flavor.

Brown sugar: This sweetener thickens the syrup and adds a light caramel flavor that complements the jasmine.

Rock sugar: I add rock sugar while simmering the wintermelon to deepen the sweetness and create a smoother syrup.

Jasmine tea bags: I steep these tea bags for a floral aroma that blends well with the wintermelon flavor.

Tapioca pearls: Cooked tapioca pearls give my milk tea the signature bubble tea texture.

Maple syrup: Sometimes, I add a small amount of maple syrup to adjust the sweetness, depending on taste preferences.

Oat milk: I add oat milk to create a creamy finish while keeping the drink light and dairy-free.

Ice: I fill my serving glasses with ice so the tea stays refreshing and chilled.

🔪 How To Make

I prepare this wintermelon milk tea with boba by cooking and brewing each component separately before combining. This is how I do it:

Prepare the wintermelon: I peel and dice the wintermelon, and place it in a bowl. Then I sprinkle over some brown sugar, stir well, and allow it to sit for 1 hour.

Winter melon and sugar resting in a mixing bowl.

Boil wintermelon: Then, I pour the wintermelon and its juices into a pot and bring to a boil.

Simmer: I add the rock sugar, reduce the heat, and simmer for 20-30 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes to prevent burning.

Make wintermelon syrup: Next, I remove the pan from the heat and carefully pour the wintermelon into a high-speed food processor and blend until smooth.

Strain: I strain the wintermelon puree and set it aside, allowing it to cool.

Make tea base: I bring 2 cups of water to a simmer, remove from the heat, and add the jasmine tea bags, and steep for 5 minutes. Then I remove the teabags and allow the liquid to cool.

Boil boba pearls: While I wait for the tea to cool, I bring a small pot of water to a boil. Then I add the tapioca pearls, reduce the heat, and simmer for 5-6 minutes. I strain the pearls, transfer them into a small bowl, stir in the brown sugar, and set aside to cool.

Assemble the milk tea: I divide the tapioca pearls and syrup between 2 glasses and top with ice.

Add remaining ingredients: Then I add the wintermelon juice, jasmine tea, and oat milk.

Non dairy milk added to wintermelon tea.

Enjoy: I serve them immediately and enjoy!

Wintermelon boba tea in a glass with ice.

My #1 Secret Tip for this wintermelon milk tea with boba recipe is to give the wintermelon time to sit with the sugar before cooking. This process draws out the moisture from the fruit, which helps me create a richer syrup once it is simmered.

Other Tips To Keep In Mind:

Keep cuts uniform: I cut the wintermelon into small, similarly sized cubes for even cooking.
Do not oversteep the tea: I steep my jasmine tea for 5 minutes and no longer. Any extra time leads to a bitter taste.
Serve boba fresh: Tapioca pearls are best served within a few hours after cooking, as they gradually become firmer with time.
Adjust sweetness gradually: I add extra maple syrup slowly, if needed, after I have poured my tea. Sometimes the wintermelon is sweeter, and other times it needs a bit more help.

📖 Variations

I love experimenting with all my recipes, and this tea is no exception. These are a few of the noteworthy concoctions that I have come up with:

Coconut milk version: I substitute the oatmilk for 1/2 cup of coconut milk, for a richer tropical taste. I almost always have cans of coconut milk in my pantry, so this is a regular in my house, and the kids love it.

Black tea: For a stronger, more traditional milk tea flavor, I replace the jasmine with black tea. This is the version my husband and I enjoy. We need a serious pick-me-up.

Lavender boba: For a lavender milk tea, I steep 1 teaspoon of culinary lavender with the tea for about 5 minutes. You could also add lavender syrup for added sweetness. This is a great drink for winding down hot summer nights and promoting relaxation.

🍽 Serving Suggestions

I love tea parties, especially in the middle of summer. But instead of steaming hot cups of traditional tea, I serve tall glasses, with ice and fun flavored milk drinks. Last summer, I had a mad hatters themed tea party, and knew I had to make brightly colored and uniquely flavored drinks. I served this wintermelon milk tea with boba, and my bright purple iced ube latte, along with my golden latte turmeric milk. Try these chilled varieties for your next tea party.

This wintermelon milk tea with boba may sound like a strange flavor, and you might not know what to pair it with. It is a fact that wintermelon and jasmine pair well with creamy, earthy, lightly floral flavors. And to prove my point, last week I made a fresh batch of my snickerdoodle cookies and a salted caramel cheesecake to enjoy with the tea. Of course, I was right. But I was also only proving this point to myself and just really wanted cheesecake. Ha!

🧊 Storing And ♨️ Reheating

Refrigeration: I store the wintermelon syrup and brewed tea separately in an airtight container, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Freezing: The wintermelon syrup can be stored in small portions and frozen for up to 1 month.

Reheating: I do not recommend reheating this tea. It is best served cold. However, if the syrup thickens in the refrigerator, I warm it gently and allow it to cool before mixing it into the drink.

❓Recipe FAQs

Can I make wintermelon tea without boba pearls?

Yes, you can! This drink still tastes exceptional without the pearls. I sometimes serve it over ice if I do not have the time or ingredients for the boba.

Could I use canned winter melon instead of fresh?

Yes, canned wintermelon works well if fresh wintermelon is unavailable. I usually find them in specialty Asian grocery stores. For this version, I cut the sugar as the wintermelon is already preserved in a syrup. I blend the canned wintermelon in its syrup, then add it to a saucepan with 1/4 water, bring to a boil, and simmer for 5-10 minutes until reduced. The wintermelon is already soft when it comes out of the can.

How do I keep my boba soft in my milk tea?

Since tapioca pearls firm up naturally, I slow this process down by storing the freshly cooked pearls in a small amount of sugar syrup to help maintain their soft chewy texture.

Vegan wintermelon milk tea with boba pearls in a glass with a straw.

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