Chocolate milk tea is a popular drink in many places around the world and is loved by people of all ages. Whether you serve it hot or cold, it tastes so good. This fabulous dessert is a simple combination of tea, milk, and chocolate. The chocolate milk tea ingredients come from the Caribbean, as many historians traced its original mixture from Jamaica.

According to the British Natural History Museum, an Irish botanist named Hans Sloane was responsible for developing the chocolate mike tea recipe. He invested his time living in Jamaica in the 1700s and documented consuming a cocoa drink given to him by the natives. The drink gave him a nauseous feeling but mixing it with milk greatly improved its taste. Sloane brought back his idea of mixing milk and cocoa to England when he returned to Europe. 

Jamaicans continued to patronize how to make chocolate milk tea, where they combined the sweetened condensed milk with other spices, like nutmeg, pimento, and cinnamon leaf, to create a delightful drink.

What Is Chocolate Milk Tea?

A bottle of chocolate milk tea and a spoon full of chocolate powder on a white background

Chocolate milk tea is a unique drink with a sweet flavor because of its cocoa, milk, and tea content. You can consume it as a hot drink with a thick texture, especially when combined with tea and chocolate. Chocolate milk tea is fun to drink any time of the day.

What Does Chocolate Milk Tea Taste Like?

Tea and chocolate lovers will appreciate the taste of chocolate milk tea. It makes them feel relaxed because of its calming ingredients. The chocolate milk tea’s caffeine content will keep you in a relaxing and good mood with its delicious and chocolatey flavor. This drink contains the sweet taste of cocoa and is compensated by milk and tea. 

Chocolate Milk Tea Ingredients

Chocolate milk tea is a delicious drink you can buy in many stores worldwide. You can also prepare your chocolate milk tea and enjoy it anytime. Here are the ingredients on how to make chocolate milk tea:

Chocolate powder in a bowl with cacao beans and broken chocolate bars besides it

Yield: 1 glass

Prep Time: 5 minute

Cook Time: 5-10 minutes

  • Hot Chocolate Powder (3 tablespoons): A simple procedure for making a hot chocolate mix. Chocolate boba tea’s main ingredient is chocolate, which makes it essential to find a reputable brand that you can use. Purchase hot chocolate mix and make sure it is not unsweetened cocoa powder to prevent a dark chocolate flavor (unless you want it.) 
  • Black Tea (2 tablespoons, loose leaf): Black tea is an essential ingredient in this drink, and there are also several tea varieties that you can use. The most common tea people use is breakfast tea, but you can choose any tea you prefer.
  • Tapioca Pearls (2 tablespoons): Tapioca pearls are made from tapioca starch, a mild, sweet flavor. You can find them mostly in Asian grocery stores or any online shops.
  • Maple Syrup (to taste): To make your chocolate boba sweet, you can use maple syrup. Boba pearls are not that sweet, so it is essential to use maple syrup as its sweetener. You can also use brown sugar as an alternative.
  • Milk (30 ml): You may use low-fat or unsweetened almond milk for your chocolate bubble tea. Dairy or plant-based milk will also work with making your chocolate milk tea. You can choose any milk that is right for you. If you want your chocolate milk tea to be creamier, you may use half and half or whole milk. You may also use a non-dairy version – cashew, soy, or oat milk.
  • Water (1 cup): It is important to use hot water to properly dissolve the chocolate powder, which will create a smooth texture when you put ice on your chocolate milk tea.
  • Ice Cubes: Your chocolate milk tea tastes better if you put plenty of ice cubes in it. Before preparing your chocolate milk tea, you can also put your chocolate mixture in a refrigerator. Remember that temperature affects the chocolate milk tea’s taste, which means you will not appreciate it if it is warm.
  • Whipped Cream (optional): An optional ingredient, but it can improve the texture and taste of your chocolate milk tea. You may use whipped coconut cream as a vegan-friendly option.

How To Make Chocolate Milk Tea

Chocolate Milk tea in a cup with chocolate pieces besides it

Chocolate milk tea, or chocolate bubble tea, is available in many parts of the world. If you plan to make one, it is surprisingly simple to prepare. You can make it more chocolatey in taste if you want more of its flavor. Bobas soaked in chocolate syrup make it more delicious to drink, and you can add more to your liking.

Here are the simple, easy steps you can follow on how to make chocolate milk tea:

Make the Chocolate Syrup

Prepare ¾ cup of water, ½ cup of granulated sugar, and ¼ cup of cocoa powder, whisking them all together until you combine them all evenly. In a saucepan, heat this mixture over medium to high heat while occasionally stirring.

Let the mixture simmer for ten minutes before taking it away from the heat and letting it cool down before using it for your chocolate milk tea.

Chocolate syrup is a crucial ingredient in chocolate milk tea. You can create a large batch of this mixture and store it for future chocolate milk tea preparations. There are also simple chocolate syrups that are available in stores. 

Cook the Tapioca Pearls

To cook tapioca pearls, you will have to simmer them for rehydration. The cooking time will depend on the size of the pearls. Big pearls need a minimum of 30 minutes to one hour of cooking. Here’s the procedure:

  • Prepare a pot of boiling water with a ratio of 5:1 of water and pearls. Add the pearls into the boiling water and maintain boiling.
  • Cover the pot then decrease the heat to low. It is essential to keep the water boiling when cooking tapioca pearls.
  • Stir and simmer the mixture. It is essential to remove the lid and often stir to keep the pearls from sticking to one another. You will know the pearls are ready if they become translucent and have a small dot inside. A tapioca pearl should be slightly chewy and has a slight resistance.
  • Once you achieve this texture, strain the pearls and let them cool. You can use ice water or crushed ice to cool down the pearls. 
  • Prepare warm water with sugar and put the pearls in it to keep them from sticking. You can combine turbinado sugar and brown sugar in warm water.
  • Use the pearls immediately or within the day, because tapioca pearls have a short shelf-life, lasting only one to two days.

Dissolve Cocoa Mix To Make the Cocoa Milk Tea

Prepare a small bowl to mix the hot chocolate powder with boiling water. Keep stirring until the chocolate powder dissolves. Cocoa milk tea adds more flavor to this drink. 

Assemble the Chocolate Milk Tea

Prepare the syrup and the tapioca pearls in a glass. Add the black tea, or any tea variations you prefer, then pour the milk and chocolate mixture evenly into the glass. Add ice cubes and top it with cocoa powder to finish your chocolate milk tea. 

Tips for Making Chocolate Milk Tea

  • Preparing the tapioca pearls first before making your chocolate milk tea is best. These pearls lose their texture quickly and will annoyingly stick together.
  • You may use a boba or jumbo straw to enjoy chocolate milk tea with tapioca pearls.
  • Put more ice into your drink to make it more refreshing and delicious. Before making your chocolate milk tea, you can also refrigerate the chocolate mixture first.
  • You may also adjust the sweetness, depending on your taste. Add more maple syrup if you think it isn’t sweet enough, or reduce the sweetness by using sugar-free variations.
  • If you can’t make or find a hot cocoa mix, use unsweetened cocoa powder and add more sugar until you achieve the sweetness you like.
  • You may also opt for a healthier drink by reducing sugar and using cocoa powder as an alternative to the hot chocolate mix. 

Chocolate Milk Tea Nutritional Facts

2 chocolate milk tea glasses with a bowl of boba on a piece of cloth

Chocolate milk tea calories are also an essential factor in your daily diet. Here are the nutritional facts you should know in consuming this drink:

  • Calories: 278kcal 
  • Carbohydrates: 68g
  • Protein: 1.2g 
  • Fat: 0.6g 
  • Saturated Fat: 0.4g 
  • Cholesterol: 2.5mg 
  • Sodium: 19mg 
  • Potassium: 105mg 
  • Sugar: 22g 
  • Vitamin D: 25% of Recommended Daily Intake 
  • Calcium: 52mg

Chocolate Milk Tea Benefits

Cocoa is a good source of polyphenols (natural antioxidants), which you can also find in vegetables, fruits, red wine, and tea. It has a strong anti-inflammatory effect, which can provide many health benefits.

Here are some chocolate milk tea benefits that you should know:

Fights Free Radicals

With tons of antioxidants, chocolate milk tea helps improve the immune system. It prevents degenerative diseases, repairs damaged cells, and fights against free radicals.

Strengthens Cardiovascular System

It strengthens our cardiovascular system and reduces the risk of diseases, such as stroke and heart attack. It also has properties that can lower “bad” LDL cholesterol and sugar levels. Plus, it regulates blood pressure.

Manage Blood Sugar Levels

When taken in moderation, chocolate milk tea can help maintain good blood sugar levels and reduces the risk of diabetes.

Boosts Cognitive Function

It helps improve the blood flow to the brain, improving our cognitive functions, concentration, and memory.

FAQs

Is drinking chocolate tea healthy?

Yes, as long as it is taken in moderation. Two of its main ingredients – chocolate and tea – provide various health benefits. Since both contain caffeine, however, too much consumption can cause palpitations. Chocolate can also cause weight gain and diabetes.

Can Chocolate Be Added to Tea?

You can add chocolates to tea to make your drink tastier. Many people would ask if chocolate milk tea is good, and we can answer a definite yes. Add a small piece of chocolate or chocolate syrup to your favorite tea flavor. It can improve the taste of ordinary tea to a more delightful beverage.

What Tea Goes Well With Milk Chocolate?

For beginners, the best tea to add to milk chocolate is basic black tea. Since its taste is pretty straightforward, it won’t overpower the milk chocolate. Once you get the hang of making your own tea, you can experiment with using matcha or green tea. Earl Grey and Darjeeling teas also allow the taste of milk chocolate to come through.