This easy recipe is an adult spin on the classic Taiwanese bubble tea or “boba.” Refreshing orange, mango and coconut with the slightest hint of rum.
I’ve taken the Taiwanese frosty favorite bubble tea (or boba) and turned it into a cocktail. Yes sireee I sure did. It was the perfect refresher on Sunday afternoon when we returned from the 110 degree heat of San Luis Obispo/Santa Margarita. Chris and I sucked these Orange-Mango-Coconut Boozy Bobas down like we were coming off of a weekend full of too much laughter and indulgence (oh wait, we were, weren’t we?) And with the holiday weekend upon us, I’m sure those remaining tapioca pearls (i.e. the “bubbles”) will be put to VERY good use.
Speaking of, what are everyone’s plans? We’re looking forward to spending some time down at the beach and on our friend’s yacht watching the fireworks on the 4th of July, and we’re sooo hoping to get our tan on since our wedding is now less than a month away…eeek! June gloom please stay away because this bronzin’ progress needs to start, like, ASAP.
So, for those of you who have never heard of bubble tea or boba before, allow me to give you some background. Boba originated in Taiwan in the 1980’s and it has really taken off since then. I first started drinking it when I lived in Hawaii, and boba shops have slowly been popping up all over the rest of the U.S. ever since (in fact, we have our very own “805 Boba” at the mall here in Santa Barbara!) There are two generic categories of boba, the first being a mix of fruit and some sort of milk and the second being the fruit mixed with just ice and syrup for a more “slushy” version. Add some chewy tapioca balls to either of these combos and you have your bubble tea. The trick is slurping it up with a specially designed, ultra-wide straw so you get the tapioca balls and the fruit mixture in every single sip. It’s refreshing because of the fruit, yet strangely satisfying because of the chewiness of the tapioca. These could certainly pass as a snack!
Although boba is typically made with a powdered non-dairy creamer or a sweetened condensed milk, I opted to go the more tropical (and healthier) route and use coconut milk for these Orange-Mango-Coconut Boozy Bobas. I figured we’d get plenty of sweetness from the fruit. And boy was I right?
I used a combination of fresh whole mango (cut off the pit, of course) and fresh orange juice with the coconut milk, and added in a hefty amount of ice to get the mixture nice and frothy. You could certainly also use frozen mango chunks and less ice and come up with an even creamier frozen consistency, I just had a ton of fresh mango on hand that I needed to use up. The only other ingredients we need to take this drink from “wow” to “wowza” are the tapioca pearls (which you can find here on Amazon, along with the special straws, so convenient), some white rum, and a little squeeze of fresh lime juice. Tropics – we’re comin’ for ya!
Now, don’t be intimidated by these odd-looking tapioca pearls (they really look like little turds, pardon my French.) I had never cooked them before either, but it was so easy! Just a little boiling on the stove and tossing in honey and you’ll be good to go. Have no fear.
So, first step would be to “cook” the tapioca pearls, and then set them aside in their cozy honey bath while you make the frozen concoction. Blend together the mango, orange juice and coconut milk, then add in the lime juice, ice and rum. Scoop the boba into the bottom of the glasses you’ll be serving in, then top them with the slushy, frothy, creamy, delicious Orange-Mango-Coconut mixture. Before you know it, you’ll have your Orange-Mango-Coconut Boozy Bobas in hand sitting out in the warm sun. Does it get any better than that?
Orange-Mango-Coconut Boozy Bobas
Ingredients
- 1 cup tapioca pearls
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 4 mangos peeled and cut off the pit
- Juice of 2 large oranges
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 4 ounces white rum
- 4-5 cups ice
- Juice of ½ to 1 lime
Instructions
- Cook tapioca pearls according to package directions. Once drained, stir in honey. Set aside.
- In a blender or food processor, combine mango, orange juice and coconut milk. Pulse until puree forms. Next, add rum, ice and lime juice and blend again until mixture is even and frothy.
- Scoop a couple of tablespoons (depending on how much boba you want in your drink) of the tapioca pearls into each glass. Pour orange-mango-coconut mixture over top.
- In a blender or food processor, combine mango, orange juice and coconut milk. Pulse until puree forms. Next, add rum, ice and lime juice and blend again until mixture is even and frothy.
- Scoop a couple of tablespoons (depending on how much boba you want in your drink) of the tapioca pearls into each glass. Pour orange-mango-coconut mixture over top. Add an extra-wide straw and enjoy!
Notes
- You can purchase the tapioca pearls and straws at any large Asian market, or order them online here (affiliate link).
- Boba is typically made with non-dairy creamer or sweetened, condensed milk, however I opted to make it a bit healthier and use coconut milk for this recipe.
Nutrition
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