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    Brown Sugar Syrup for Boba

    July 13, 2023 by Lauren Leave a Comment

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    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Dark Brown Sugar syrup is essential for making refreshing boba tea and especially tiger milk bubble tea! 

    Brown sugar syrup for boba in a labeled mason jar.


    Boba (or bubble) teas are so delicious, refreshing and addicting.  But at 8$ a pop at a fancy tea shop, it’s just not economical to hit the store every time the craving strikes.  

    You can (and should!) learn to make them at home because it’s simple, fairly quick, and you can adjust the recipe to suit your preferences. 

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Substitutions
    • Variations
    • Related
    • Brown Sugar Syrup for Boba

    Ingredients

    There are only three ingredients you’ll need to make Brown Sugar Syrup (not including the boba, we'll discuss that further on).  

    You’ll need: 

    Ingredients needed to make brown sugar boba syrup for tiger milk tea.
    • Water - be sure to use filtered or bottled water to avoid any unpleasant flavors or chemicals from tap water.  
    • Dark brown sugar - called muscovado sugar. It’s simply unrefined cane sugar that contains natural molasses.  It’s the real deal.  But you can use light brown sugar if that’s what you have and would prefer, it just won’t have that deep, dark color or flavor.  
    • Vanilla extract - you can leave it out if you don’t have it or substitute it with ¼ tsp vanilla bean paste. 

    Instructions

    Process shot of brown sugar syrup in a sauce pan.

    In a saucepan over medium heat combine water and brown sugar.  

    Bring it to a simmer and whisk until the sugar is dissolved.

    Ingredient shot of brown sugar syrup simmering in a sauce pan.

    Remove it from the heat and add the vanilla extract. 

    Photo of brown sugar syrup in a mason jar.

    Allow the syrup to cool to room temperature.

    Photo of brown sugar syrup in a tall mason jar with a lid.

    Store it in a mason jar in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.

    Adding the Boba to the Brown Sugar Syrup

    Photo of boba pearls in brown sugar syrup.

    Prepare boba according to package directions, rinse under cold water, and then pour your syrup over your cooked boba while you prepare your tea.

    I recommend getting quick cooking boba - this brand is tried and true. It's also helpful to have some super thick straws for sucking the boba pearls up with - so get some of those as well!

    Substitutions

    You can modify this recipe a bit, according to what you have, here are some ideas:

    • Water - you can’t substitute the water, but be sure to use filtered or bottled water to avoid any unpleasant flavors or chemicals from tap water.  
    • Dark brown sugar - technically called Muscovado sugar. It’s simply unrefined cane sugar that contains natural molasses.  It’s the real deal.  But you can use light brown sugar if that’s what you have and would prefer, it just won’t have that deep, dark color or flavor.  
    • Vanilla extract - you can leave it out if you don’t have it, or substitute it with ¼ tsp vanilla bean paste. 

    Variations

    Photo of tiger milk tea with brown sugar syrup on the sides.

    If you'd like to make a flavored syrup instead, try this similar recipe for pumpkin spice coffee syrup (but it works great for boba as well)!

    Storage

    • Store in an airtight container, or a mason jar like this one, in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.  
    • You can also freeze this mixture into cute ice cube trays and keep it in the freezer for 2 months. 

    FAQ

    Can I add spices to flavor brown sugar syrup?

    Yes, it can be done, just like in this recipe for pumpkin spice syrup.  You just have to strain the mixture through a cheesecloth (or a clean kitchen towel) in order to remove the grittiness that the spices will leave behind. 

    Can I use brown sugar syrup in coffee or tea?

    Yes! This is a great addition to coffee and tea, simply use a teaspoon at a time until desired level of sweetness is achieved. 

    Related

    Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:

    • pumpkin spice boba milk tea with a straw.
      Pumpkin Spice Boba
    • Pumpkin Spice Syrup - Starbucks Copycat
    • Oreo Iced Coffee
    • Pumpkin Whipped Cream

    More recipes you'll love:

    • Oreo Iced Coffee
    • Pumpkin Spice Boba Milk
    • Pumpkin Spice Coffee Syrup
    • Starbucks Pumpkin Cold Foam

    Brown Sugar Syrup for Boba

    Dark Brown Sugar syrup is essential for making refreshing boba tea and especially tiger milk bubble tea!
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 minutes mins
    Total Time 15 minutes mins
    Course Condiment
    Cuisine American, Coffee
    Servings 20 people
    Calories 42 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 cup water
    • 1 cup dark brown sugar
    • 1 tsp vanilla extract

    Instructions
     

    • In a saucepan over medium heat combine water and brown sugar.
    • Bring it to a simmer and whisk until the sugar is dissolved.
    • Remove it from the heat and add the vanilla extract.
    • Allow it to cool to room temperature and then store it in a mason jar or airtight container.

    Notes

    Storage:
    Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.  
    Freezer: You can also freeze this mixture into ice cube trays and keep it in the freezer for 2 months. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 42kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 0.01g | Sodium: 4mg | Potassium: 15mg | Sugar: 11g | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 0.1mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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    About Lauren

    Lauren is the freelance writer, photographer, and recipe developer behind Shutter + Mint. Thanks for stopping by!

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    Hi, I'm Lauren! Shutter + Mint is a food blog I created to help you create easy, practical recipes at home. Thanks for stopping by!

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