Chia bubble tea is easy to make, and this cranberry version can even be refreshingly sugar free, if you want it to be. It’s a little bit different from the bubble teas you’re probably used to, and I love it!
Bubble tea is traditionally made with boba – chewy tapioca pearls soaked in water until they get a chewy, candy-like consistency. Chia seed bubble tea has a different texture from traditional boba, and I think I like it even better. You also don’t need a special giant straw to drink this, since the chia seeds don’t plump up quite as big.
More chia goodness: Citrus-Chia Seed Cooler, Blueberry Chia Seed Oatmeal Muffins
I have kind of a thing for unsweetened cranberry juice. We keep a bottle in the house almost all the time, because I’m prone to UTIs, and if I feel one coming on, drinking unsweetened cranberry often makes my symptoms disappear. The science on cranberry juice and UTIs is not totally solid, but it seems to work for me.
I also just love the tart flavor. It’s a nice change from water once in a while.
The trick to drinking your cranberry juice unsweetened is to dilute it with water. The ratio depends on how tart you like it. I like anywhere from 3:1 to 2:1 water to cranberry.
My two-year-old, Darrol Henry, likes unsweetened cranberry juice, too! We don’t give him sugary juices, but he sees his school friends drinking appe juice. A few weeks ago, he came home asking for apple juice. It was non. stop. And it was not going to happen. We never have that in the house, and I am pretty averse to giving kids sweet fruit juices like that regularly. I mixed 1/3 cup unsweetened cranberry juice with 2/3 cup water, and gave half the glass to him. He loved it! It’s his new special treat. Apple juice averted, for now!
This cranberry chia seed bubble tea uses Darrol’s and my favorite drink as the base, and it’s super refreshing on a hot day.
Chia-Cranberry Bubble Tea
Like a lot of bubble tea, this drink doesn’t contain any actual tea. But I have plan for another chia seed bubble tea recipe that’s got a more tea-like profile. Coming soooon!
Yield: 2-3 servings
Ingredients
- 3 cups water
- 1 cup unsweetened cranberry juice
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds
- your favorite sweetener, to taste (optional)
- mint sprig and some frozen cranberries, for garnish (Optional, but aren’t they pretty?)
Method
- In a pitcher or quart-sized mason jar, combine the water, cranberry juice, and chia seeds. Stir really well to combine. Make sure that the seeds aren’t clumping together.
- Stick your tea in the fridge for at least three hours. The chia seeds will soak up the liquid and get plump, sort of like boba does. It’s kind of magical!
- When it’s ready, add sweetener to taste. I don’t sweeten mine, but a little bit of maple syrup would go nicely in this.
I might be a bit behind the curve here but I have never heard of bubble tea before. It sounds really yummy though, especially with chia seeds so I am going to have to try this really soon.