In a medium-sized pot, pour in 1/4 cup of water and add 2 tablespoons of brown sugar. Heat this mixture over medium heat while stirring until the sugar fully dissolves and the mixture starts to steam. Remove the pot from the heat.

Next, take about 1 tablespoon of the tapioca flour and stir it into the sugar-water mix. You want to work quickly to prevent lumps—keep stirring until everything is well incorporated. Return the pot back to low heat and continue stirring until you notice the mixture thickening. Once it feels like a paste, remove it from the heat again.

Now, add the remaining tapioca flour, along with the vanilla extract, and combine everything thoroughly until you create a sticky dough. It should be slightly warm but manageable.

Lightly dust your working surface with some tapioca flour. Take half of the dough and cover the rest to prevent drying out. Roll the dough into thin, rod-like shapes, then cut these into small pieces. Roll each piece into tiny balls—remember, smaller is better since they’ll expand while cooking.

As you shape the pearls, place them in a bowl and dust them with more tapioca flour to prevent sticking. Repeat the process with the remaining dough. At this point, you can set the dry pearls aside or store them for later use.

Fill a large saucepan with water—aim for at least four cups of water for every cup of dry pearls. Bring the water to a rapid boil. Once boiling, carefully add the pearls into the pot. Stir gently to ensure they don’t stick together.

Cover the pot and allow the pearls to boil for about 20 minutes. After this time, turn off the heat, but let the pearls sit in the covered pot for an additional 20 minutes. The result will be perfectly chewy, almost translucent boba pearls.

Once the waiting period is over, drain the boba pearls and plunge them into cold water immediately to avoid any stickiness. This quick cooling helps preserve their chewy texture.

In a separate small pan, warm a tablespoon of brown sugar over medium heat for a few minutes. The goal is not complete melting but warming it through.

Toss in the cooked boba pearls and stir until they’re evenly coated in the sweet, melting sugar. This will enrich their flavor and give them that signature brown sugar taste.

Prepare your base drink of choice—milk, tea, or any other delicious beverage. For serving, take a glass and pour about 1/4 cup of the warm, sweetened boba pearls into it; rolling the glass slightly will coat the sides with melting sugar for a visual treat.

Add in the chilled drink of your choice, ice cubes if desired, and don’t forget to grab a boba straw. Enjoy every sip of your homemade bubble tea!