Lychee Bubble Tea Recipe (Easy Ice Blended Drink)

This lychee bubble tea recipe is a blended ice drink that is fresh, fruity, and super easy to make. All you need is canned lychee in syrup, coconut milk, and ice.

Lychee is a popular Asian fruit with a sweet citrus floral flavor. When blended with ice and creamy milk, it transforms to a snowy, silky texture like a smooth, refreshing icee. It’s delicious on a summer day, after a morning run, or as a dessert.

Bubble tea comes in many forms: iced, hot, or ice-blended. This version is blended but you can try other version of lychee here: iced or hot lychee milk tea, lychee black tea, and ice-blended lychee bubble tea (with lychee syrup).

Lychee bubble tea pairs best with brown sugar boba pearls, popping boba, or lychee jelly. You can also chop up lychee bits and add it to your drink, which we will do here.

Lychee

What exactly is lychee? It’s an exotic fruit found in subtropical areas like China and India. It is also spelled litchi, lichi, or lichee.

The taste of lychee is like a sweet strawberry or pear infused with a rose. The outside has a leathery texture, but the meat is firm like a juicy grape.

To eat the fruit, you just peel the skin, bite off the flesh, and dispose the seed. 

Fresh lychee fruit is seasonal and can be hard to find in stores, so we use canned lychee for this recipe. I like canned lychee because the fruit has been sitting in the syrup. This infuses the sugary syrup with a floral aroma from the lychee.

Health benefits

Lychee is packed with nutrients like vitamin C, vitamin B2 (riboflavin), potassium and copper. Seven lychees have as much vitamin C as a small orange.

Consult your doctor if you have any questions before consuming lychee.

Ingredients for lychee bubble tea

Canned lychee in syrup. This product is found at the canned section at the Asian supermarket. You can also get canned lychee in 2-pack from Aroy-D Lychee, or as a 6-pack from Dynasty Lychee. Separate the lychee from the syrup to use the syrup as a sweetener.

You can also add brown sugar syrup to sweeten up your drink.

Coconut milk. This gives the tropical flavor a creamy sweet taste. Canned coconut milk is usually denser than the carton kind.

Ice cubes for blending.

Boba pearls for brown sugar boba. Boba pearls are also known as bubbles or tapioca pearls.

Boba straws for slurping and chewing. Disposable or reusable. The reusable one is not for chewing 🙂 You can use a spoon if you don’t have this fancy straw.

How to make lychee bubble tea

Try to keep ingredients in the fridge before use so it stays cold longer. You can also put your cups and straw into the fridge before you serve.

1. Blend ice, coconut milk, lychee, and syrup together. Keep blending until the ice is superfine, like a snowy texture.
2. Prepare brown sugar boba then put boba in the cup.
3. Scoop the blended icee into the cup.
4. Optional: Chop some fresh lychee into small pieces and top your drink with some chopped lychee bits.
5. Drop in your boba straw and serve immediately.

What to serve it with

• Boba pearls. I like using my brown sugar boba recipe.
• Other toppings like lychee jelly and popping boba.
• A scoop of coconut ice cream on top of your lychee bubble tea.
• Top it off with a little honey and whole milk to make it creamier and sweeter.

Variations

• Fresh lychee bubble tea or lychee bubble tea with lychee syrup.
• Lychee milk tea.
• Lychee tea. Instead of blending with ice, steep black tea for 5 minutes in 1 cup of hot water.
• Pearl milk tea with lychee bits.

Storing

This drink is best enjoyed immediately. If you wait over 15 minutes to drink it, the liquid will separate into layers, which makes it more of a juice than an icee.

You can keep it this drink the fridge for up to 1 day and it will be like a juice but the boba will be gross.

If you insist on storing it for later, freeze lychee bubble tea without the boba. Blend again before consuming. If you simply thaw it, the ice melts at an unevenly and you lose the signature texture of lychee bubble tea. Trust me. Just. Make. It. Again.

The boba needs to be consumed within 4 hours because it will also lose its texture.

FAQs

How do you pronounce lychee?

It sounds like Lie-chee.

Does lychee bubble tea have caffeine?

No. If you prefer to have caffeine, try lychee milk tea or lychee black tea.

Is lychee bubble tea healthy?

It’s not the worst for you, but it’s not the best for you because of the empty calories from the boba and the sugar syrup. My fresh lychee bubble tea recipe made with fresh fruit is healthier.

Can I eat lychee if I’m diabetic?

Yes, you can eat it in moderation. Like other fruits, it contains natural sugars. Just don’t consume this after meals or before going to sleep since it could spike blood sugar levels.*

Is lychee safe to eat during pregnancy?

No, it is not safe to eat during pregnancy. Lychee is known to raise blood sugar levels and may lead to gestational diabetes.*

Is lychee dangerous?

Naturally occurring toxins in lychee have been linked to toxicity that leads to fever, convulsions and seizures. These toxins are found in unripened lychee (as Hypoglycin A) and lychee seeds (as MCPG).

Is lychee safe for kids to eat?

Not on an empty stomach. Not when unripe. Also eat in moderation. Learn more about lychee for kids.*

How much lychee can you eat?

Moderation is the key. 10-12 lychees should be okay if you have proper diet and exercise habits.

Why do boba shops call it bubble tea if there’s no bubbles or tea?

Bubble tea is a blanket statement. Boba shops call most of their drinks “bubble tea” or “boba tea”, when they might not even contain bubbles/boba or teas. It’s similar to how coffee shops call many of their drinks “lattes”, even when there’s no coffee. An example is a chai latte that is made with milk, and doesn’t have coffee in it. Same with a matcha latte.

What does that mean for this recipe? That means you will learn how to make this lychee bubble tea without tea.

But if you’re here for the caffeine, check out the lychee milk tea version of this drink.

*Consult your doctor for professional medical advice.