Make Your Next Batch Of Pancakes Pop With Some Fun Boba Pearls

Boba isn't just for bubble tea anymore. If you're a fan of the squishy tapioca pearls often found at the bottom of fruity or milky teas and sucked up through extra wide straws, then learning that boba pearls are much too versatile to be relegated to a single use is probably exciting news. The sweet and chewy pearls can add fun and texture to other goodies as well, so why not include the ingredient in more than just drinks?

One exciting way to use the pearls is to pair them with pancakes, either as a topping or mixed into the batter, like you do blueberries when you make blueberry pancakes. Not only do boba pearls look pretty cool with pancakes, but they give your pancakes a whole "futuristic" vibe while upping their sweetness factor. Likewise, these fun, flavorful pearls also go great inside or on top of pancakes' thinner, eggier cousins, crepes.

Like the original boba tea drink, boba pancakes also hail from Taiwan. Although boba pearls are delicious with almost any type of pancake, for the most authentic experience you might want to go all out and prepare soufflé pancakes. Soufflé pancakes are generally thicker than regular pancakes. They're also much lighter and fluffier — and noticeably jiggly. Along with a thick layer of cream, the combination of boba pearls and soufflé pancakes create an elevated breakfast (or brunch) experience, full of rich flavors and exciting textures.

But making soufflé pancakes is a bit of work, as it requires whisking egg whites until they form a meringue, then folding that meringue into ricotta-based pancake batter. But don't think you have to go to all of that trouble to get the full benefits of these fun little pearls of tapioca. Boba is a fantastic addition to regular buttermilk pancakes, or crepes, or waffles or even French toast. Boba can add a burst of sweet flavor to any type of pancake, whether used as a topping or cooked inside.

Boba pearls are sold dry, so they have to be rehydrated before they can be used in pancakes, or anything else. The process is the same regardless of how they are used, and it's easy to do. Start by bringing a pot of water to a boil. Rehydrating tapioca pearls takes a lot of water; aim for a 5:1 ratio of water to boba or five parts water to one part pearls. Once the water reaches a boil, add the pearls, and bring the water back to a boil. Lower the heat to maintain a simmer, and stir the boba pearls constantly so they don't clump together. The boba pearls will need to cook until they are translucent and slightly chewy but not at all mushy, roughly three to four minutes.

Once they are cooked, the water should be drained away and the pearls cooled down with ice or ice water. After they've cooled, the boba should be placed in warm, sugary water. This keeps the pearls from sticking together and also adds a bit of sweetness. Rehydrated boba pearls only last a day, or two at the most, so plan on using them quickly to add a pop of sweetness and texture to your next batch of pancakes.