What is Crystal Boba? – The Crystal Bubble Boba | 2025
Crystal boba looks amazing! It is shiny, colorful, and see-through. It is a fun topping for bubble tea, fruit slushes, desserts, and other delicious drinks. I invite you to read my full article to learn more about what is crystal boba, how you can make it, the primary ingredients, how to use it, and much more.
what crystal boba is?
Have you ever wondered what crystal boba is? It is a type of bubble tea topping, that is a bit different from the regular chewy tapioca pearls. I hope you love and know about chewy tapioca pearls and enjoy using them in your drinks. The traditional boba pearls can be easily prepared from tapioca, and to make them soft, we boil them until they reach the right temperature.
Crystal boba is made from a different plant called konjac. This plant is grown in Asia and is mostly used to make jelly-like foods; this is the main reason crystal boba has a soft and jelly-like texture! It is also referred to as white pearl, agar Boba, or konjac Boba. It has a glass-like color, is soft, and is fully vegetarian. Its popularity is increasing day by day with bubble tea and Asian desserts. It can also be made with agar agar, a vegan ingredient derived from seaweed, or with konjac powder.
The Origins of Crystal Boba and Tapioca Pearls
It is a lovely topping for bubble tea, usually tapioca boba. The primary difference between crystal boba and tapioca pearls is the plant used to make them. Cassava plants are the source of tapioca pearls, which are grown in the Americas; on the other hand, crystal boba comes from the konjac plant found in Asian countries.
The Konjac plant roots are turned into a powder form; as you know, it is naturally starchy and easily turns into jelly-like pearls when processed. These pearls are chewy, translucent and tasty! I also tried to make crystal boba at home using agar powder, which works the same as konjac powder, to create similar jelly-like pearls for my boba tea. In my childhood, I used to play with crystal balls.
An Introduction to Different Types of Boba Pearls
Before we learn about crystal boba in detail, I want to discuss the background of different types of Boba pearls.
| Tapioca boba pearls | Popping boba | Crystal boba |
Regular Tapioca Boba
The cassava root is originally a source of regular boba pearls; in the first step, we obtain tapioca starch from this famous tree. The original tapioca pearls are soft and chewy, similar to yummy candy, and do not have much flavour on their own. The colour of pearls is usually white and opaque. It is considered the classic type of boba that tastes brilliant in both fruity and creamy milk teas, making every sip much more enjoyable.
Popping Boba
Popping boba, or bursting boba, is a famous type of boba pack with juice inside it. When you chew it, it pops and releases a yummy burst of flavour! The outside of pearls is made using alginate and calcium to form a special thin shell. The Popular flavours in this boba include strawberry, mango, kiwi, passionfruit, peach, and coconut. It feels soft at first, then turns into juicy waves!
Crystalline Boba: The Best Fruity Alternative to Tapioca Pearls
This type of boba is obtained from sweetened fruit juices and a gelling-like ingredient such as agar or konjac powder instead of tapioca starch. The agar and konjac are major ingredients for making crystalline boba. It is the best fruity and fun option for bubble tea lovers.
Agar agar powder
It is a jelly-like material made from algae. It is used to help boba solidify and turn into soft, chewy, jelly-like pearls when mixed with fruit juice.
Konjac powder
This powder is made from the konjac plant and is entirely full of starch. It helps boba become more jelly-like, adding extra flexibility and chewiness to the texture.
Personal Experience
I want to share my personal experience with these two gelling ingredients. Both agents yield similar results. But there is little difference in their taste and appearance. Konjac crystal boba is translucent in appearance and slightly crisp in taste. On the other hand agar crystal boba is a bit firmer as compared to other types.
Step-by-Step Guide to Making Original Crystal Boba
Preparation Details
| Task | Time |
| Prep Time | 5 minutes |
| Cook Time | 5 minutes |
| Cooling Time | 15 minutes |
| Total Time | 25 minutes |
| Calories | 114 kcal |
Ingredients Details
| Ingredient | Quantity |
| Water or Coconut Water | 300 ml |
| Agar Powder | 6 g |
| Konjac Powder | 12 g |
| Sugar | 2 tbsp |
Instructions Details
Nutrition Facts
| Nutrient | Amount |
| Calories | 110 kcal |
| Carbohydrates | 28 g |
| Fat | 0.1 g |
| Sodium | 0.3 mg |
| Potassium | 1 mg |
| Sugar | 29 g |
| Calcium | 0.3 mg |
| Iron | 0.01 mg |
In Crystal Boba, the nutrition depends on the exact item and fruit juices in real-time used in its preparation. I want to share a general nutrition profile per 120g serving.
| Nutrient | Amount |
| Calories | 300–360 |
| Total Carbohydrates | 72–84g |
| Sugars | 60–72g |
| Protein | 2.4–3.6g |
| Fat | 0g |
| Fiber | 1.2–2.4g |
| Vitamin C | 12–36% DV |
Whenever I made it, I tried my best to use the best quality natural fruit juices, then as a result, I got a sufficient amount of nutrition, vitamins and fiber from these ingredients. Some of my friends who work in bubble tea shops share their experience sometimes due to the use of artificial flavoring or coloring for store-bought crystal boba, then which also has some potential drawbacks. Whenever you want to make it healthier, then use natural fruit juices as compared to food coloring. In this way, you can easily manage the amount of sugar in it.
Finally, whenever you make your own at home or buy from the store, then you must share your experience with me. Crystal boba is very famous due to its use of it in bubble tea drinks as a replacement for classic boba tea. If you love to learn more about boba drinks, then you must check my following recipes.
How Does Crystal Boba Taste in a Drink?
Guys, as you know, it comes from a different plant than regular boba, but it is still a delicious topping for boba tea! It has a chewy texture but is softer and more tender than regular boba. Its flavor is lightly sweet, making it great for drinks that are fruity, tangy, or refreshing. It adds just the right amount of sweetness to make your drink more tasty!
How Does Crystal Boba Taste in a Drink?
It is white and translucent. Its ingredients are water, coconut water, white sugar and agar powder. You can use it on ice cream, yogurt, bubble tea drinks and decorate cakes. It is considered the perfect topping for bubble tea, frozen yogurt, ice and other popular drinks.
It is also known as strawberry agar boba and is a see-through, light pink-red topping or vibrant red color. It tastes sweet and fruity, has a tender strawberry flavor, and feels a little chewy when you eat it.
Bright and golden orange in color. Its taste is like fresh, sweet mango.
Pretty pink in color. Its taste is sweet and flowery, like a Lychee.
It can be a warm amber or dark brown, based on how much sugar is used.
Bright and orangey-pink. Its taste is like a juicy peach.
Bright and leaf-green in color. Its taste is like green tea.