As bubble tea, or boba, has continued to grow in popularity across the United States, many dessert shops have popped up that don't just specialize in boba, but turn it into mind-boggling, delicious desserts.

Even while the rest of the industry, including fast food giants like Dunkin', is just starting to catch on, many places are already taking boba to the next level.

Ty Tran, founder of Rice Feed and Asians Never Die, feels that the US is in a "boutique" phase of boba right now, even as mainstream chains start to catch on to the hype.

"They're using natural products, good, high quality ingredients, and they're also using boba made in the US," he said on Foodbeast's The Katchup podcast.

As boba sees both a growth in quality and distribution, it's also finding its way out of the drink menu and into several tasty sweets. Below are just a few examples of the different tasty ways you can enjoy boba that restaurants are doing to get creative with the popular tapioca pearls.

Creme Brûlée Boba

Feng Cha, a fast-growing global teahouse with several US locations, adds the standard components of creme brûlée to the top of their boba drinks for a fun, interactive experience that adds a unique twist to their beverages.

Boba Stuffed Cream Puffs

While a few bakeries are starting to catch onto this trend, this particular version comes from Alimama in New York City. They stuff tapioca pearls into the cream filling for their choux buns, giving you multiple levels of textures in each bite of these tantalizing treats.

Boba-Stuffed Cake

The next iteration of lava cakes, this variation from Orange County's Hok Tea unveils a motherlode of pearls when you split the cake open.

Gallon-Sized Boba Pouch

While this really is just a super-sized drink, with it comes 1) the ability to drink as much boba as you want and save some for later, and 2) get some nostalgia in with the juice pouch-shaped container this gallon of boba and milk tea comes in. Stock up on this one at Pulp Juice Bar in Orange, California.

Boba Toast

Both French Toast and regular toast forms of this exist, but in each case, the build is the same. Start with toasty bread, add on some custard/cream, and a layer of tapioca pearls for some extra texture. This particular version comes from Lang Lang Bie Ku (which means, Don't Cry, Lang Lang) in Tainan.

Boba Egg Tarts

With Taiwan being the epicenter of boba, it's no surprise that more than a few creative concoctions come from there. A personal favorite of mine would be this Boba Egg Tart from Mr. Z's Egg Tarts in Tainan. The combo of crisp pastry, sweet eggy custard, and chewy tapioca pearls sounds like a match made in dessert heaven.

Brown Sugar Boba Ice Cream Bars

Ever since these were spotted in 99 Ranch markets late last year, Asian-American communities in the United States (including the popular group Subtle Asian Traits) have been going nuts for these ice cream bars. There are now a few variations you can find in several Asian grocers, as well as flavors like melon or ube that go beyond the brown sugar milk tea these pops are inspired by.

Boba Souffle Pancakes

Fluffy Japanese souffle pancakes are another wildly popular dish right now. Combining the Japanese dish with the flavors of Taiwanese pearl milk tea adds levels of sugary taste and texture that will leave any sweet tooth satisfied. For this exact version, head to Cloud Nine Cafe in Hawaii.

Boba Basque Burnt Cheesecake

Basque Burnt Cheesecake is a variety on the classic dessert invented in Spain roughly 30 years ago. In 2020, it's become a quarantine cooking favorite, but has also made it's way to dessert menus. As that has coincided with boba-themed treats, it was only a matter of time until someone made a boba-topped Basque Burnt Cheesecake. Find this variety at Daboba in Melbourne, Australia.