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Banana Bread with a Cozy Chai Spice Twist

homemade banana bread
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This chai-spiced banana bread is the perfect blend of sweet, cozy, and comforting. You’ve got the sweetness from ripe bananas and then that warm mix of cinnamon, cardamom, and ginger kicks in, such a good combo. It’s super moist, super easy, and your whole kitchen ends up smelling like fall. Perfect for breakfast, dessert, or just when you need a little comfort on a plate

  • Author: Tara Hamrick
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 55 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour 5 min
  • Yield: 1 loaf 1x

Ingredients

Scale

Main Ingredients

  • 3 overripe bananas (medium to large)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup white sugar
  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil (or melted butter)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Chai Spice Blend:

  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/4 tsp cardamom
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/8 tsp cloves
  • 1/8 tsp black pepper

Instructions

Step 1: Mash Those Bananas
Mash your bananas in a bowl—lumps are cool. No need to make it baby-food smooth.

Step 2: Mix the Wet Stuff
Add eggs, both sugars, oil, and vanilla. Whisk until glossy-ish and smooth—no need to stress perfection.

Step 3: Add the Dry Ingredients
Toss in flour, baking soda, salt, and those dreamy chai spices. Mix them right in over the wet stuff.

Step 4: Combine Without Overmixing
Gently fold everything together until the flour disappears. No overmixing—we’re making bread, not bricks.

Step 5: Pour into Loaf Pan
Grease or line your pan, pour the batter in, and smooth the top with a spoon.

Step 6: Bake It!
Bake at 350°F for 50–60 mins. Toothpick test around 50 mins—clean or crumbly means it’s done.

Step 7: Cool (If You Can Wait)
Let it rest in the pan 10–15 mins, then cool on a rack—or just eat it warm. No judgment.

Notes

  • Don’t Skip the Black Pepper
     I know it sounds weird, but that tiny pinch of black pepper brings out the chai flavors so well. It’s the little zing you didn’t know you needed.
  • Mix by Hand, Not Machine
     Overmixing = dense loaf. I always use a spoon or spatula instead of an electric mixer to keep the bread light and soft.
  • Go Gluten-Free with Oat Flour
     I tested this with oat flour once when I was out of regular flour, and guess what? Still fluffy and fabulous. Just reduce the oil slightly if using oat flour.
  • Make a Chai Sugar Topping
     Want that bakery-style crust? Mix 1 tbsp sugar with a dash of cinnamon and sprinkle it on top before baking. Game changer.
  • No Overripe Bananas? Roast Them!
     Pop yellow bananas (unpeeled) in a 300 °F oven for 15–20 minutes. They get super sweet and soft — perfect for banana bread emergencies.

Related Recipe: If you’re into cozy kitchen mashups, check out my Pantry‑Scrap Pancake Muffins – they’re just as comforting with those leftover bits in my pantry.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://tarastreats.com/banana-bread-with-a-cozy-chai-spice-twist/