Combine banana bread with chai spices and brown butter for the ultimate banana bread. We of course also add the mini chocolate chips for a chocolate chip brown butter chai spice banana bread that is really heaven in a bite.
This banana bread has two main twists, chai spices and brown butter. Although we love warm banana bread on its own, but brown butter and chai spices make it that much more delicious. Brown butter makes everything a little bit better and this banana bread is no exception. The brown butter adds a nuttiness to the bread and gives it a slight toffee flavor. The chai spices add warmth and flavor to every slice. We also add mini chocolate chips inside and regular chocolate chips on top because when it comes to chocolate more is more…Chai, brown butter, and chocolate–it really is the ultimate banana bread.
Chai Spice Banana Bread Steps:
Step 1: Brown the Butter – Browning the butter takes a stick over butter, saucepan, and just a few minutes. To brown the butter, place a pan over medium heat and cook the butter, stirring constantly. After a few minutes, the butter will start to foam, keep stirring and coking until golden flecks form. Note: this will brown quickly, be sure to stir in constantly to ensure the butter browns evenly.
Step 2: Mix the dry ingredients – We use a mixture of flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and spices. Mix these together and set aside.
Step 3: Mix the wet ingredients – Mixing the wet ingredients starts with mashing the ripe bananas. Our favorite way is with a potato masher, but a work or beaters will also work. After mashing these until mostly smooth, add the rest of the wet ingredients (eggs, vanilla, and salt).
Step 4: Cream the butter and sugar – Cream the softened butter with brown sugar and white granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
Step 5: Incorporate the rest of the ingredients – Add the wet ingredients into the creamed butter and sugar. Once the wet ingredients and butter and sugar are combined, add in the dry ingredients. Mix until it is all just combined (don’t over mix at this stage as the bread will become tough). After the batter is mixed add the chocolate chips.
Step 6: Pour into a pan and bake – Pour the prepared batter into a parchment lined and greased loaf pan. Top with more chocolate chips if desired and bake. Note: not all chocolate chips bake up with the same glossy tone. To achieve this look, we recommend using ghiradelli or guittard.
Other Banana Bread Recipes:
If you love this chai spice version or are looking for another way to use up your ripe bananas, as huge banana bread fans, we have a few of other favorites.
- Chocolate Chip Banana Bread: If you are in the mood for a classic banana bread instead of a chai brown butter version, use this chocolate chip banana bread recipe. It is very similar to this one but uses butter and no chai spice for a classic chocolate chip banana bread.
- Double Chocolate Banana Bread: Chocolate banana bread with chocolate chips…sign us up! This double chocolate version takes banana bread to a new level. There is cocoa powder in the banana bread along with chocolate chips for the perfect chocolatey bite.
- Banana Cake with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Icing: Although this is not quite a banana bread, it is equally delicious. This banana cake is a little bit lighter and fluffier than a classic banana bread. It is made with buttermilk and ripe bananas for the softest, most flavorful cake. We add a brown butter cream cheese icing on top that you will want to eat by the spoonful. It is truly one of our favorites.
Tips for the best chai spice banana bread:
- Ripe Bananas: We know it is painful but ripe bananas really do produce the best banana bread. When bananas ripen, the starches convert to sugar resulting in a sweeter and more flavorful banana bread. Our preferred bananas have turned a slightly brown color entirely.
- Weight out your ingredients: for the most accurate measuring, weight the ingredients. We find that this produces the best results in baking vs using a measuring cup. If you don’t have a digital scale, the cup measurements below can be used.
Chai Spice Banana Bread FAQs:
Can I leave out the chai spice?
Yes the recipe can be adjusted without any of the spices or with just cinnamon. If you are looking for a classic chocolate chip banana bread, there is also this recipe here.
Do I need to brown the butter?
No – the banana bread can be made without browning the butter. Instead of browning it, simply use softened butter and follow the rest of the instructions. Although it can be made without browning, we recommend it for the brown butter flavor.
Do the bananas need to be ripe?
Yes – Although it can be painful to wait for ripe bananas it is important to make the best loaf. The bananas should be speckled and turning brown at the very least – or even better close to black. It’s really important to wait for the ‘right’ banana to make the bread. The flavor and texture will not be the same without them at this stage.
Can I leave out the chocolate?
Yes – substitute nuts or leave it plain! But in our opinion chocolate makes just about everything better – in particular mini chocolate chips. Nothing beats little warm pockets of chocolate scattered across a slice of banana bread.
Can I make this chai spice banana bread in two smaller loaf pans?
Yes just be sure to adjust the bake time accordingly as the bake time is for a 9 inch x 5 inch loaf pan.
Can I freeze the chai spice banana bread?
Yes! This banana bread can definitely be frozen. To keep it fresh, we like to tightly wrap each piece of bread in plastic wrap and defrost when it is ready to eat. We put it in the microwave or oven for a warm piece of banana bread anytime.
Brown Butter Chai Spice Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 180 g
- 2 tbsp cornstarch 16 g
- 2 tsp baking powder 8 g
- 1 tsp baking soda 4 g
- 3 medium bananas ~1.5 cups
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla 10 g
- 1 tsp salt 3 g (1/2 if morton)
- 1 stick of salted butter 113 g
- 1/2 cup brown sugar 100 g
- 1/2 cup sugar 100 g
- 1 cup mini chocolate chips 170 g plus additional regular size for topping
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon cardamom
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325F. Spray a 9×5″ loaf pan with cooking oil (or two smaller loaf pans – the pan should have at least a 1″ rim after it is filled)
- Add the butter to a medium saucepan over medium heat. Melt the butter and continue cooking, stirring occasionally until the butter starts to foam. Once it foams, continue stirring or swirling the pan until golden flecks form. Once golden and toasty smelling, pour into a bowl to stop the browning and set aside
- In a bowl, mix together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and spices
- In another bowl, mash the ripe bananas with a fork until mostly smooth. Add in the eggs, vanilla, and salt. Mix well and set aside
- In the base of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or with a hand mixer, beat the butter and sugars until light and fluffy, around two minutes. Scrape down the sides and mix again for about 30 seconds
- Add in the banana mixture and beat until incorporated. Scrape down the sides and mix again for about 30 seconds
- Pour in the dry ingredients and pulse together until just combined. Mix in the chocolate chips until incorporated
- Pour batter into the prepared baking pan
- Bake for 75-90 minutes, or until a tester poked into the center comes out clean (depending on your oven and baking pan it may take longer or shorter, we recommend to start testing after ~1 hour)
- Note: if using multiple smaller pans reduce the bake time
