Description

A comforting, easy-to-make banana bread infused with warm chai spices and topped with a sweet vanilla bean glaze. This recipe uses just five main ingredients for the bread and is perfect for using up overripe bananas.

Ingredients

Scale

3 large ripe bananas (about 1 ½ cups mashed)
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons unsalted butter (melted)
2 teaspoons chai spice blend (or mix of cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, cloves, and black pepper)
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup powdered sugar (for glaze)
1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste (or pure vanilla extract)
1–2 tablespoons milk or cream (for glaze)
Pinch of salt (for glaze)
Optional: ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans
Optional: ¼ cup dark chocolate chips

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan and line the bottom with parchment paper if desired.
In a large bowl, mash the ripe bananas until mostly smooth with a few small lumps.
To the mashed bananas, add the melted butter, sugar, and chai spice blend. Whisk until the sugar is mostly dissolved and spices are evenly distributed. Add vanilla bean paste if using.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture using a spatula until just combined. Do not overmix. Fold in optional nuts or chocolate chips if using.
Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top.
Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with moist crumbs. If browning too quickly, cover loosely with foil.
Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
While the bread cools, whisk together powdered sugar, vanilla bean paste, milk, and a pinch of salt to make the glaze. Adjust consistency with more milk or sugar as needed.
Drizzle the glaze over the completely cooled loaf and let it set for 10 minutes before slicing.

Notes

Use very ripe bananas with black spots for maximum sweetness and moisture. Ensure baking soda is fresh for proper rising. Do not overmix the batter to avoid tough bread. The bread can be stored at room temperature for 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months. For a gluten-free version, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. For a dairy-free/vegan version, substitute butter with coconut oil and milk with plant-based milk.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45-55 minutes
Category: Dessert
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 slice (1/10 of loa
Calories: 180
Sugar: 16
Sodium: 150
Fat: 5
Saturated Fat: 3
Carbohydrates: 32
Fiber: 1
Protein: 2

Keywords: banana bread, chai spice, fall baking, vanilla bean glaze, easy recipe, overripe bananas, brunch, gluten-free option, dairy-free option