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Simple, delicious, Chocolate Chunk Chai Banana Bread. One bowl, simple ingredients, super quick to mix up, wholesome, and SO DELICIOUS! With over-ripe bananas, sweet pure maple syrup, and a homemade chai spice blend, this is sure to become your favorite banana bread to bake throughout the fall. It’s warming and just want we want to sink our teeth into on a chilly day.

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Look, I know everyone and their mother is already baking with pumpkin, but I just can’t do it. I’ve never fully understood why everyone rushes to bake with pumpkin all September long. By November they’re over the pumpkin craze and just move straight into Christmas baking.

That I can kind of understand, but I’m someone who likes to celebrate Thanksgiving. Personally, I really don’t want to get sick of pumpkin before Turkey Day even rolls around.

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In September, I stick to baking with apples and chocolate instead. I know this may not be the popular thing to do. But something in me just feels like we have to wait for October to embrace the pumpkin season.

Don’t worry though, come October 1st I’ll be baking and cooking up a pumpkin storm. I’ve already been brainstorming.

Right now, we have a comforting autumn banana bread. It’s made with my favorite blend of warming spices commonly found in a steaming cup of chai.

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Details

The chai spice mix is key. It really brings the aromas of fall into the kitchen and into the bread.

Before you start the banana bread, make the chai spice mix. It’s a blend of cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, nutmeg, all-spice, cloves, and the tiniest bit of black pepper. You will not need all of the spice blend, just 1-2 tablespoons.

I sometimes mix the remaining spice with sugar and use it like cinnamon sugar. Delicious on buttered toast.

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Next, locate some very ripe bananas. Ideally, they should have black spots all over them. These bananas will make the very best banana bread. 

Mash up the bananas and then mix them with a little coconut oil, maple syrup, a couple of eggs, and a splash of vanilla. Next, add whole wheat flour, the chai spice, and a dash of salt.

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Stir in chocolate chunks or chocolate chips and bake. An hour later your house will smell incredible and you’ll have the prettiest deep golden, chocolate-filled loaf of banana bread.

While the bread bakes, I usually make the maple butter. It’s simply butter and maple whipped together. So easy, but really delicious when spread over a warm piece of bread.

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Each bite is filled with sweet chai-spiced cake and melty chocolate. The sweet, creamy butter just adds a specialness that’s fitting for fall days.

Cider Braised Chicken with Caramelized Onions | halfbakedharvest.com

Looking for other chai spiced recipes? Here are a few ideas: 

Vanilla Chai Pumpkin Latte Cupcakes with Cinnamon Brown Sugar Frosting

Vanilla Chai Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew

Chai Spiced Maple Sugar Cookies with Browned Butter Frosting

Vanilla Chai Pumpkin Cupcakes

Vanilla Chai Old Fashioned

Chai Espresso Martini

White Chocolate Chai Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

Lastly, if you make this Chocolate Chunk Chai Banana Bread be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!

Chocolate Chunk Chai Banana Bread

Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings: 1 loaf
Calories Per Serving: 384 kcal

Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

Ingredients

Chai Spice

Banana Bread

Whipple Maple Butter

Instructions

  • 1. To make the chai spice. In a shallow bowl, combine the cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, nutmeg, all-spice, cloves, and pepper. You will not need all of this, save the blend for another use.
    2. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Grease a 9×5 inch bread pan.
    3. In a bowl, stir together the bananas, coconut oil, maple, eggs, and vanilla until combined. Add the flour, baking soda, 1-2 tablespoons chai spice, and salt, mix until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chunks. 
    4. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until the center is just set. Remove and let cool slightly.
    5. To make the butter, whip together the butter and maple syrup until light and creamy, about 3 minutes using a hand whisk. Spread over the warm bread. Trust me it's delish.
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Comments

    1. Hey Rosie,
      You can store in an airtight container on the counter for up to 1 week. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan

  1. 5 stars
    Out the oven and cooled and omg
    .. this is delish!
    Seems like baking time can be less, of course based on oven. Took mine 40-42 minutes. Crumb is perfect. I added a little cake flour w/ AP, a dollop of sour cream, and a little brown sugar. Good lord this is goodt!! Unbelievably not sugary sweet, but just right. 😋 Used a square pan, therefore slight changes for more batter. Tieghan you are a treasure!

    1. Hey Mizzy,
      Happy Monday!! I am delighted to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a try!🍁 xxT

    1. Hey Brianna,
      Happy Monday!! I am delighted to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a try!🍁 xxT

    1. Hey Jess,
      Yes, totally fine to skip the chocolate:) Let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xT

    1. Hey Toni,
      Happy Thursday!! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! xTieghan

    1. Hey Becca,
      Totally, an equal amount of melted butter will work well for you! I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xT

  2. 5 stars
    This is SO good. Followed the recipe to a T and it came out delicious. Very rich, but the perfect fall / winter treat. Highly recommend.

    1. 5 stars
      Just finished making this and we LOVED it!!!
      Tried to follow recipe exactly but… I didn’t have coconut oil, so used Canola oil. Didn’t have clove spice or cardamom so just decided to add 1/2 teaspoon of Mixed spice instead 🤷🏼‍♀️.
      Anyway the result was amazing so not sure how much better it would be if I had all the proper ingredients.
      Definitely a keeper!!!

      1. Hey Sam,
        Amazing!! I love to hear that this recipe was a hit, thanks so much for trying it out! Thanks for sharing your feedback and what worked well for you! xT🍂

  3. 5 stars
    I just made this and had a piece while it was still warm and….WOW…it is delicious! I love the chai spice, it makes for a unique and delicious fall treat, especially on this perfect Colorado fall day. I did substitute for gluten-free flour and it turned out just as good! Thanks for another wonderful recipie.

    1. Hey Kelsey,
      Happy Monday!🎃 I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was tasty for you, thanks a bunch for making it! xx

  4. 5 stars
    This smelt amazing while baking and tasted so good! I was worried my kids wouldn’t like the chai spices but they loved it too! I did 1 tbsp of the chai spice but might go for the full 2 tbsp next time. Awesome recipe!

    1. Hey Rebecca,
      Happy Monday!🎃 I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was tasty for you, thanks a bunch for making it! xx

      1. I used my favorite banana bread recipe by Joanne Chang but tweaked it with HBH’s chai spice and chocolate chunks – delicious! I added a crunchy sugar lid per Smitten Kitchen’s pumpkin bread and it was a delicious maximalist banana bread.

    1. Alicia, I’m a 35 year old male with limited cooking experience. I currently have a gluten free version of this recipe in my oven with 34:12 left on the timer.

      Try Cup 4 Cup.

    2. Hi Alicia,
      You can use an equal amount of gluten free flour. I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xx

    1. I’m a 35 year old male with limited cooking experience. I currently have a gluten free version of this recipe in my oven with 34:12 left on the timer.

      Try Cup 4 Cup.

  5. 5 stars
    That’s what I ended up doing. I used 2 TBL of the spice mix and it was perfect. Everyone loved it. My only note (for myself at least) was to check it around 40 minutes, I checked at 50 and it could have been pulled out sooner. I also threw in some pecans, great one bowl quick, delicious recipe!

  6. 4 stars
    Loved the chai flavor in a banana bread! Will use less chocolate chips next time (1/2 cup or 3/4 cup) as I feel like they took over the bread a bit.

    1. Hey Emily,
      I truly appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your feedback, so glad to hear it turned out well for you! xx

  7. I plan to make this for a dinner tonight and swore I had ground ginger but of course I do not. Can I sub fresh, if so how much?

    1. Hey Janet,
      I would just skip the ginger, no big deal:) I hope you love the recipe, let me know how it turns out! xTieghan