This easy chai spiced banana nut bread recipe is a keeper, my daughter Natasha developed this recipe for our family… We LOVE Banana bread + Chai. It was so good that she decided to share it on the blog. It has a lovely crumb, is moist, and flavorful, it’s the ultimate comfort food.

I love using walnuts in this recipe as they are my favorite to bake with. I grew up with walnut trees on our farm and I love the earthy flavor they bring to baked goods. We use the spice Chai Masala, we buy it here.

Easy Chai Spiced Banana
Nut Bread sliced on a cutting board

Freezing Chai Spiced Banana Nut Bread

This bread is a dream to freeze and reheat on a momments noctice. That’s why I like to have breads like this in my freezer ready for friends and family.

Having this bread pre-sliced in a freezer bag makes it really easy to reheat or defrost. I love that you can reheat it in the microwave or oven, and you have a sweet treat for tea time in just minutes.

Store loaves in Ziploc bags for up to a week or freeze a pre-sliced loaf in Ziploc bags for up to 1-3 months (pre-slicing makes it easier after defrosting the loaf to reheat and the slices pop right off the loaf).

chai spiced banana nut bread sliced on a cutting board pouring a cup of tea

Reheating Frozen Chai Spiced Banana Nut Bread

Reheating banana bread from the freezer is easy, and there are a couple of ways to do it depending on how much time you have.

Microwave Method:
If you’re in a hurry and want a quick slice, grab a piece of banana bread, wrap it loosely in a damp paper towel (this keeps it from drying out), and microwave it for about 20-30 seconds. If it’s still a little cold in the middle, add a few more seconds. It’ll come out warm, soft, and just as good as fresh!

Oven Method:
Preheat your oven to 325°F (165°C) for that fresh baked taste. If you’re reheating a whole loaf, wrap it in foil and bake for about 20-30 minutes until it’s warmed. For individual slices, place them on a baking sheet and heat for 8-10 minutes. This method brings back that soft, moist texture without making it soggy.

Either way, enjoy it as is or with a little butter melted on top—so good!

Ingredients

Makes 2 large Loaves

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup olive oil or coconut oil

6 bananas medium

1 cup granulated sugar

5 eggs

1 tbsp vanilla extract

2 tbsp molasses

4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp salt

2 tsp cinnamon

3 1/2 tsp chia spice mix *add the link to amazon

3/4 cup walnuts chopped

1/4 cup walnuts chopped (topping)

Cinnamon (topping)

Instructions

making chai spiced banana nut bread pouring in molasses

making chai spiced banana nut bread pouring in eggs

making chai spiced banana nut bread mixing dry ingredients

making chai spiced banana nut bread pouring in wet ingredients

making chai spiced banana nut bread pouring into bread pans

making chai spiced banana nut bread sprinkling on cinnamon and nuts

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Melt butter and olive oil in a pan and set aside to cool.

Mash the bananas up in a bowl, add in the sugar, eggs, vanilla, and molasses, and mix together. Mix melted butter and olive oil into the bowl with the banana mixture and mix well.

In a separate bowl, mix the dry ingredients – flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, chia spice mix, and chopped walnuts.

Now, pour half the wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients and mix, then add the rest of the wet ingredients and mix just until incorporated.

Grease two loaf pans with butter and divide the batter between them, divide the chopped walnuts between them, and sprinkle the top with a little bit of cinnamon.

Bake in the preheated oven at 350F for 60-70 minutes, or test the middle with a thin knife. If it comes out clean (with little to no sticky dough on it) it’s done. If you test and there is a little bit of dough still on the knife, the bread will continue to bake even after moving it from the oven. But if the knife is covered with a lot of sticky dough, then bake for another 10 minutes and check again.)

Let cool on a wire rack for an hour, then flip upside down to remove the loaves from the pans.

chai spiced banana nut bread sliced on a cutting board

Common Questions When Making

How ripe should my bananas be?

The riper, the better! You want bananas that are heavily spotted or even turning black. They mash more easily and bring a natural sweetness to the bread.

chai spiced banana nut bread sliced with butter on top

Can I add mix-ins like chocolate chips?

Absolutely! Dark chocolate chips take it to another level, even shredded coconut could be fun. Just don’t go overboard—about 1/4 -1/2 cups of mix-ins should do the trick.

Can I make this recipe dairy-free?

Yes! Swap the butter for melted coconut oil or a neutral oil, and use plant-based milk like almond or oat milk if the recipe calls for milk. The flavors will still be warm, cozy, and delicious.

How do I store chai banana bread?

Once it’s cooled, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or store it in an airtight container. It stays fresh at room temp for about 3 days, in the fridge for up to a week, and you can freeze slices for up to 3 months. Perfect for a quick breakfast or snack!

chai spiced banana nut bread on cutting board sliced up with a cup of tea

Even More Recipes to Try Next

Whole Wheat Waffle Recipe

Whole Wheat Waffles with all the toppings in bowls on a table

Black Forest Cherry Pie Recipe

Black Forest Cherry pie in white pie pan on a cutting board

Pumpkin Spice Cream Cheese Muffins

Recipe Card

Easy Chai Spiced Banana Nut Bread

This Easy Chai Spiced Banana Nut Bread takes classic banana bread to the next level with warm chai spices and crunchy nuts. It’s moist, soft, and packed with cozy flavors like cinnamon, cardamom, and ginger. Perfect for breakfast, an afternoon snack, or a sweet treat with a cup of tea.

Print This Recipe Pin Recipe

Ingredients

1/2 cup Butter
1/2 cup Olive oil or coconut oil
6 Bananas – medium size
1 cup Granulated sugar
5 Large Eggs
1 tbsp Vanilla extract
1 tbsp Molasses
4 cups Unbleached all-purpose flour
1- 1/2 tsp Baking powder
2 tsp Baking soda
2 tsp Salt
2 tsp Cinnamon
3- 1/2 tsp Chia spice mix *link to amazon in the post
3/4 cup Walnuts chopped
1/4 cup Walnuts chopped (topping)
Cinnamon (topping)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350F.
Makes 2 large Loaves
Melt butter and olive oil in a pan and set aside to cool.
Mash the bananas up in a bowl and add in the sugar, eggs, vanilla, and molasses and mix together. Then pour in the melted butter and olive oil into the bowl with the banana mixture and mix well.
In a separate bowl mix together all the dry ingredients flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, chia spice mix, and chopped walnuts.
Now, pour half the wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients and mix, then add the rest of the wet ingredients and mix just until incorporated.
Grease two loaf pans with butter and divide the batter between them, divide the chopped walnuts between them, and sprinkle the top with a little bit of cinnamon.
Bake in the preheated oven at 350F for 60-70 minutes, or test the middle with a thin knife, if it comes out clean (with little to no sticky dough on it) it’s done. (if you test and there is a little bit of dough still on the knife, the bread will continue to bake even after moving it from the oven. But if the knife is covered with a lot of sticky dough, then just bake for another 10 minutes and check again.)
Let cool on a wire rack for an hour, then simply flip upside down to remove the loaves from the pans.