Copycat Starbucks Iced Banana Bread Chai | Easy Homemade Coffee Shop Drink
Ripe bananas with deep brown speckles make the sweetest base for this drink, carrying natural sugars that mellow the spice of a strong chai blend.
Chai concentrate, whole milk and a cinnamon-brown sugar banana puree come together for a cold, spiced sip you can make in minutes. Mix up a batch and keep the banana syrup on hand for the next craving.
| Prep | Cook | Total | Servings | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 min | 5 min | 15 min | 2 servings | Medium |
What You Need for Iced Banana Bread Chai: Ingredients
Chai tea concentrate: carries the clove, cardamom and black pepper notes that give this drink its spice. Swap: strong brewed black tea steeped with a cinnamon stick and a few cloves.
- Ripe banana: the riper and more speckled, the sweeter and more fragrant the syrup turns out. Swap: a frozen banana, thawed, works just as well and blends smoother.
- Brown sugar: dissolves into the banana as it cooks, giving that baked, caramelized bread flavor. Swap: maple syrup for a slightly thinner syrup with a similar depth.
- Ground cinnamon and nutmeg: the spice pairing that reads as banana bread instead of plain chai. Swap: a pinch of pumpkin pie spice covers both in one scoop.
- Whole milk: smooths out the chai's sharper spices and gives the drink its light caramel color. Swap: oat milk for a dairy-free version with a slightly sweeter finish.
- Ice: chills the drink fast without watering it down too much, since the chai is already concentrated.
- Whipped cream (optional): the coffee shop finishing touch. Swap: coconut whipped cream if you're skipping dairy.
- Banana bread crumbs (optional garnish): a crumbly topping that nods to the name. Swap: crushed graham crackers if you don't have banana bread on hand.
Find exact amounts in the recipe card below.
How to Make Iced Banana Bread Chai
- Cook the banana syrup. Mash the banana well, then cook it in a small saucepan with brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg over medium heat, stirring often, until it thickens into a glossy syrup, about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Cool slightly. Pull the syrup off the heat and let it sit for a few minutes so it doesn't melt your ice on contact.
- Build the glass. Fill a tall glass with ice, spoon the banana syrup over it, then pour the chai concentrate on top and stir until the syrup swirls through and the color turns a light caramel.
- Add milk and finish. Pour in the milk, stir once more, then top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of banana bread crumbs and cinnamon if you're using them.
What to Serve With It
This drink is sweet enough to work as an afternoon treat on its own, but it pairs well with a slice of Easy Vegan Banana Bread, a square of Easy Banana Zucchini Bread, or a warm wedge of Cinnamon Roll Pumpkin Bread with Cream Cheese Glaze for a fall-leaning snack plate.
Our Kitchen Notes
- Don't skip cooking the banana. Raw mashed banana turns grainy and separates in the drink; cooking it with the sugar breaks it down into a smooth syrup that blends into the chai.
- Use a ripe, spotty banana. Green or barely yellow bananas taste starchy once cooked and won't give you the sweet, baked flavor the drink is named for.
- Check the syrup's texture before pulling it off the heat. It's ready when it coats the back of a spoon and no longer looks watery, not when it's fully caramelized or dark brown.
If You Want to Change It
- Dairy-free: swap whole milk for oat or almond milk; the drink turns slightly thinner but just as creamy.
- Spice it up: add a pinch of ground ginger or black pepper to the banana syrup for more heat.
- Lighter version: cut the brown sugar in half and use a sugar-free chai concentrate.
- Hot version: skip the ice, warm the milk and chai together on the stove, then stir in the banana syrup.
- Blended version: combine the ice, chai, milk and banana syrup in a blender for a frozen, smoothie-style drink.
Keeping and Reheating
Store leftover banana syrup in the fridge for up to 4 days in a sealed jar; it thickens as it chills, so stir in a splash of warm water before using. The syrup also freezes well for up to 2 months (thaw it overnight in the fridge). Once assembled, drink the chai right away, since the ice dilutes it and the banana syrup separates after a few hours.
Iced Banana Bread Chai: Your Questions
What does banana bread chai actually taste like?
It tastes like a spiced chai tea latte with a sweet, baked banana flavor layered underneath, closer to banana bread batter than fresh fruit.
Is chai concentrate the same as chai tea?
No, concentrate is brewed stronger and usually sweetened, so it's meant to be diluted with milk or water instead of sipped straight.
Can I make this without a blender?
A blender isn't needed here; mashing the banana with a fork and cooking it on the stove gives you a smoother syrup than blending raw banana would.
Iced Banana Bread Chai
Ingredients
Method
- Mash the banana: Peel a ripe, spotty banana and mash it well with a fork in a small saucepan until mostly smooth with a few small lumps.
- Cook the banana syrup: Add the brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg to the mashed banana and cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the mixture thickens and turns glossy, about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Cool the syrup: Remove the pan from the heat and let the syrup sit for about 5 minutes so it isn't hot enough to melt your ice right away.
- Fill the glasses with ice: Divide the ice cubes between two tall glasses, filling them about three-quarters full.
- Spoon in the syrup: Spoon the cooled banana syrup over the ice in each glass, dividing it evenly between the two.
- Add the chai concentrate: Pour the chai tea concentrate over the ice and syrup, splitting it evenly between the two glasses.
- Pour in the milk: Top each glass with whole milk, leaving a little room at the top for whipped cream if using.
- Stir to combine: Stir each drink with a long spoon until the banana syrup swirls through and the color turns a light caramel brown.
- Add whipped cream: Top each glass with a layer of whipped cream if you want the coffee shop finish.
- Garnish and serve: Sprinkle crumbled banana bread and a dusting of ground cinnamon over the whipped cream, then serve with a straw.
You Might Also Like
- Easy Vegan Banana Bread: a moist, dairy-free loaf that pairs well with this chai.
- Easy Banana Zucchini Bread: a spiced quick bread with extra moisture from zucchini.
- Cinnamon Roll Pumpkin Bread with Cream Cheese Glaze: a swirled fall loaf finished with a sweet glaze.
- Delicious Homemade Egg Bites Better Than Starbucks: a savory copycat to balance out this sweet drink.
