Banana Muffin Chai Recipe

Preheat and prepare pan

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease each cup lightly with butter or nonstick spray.

Mash bananas

In a medium bowl, mash the ripe bananas with a fork or potato masher until mostly smooth with a few small lumps remaining. Measure out 1 cup mashed banana.

Whisk wet ingredients

In a large bowl, whisk together the mashed banana, the egg, whole milk, yogurt (or sour cream), melted cooled butter, and vanilla extract until combined.

Combine dry ingredients

In a separate bowl, sift or whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, ground cardamom, and salt until evenly distributed.

Mix wet and dry

Add the dry ingredients to the wet banana mixture. Stir gently with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon just until the flour streaks disappear; do not overmix. The batter should be thick but scoopable. If the batter seems stiff, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk.

Portion batter

Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each about 3/4 full. This recipe makes 10–12 standard muffins depending on fill level.

Brew and mix chai milk

Brew strong black chai tea (use 1 teabag or 1 teaspoon loose chai per 1/4 cup water) and cool slightly. In a small bowl or measuring cup combine 1/2 cup cooled strong chai and 1/4 cup whole milk. Stir in the optional honey or maple syrup and 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon if using. Taste and adjust sweetness; this mixture will lightly flavor the muffins.

Brush before baking (optional)

Just before placing muffins in the oven, brush the tops lightly with about 1 tablespoon of the chai milk mixture to create a subtle chai note on the crust. Reserve remaining chai milk for serving.

Add toppings

If using, scatter thin banana slices or chopped toasted walnuts over each muffin and sprinkle the tops with turbinado or coarse sugar and a light dusting of cinnamon.

Bake

Bake in the preheated oven for 18–22 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through, until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out with a few moist crumbs (not wet batter).

Cool and finish

Remove muffins from the oven and let cool in the tin for 5–7 minutes. If desired, brush the warm tops with a little of the reserved chai milk for extra chai aroma. Transfer muffins to a wire rack and cool another 15 minutes before serving.

Serve

Serve warm or at room temperature with a small cup of the remaining chai milk warmed (if cooled) or alongside a cup of chai tea. The chai milk can be warmed gently and frothed for a latte-like finish.