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Banana Chai Muffins are super moist banana muffins, flavored with a chai spice blend and topped with a walnut crumb streusel.
These Banana Chai Muffins just might become your new favorite muffin recipe. Chai spices are mixed into both the batter and crumb topping – so every bite is a flavor sensation!
What is Chai?
The word chai means tea in Hindi – and it’s a popular drink throughout India consisting of black tea, whole milk, and a variety of spices that can vary by each family’s recipe. According to Food & Wine, the most common spice used in chai is cardamom, along with cinnamon, ginger, star anise and cloves.
We came up with our own chai spice mix (see the recipe here) and used it to flavor these easy, streusel-topped banana muffins.
Why You’ll Love Banana Chai Streusel Topped Muffins
- The chai spice blend enhances the natural flavors of the bananas.
- This recipe is a great way to use up overripe or frozen bananas.
- They bake up super moist and delicious with a sweet walnut-infused topping.
Chef’s Tip – We keep a regular supply of bananas in our house, and any bananas that get too ripe go right in the freezer with the skin still on. When we are ready to bake, we just pull out what we need, thaw, peel and measure for the recipe.
Key ingredients and Substitutions
- Banana – This recipe uses one whole pound of bananas (approximately four or five, depending on the size). Those overripe bananas sitting on your counter, or any bananas in your freezer will work very well in this recipe.
- Chai spice – See our recipe here for a homemade chai spice blend. It’s made from ground cinnamon, nutmeg, black pepper, cardamom, cloves, and ginger.
- Other muffin batter ingredients – This includes eggs, butter, brown sugar, vanilla, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt.
- Streusel topping – Chopped walnuts, all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, more of our homemade chai spice, and butter are mixed together for the crumbly topping.
Special supplies needed
- 12-cup standard-size muffin tin
- Mixer with paddle attachment
- Regular muffin paper liners
- Tulip paper liners (like this)
Chef’s Tip – The natural sugars of the mashed bananas in the muffin batter will easily caramelize from the heat of the oven. To stop the bottom and sides of these muffins from over-browning as they bake, use a double layer of paper muffin tins liners. We fill tulip paper liners with the batter, with a regular paper liner underneath.
How do I make Banana Chai Streusel Topped Muffins?
- Prepare your muffin tin by placing 12 standard muffin papers in each cavity of the muffin pan. Then nest the tulip paper liners inside each standard paper.
- Beat the eggs in a mixing bowl on a high speed for five minutes until light and fluffy.
- Add brown sugar and beat again for two minutes.
- Add mashed bananas and vanilla and beat again.
- Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder and chai spice together.
- With mixer running on low, add sea salt. Then, slowly add in the sifted flour mixture just until the dry ingredients are incorporated. (Do not overmix.) Scrape the sides of the bowl and briefly mix again.
- Add melted butter to the bowl and mix until well incorporated and fluffy.
- Scoop the batter evenly into the 12 prepared muffin tulip papers and set aside.
- Chop walnuts then mix with flour, granulated sugar, more chai spice and softened butter to make the crumbly streusel topping.
- Sprinkle the topping evenly over the batter of each muffin.
- Bake in a preheated oven for 35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center of a muffin.
Chef’s Tip – If you decide not to use the tulip papers, double up on the standard muffin liners. Then fill each muffin cup three-quarters full of batter. Note that you will have extra batter to make more than 12 muffins.
Frequently asked Questions
Can I make Banana Chai Streusel Topped Muffins ahead of time? Yes, but they should be eaten or frozen within a day or two. These muffins are best fresh out of the oven.
How do I store leftovers? Store at room temperature covered tightly for up to two days.
Can I freeze these muffins? Yes, these muffins will freeze well as long as they are wrapped extra tight with plastic wrap. Just note that some of the streusel topping might fall off.
You might enjoy these other banana recipes:
- Pumpkin Banana Muffins
- Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
- Bananas Foster
- Best Ever Banana Bread
- Banana Chocolate Chip Sheet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
We love seeing what you made! Tag us on Instagram at @afamilyfeast or hashtag #afamilyfeast so we can see your creations!
Banana Chai Muffins
Ingredients
2 large eggs
1 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 pound overripe bananas (about 1 3/4 to 2 cups once mashed)
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon chai spice mix (see recipe here)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
Streusel topping
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon chai spice (see recipe here)
6 tablespoons butter, softened
Instructions
Prepare muffin tin by placing 12 standard muffin papers in the muffin pan then adding 12 tulip paper liners on top of the standard paper liners. Placing the muffin papers in first will add an extra layer of protection to prevent the bottom and sides of the muffin from baking up too dark, which usually happens with banana bread and muffins.
Spray the inside of the tulip papers with kitchen pan spray and set aside.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. with rack in the upper half of the oven.
In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs on a high speed for five full minutes to incorporate air into the batter.
Add the brown sugar and vanilla and beat for two more minutes on medium speed.
Add the mashed bananas and beat for two more minutes on medium speed.
In a separate bowl, sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder and chai spice.
With the mixer running on low, add the sea salt then slowly add the flour mixture and mix until no dry shows.
Scrape the bowl and beat again.
Add butter and beat on medium until incorporated and fluffy. Scrape and beat again.
Use a large ice cream scoop and divide the batter between the 12 prepared tulip cups.
In a bowl, mix all of the streusel topping and divide evenly over the top of each muffin. I found it easier to use a sturdy whisk to mix the topping.
Bake for 35 minutes.
Insert a toothpick into the center of one muffin and if it comes out clean, remove the muffins from the oven. If there is still wet batter on the toothpick, bake for a minute or two longer until a toothpick comes out clean. Do not over bake.
Serve warm with butter.
Store leftovers at room temperature covered tightly for up to two days, or wrap tightly with plastic and freeze until needed.
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Delicious
Thank you Laurie!