Chai Spiced Banana Smoothies – This chai banana smoothie is such a yummy change of pace! The chai spice blend is fantastic–you’ll want to put it on everything!
Originally Posted March 2014. Post and photos updated Sep 2017.
Do you ever see a recipe in a book or online that you just can’t stop thinking about? I was that way a few years ago with chai spice mixes. I couldn’t stop thinking about ways to use it…oatmeal, granola, smoothies…yum!
We’ve been making this chai banana smoothie for over three years now, and it never disappoints! It’s close-your-eyes good and as delicious as can be!
To be fair, I should call these “almost chai spiced” because many chai blends also have black pepper. My goal was to make something that Milo and Sophie would also eat, so we skipped the pepper. Maybe we’ll try again in a few months with the pepper, but for now, I thought we’d best play it safe.
These are substantial, filling, and just different enough to break up the greens-n-fruit smoothie routine. I’m always and forever on the hunt for healthy proteins and fats for us to eat. These have almond butter, which also lends a velvety texture, and flax or chia seeds, which lend protein, fiber, and healthy fat. The leftovers (if you have any) also make fabulous popsicles.
I like my smoothies on the thicker side, but if you want yours thinner, you can easily add a bit more almond milk. But fair warning: after trying a chai banana smoothie, you’ll want to toss this spice blend into everything!
Notes on the Recipe:
Want to add some greens? You can easily add 1 cup of spinach, though the color is admittedly a bit funky. If you don’t have a high-speed blender, I always recommend blending your greens + liquid first before adding any of the other ingredients. It helps get the smoothest texture! If you’ve got a high-speed blender (I swear by this one), greens should be the very last ingredient you add.
Thicker, thinner…. We’re mega fans of banana “nice” cream, so keep thing these smoothies thick feels almost as luxurious as soft-serve ice cream when we serve it for snack. If I’m sipping this in the morning, I usually make it a bit thinner by adding more almond milk to the blender. It’s totally your preference! You can even add some ice for a frosty texture.
How to Store the Chai Spice – This blend makes PLENTY (much more than you need for a single smoothie), so I recommend keeping it in an airtight jar or container. It’ll keep for several months without losing its potency. If you’re not sure you’ll use it all, you can absolutely halve or quarter the recipe for the spice blend.
What’s Cardamom? If you haven’t used it before, cardamom is one of my FAVORITE spices. I love using it in sweet dishes, like this smoothie, or our favorite pear sauce, but it’s also unbelievable in savory dishes like Slow Cooker Butter Chicken. It’s worth having on hand!
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Chai Spiced Banana Smoothie
- Prep Time: 8 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: About 8 minutes
- Yield: 2 Servings 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
If your bananas just aren’t that ripe, you may need to add just a small drizzle of pure maple syrup to the mixture. I’ve made this over and over and only needed it once.
Ingredients
For chai spice mixture:
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 2 tsp cardamom
- 1 tsp ginger
- 1 tsp cloves
- 1 tsp nutmeg
For smoothie:
- 1 tsp chai spice mixture (above)
- 2 frozen bananas, sliced
- 1– 1 1/2 cup milk (I like unsweetened almond milk)
- 2 Tbsp almond butter or nut butter
- 2 Tbsp ground flax seed or chia seeds (optional)
Instructions
For the chai spice mixture:
- Combine all spices together in a small bowl. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
For the smoothie:
- Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth, adding more almond milk as necessary. Drink immediately, or freeze in popsicle molds.
- Feel free to top with chopped nuts, cacao nibs, or any other goodies your heart desires.
- Category: Drink
- Method: Blender
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: chai spice banana smoothie, chai banana smoothie,
On the chai spice mix, a second use for it:
Add a half tsp to your coffee grounds in a drip maker basket (but don’t do a full pot, just to the 8 cup line) and you have chai spice coffee for those cold mornings. 🙂
Mike – Thanks for the tip! I’m sure the coffee lovers will be excited!
YUM!! Great recipe…I will be making this a lot! I used Teddy natural peanut butter. I also used the optional chia seeds. The chai mixture is one of the best and couldn’t be easier. I will never buy chai again! Thank you!
Oh yay! I’m so happy to hear that. Thank you for sharing!!!
Hi Emily, what a great recipe! I love chai but was a little hesitant about banana being mixed in. It was delicious. I added frozen kale & couldn’t even taste it. Even my hubby who won’t usually drink chai tea with me enjoyed it. I’m new to your blog & look forward to trying more recipes. Thank you for sharing!
Thank YOU for such a kind comment! You made my day!
Hi Emily, I wanted to add an update to my earlier comment. I happened to freeze the remainder of my smoothie and gave it to my 18 month old daughter who loved it! She’s picky & won’t eat any other flavor. She even waits in front of the freezer each morning saying “moothie moothie!” Just wanted to share this for any of your readers with children. Definitely the best chai spice i’ve tried.
★★★★★
I LOVE hearing that! It was my son’s favorite smoothie for a few years when he was that age!
Tried and tested on my Yoga mumas in my mother and baby yoga class. They loved this healthy autumnal treat xxx Thank you for sharing xxx
★★★★
Oh yay! I’m so glad you all enjoyed it. It’s a favorite around here!
This looks so delicious. I’ll try it tomorrow
★★★★★
I hope you love it!
Oh my GAWD!!!!!!!!!! I am on my second week of my first whole 30 and was craving a chai latte like you would not believe!!!! This was even better. I’m glad I found it the second week because I think if I had tried it last week I still would have been so sugar dead it wouldn’t have been tasty. Tonight though, it was the most decadent thing ever. I’m so happy!!
★★★★★
YAAAAAAS! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Just made this and it was so yummy!!! Highly recommended. Thanks
Oh yay! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
This smoothie recipe is one of the best I’ve ever made and tasted… Also made it for my 2 year old daughter and partner and they wanted me to make it again for them after dinner for dessert. I give this recipe 5 stars, it’s so delicious (I couldn’t fault anything!) Love it. Thank you for sharing 😍
★★★★★
Amber I’m SO glad you liked it! It’s one of my very favorites 🙂
Holy yum this was delicious!!
★★★★★
I’m so glad! It was Milo’s favorite for YEARS. I love it every time we make it! 🙂