This chai latte pumpkin spice bread is inspired by Starbucks—a mashup of their iconic pumpkin chai latte drink and pumpkin bread. This quick bread recipe is full of pumpkin flavor combined with chai spices, and is perfect for this time of year.
Calling all tea drinkers! My homemade pumpkin spice chai latte inspired pumpkin bread recipe has all the best fall flavors wrapped up in one delicious loaf. The warm spices and chai flavor are the best part!
Chai is my favorite tea and it’s really easy to make. I prepared a homemade chai-infused milk and paired it with pumpkin puree and chai spices. For traditional pumpkin bread, use regular milk in the recipe instead.
My husband, Marrekus, is not a pumpkin spice fan, but I just couldn’t resist making this recipe for the blog. While I’m still Team Sweet Potato Pie, this is hands down my favorite fall recipe.
What you’ll love about this recipe:
Ingredients
- All-Purpose Flour: Be sure to use a kitchen scale or spoon and level the flour to avoid packing.
- Baking Soda: Acts as a leavening agent, helping the bread rise. Make sure your baking soda is fresh; it loses potency over time. To test, drop a small amount in vinegar—if it bubbles, it’s still good to use.
- Ground Cinnamon: Adds warmth and sweetness to the spice blend. Cinnamon is the backbone of chai spices and complements the pumpkin flavor.
- Ground Cardamom: A key spice in chai. You can also buy whole cardamom pods and grind them yourself.
- Ground Ginger: A classic component of both chai and pumpkin spice blends.
- Ground Allspice: Enhances the complexity of the spice mix. If you don’t have allspice, use a mix of cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg to replicate its flavor.
- Ground Cloves: Adds a deep, warm spiciness. Cloves are potent, so a little goes a long way. Pre-ground cloves lose their potency quickly, so fresh is best.
- Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt: Enhances the overall flavor and balances the sweetness. Diamond Crystal kosher salt is preferred because it has a lighter, flakier texture. if using table salt, reduce the amount slightly since it’s finer and more concentrated.
- Eggs: Room temperature eggs blend more evenly with the batter.
- Granulated Sugar: Adds sweetness and helps create a tender crumb. It also helps to balance the spices.
- Brown Sugar: Adds moisture, sweetness, and a subtle molasses flavor. Dark brown sugar will give a deeper flavor, while light brown sugar is milder.
- Pumpkin Purée: The star of the recipe, puree adds moisture, flavor, and a beautiful orange hue. It also contributes to the tender texture. We used 100% pure canned pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling, which contains added sugars and spices. Homemade pumpkin puree can be used, but make sure to drain any excess moisture.
- Vegetable Oil: Keeps the bread moist and tender. It’s a neutral oil that doesn’t interfere with the other flavors. Melted coconut oil, olive oil, or canola oil can be used instead.
- Milk: Chai tea (see below) is seeped in warm milk to infuse it with flavor. Whole milk is best for richness, but you can use any milk, including non-dairy milk like almond milk, coconut milk, or creamy oat milk. Just note that non-dairy options may change the flavor slightly.
- Chai Tea Bag: Used to infuse the milk with chai flavor. The tea bag combines various spices typically found in chai, like cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, and cloves. You can also use loose tea.
Recipe Variations or Substitutions
- Chai Concentrate: Replace the chai-infused milk in the recipe with an equal amount of chai concentrate. If the concentrate is sweetened, you might want to slightly reduce the amount of sugar in the recipe to balance the sweetness.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice: Using a pumpkin spice blend as a replacement can be a convenient option, especially if you want to simplify the recipe without compromising too much on flavor. However, if you want that distinct chai flavor, sticking to the individual spices, particularly cardamom and cloves, will give you a more authentic and robust chai taste that a generic pumpkin pie spice blend might not fully capture.
- Vanilla Extract: Adding a bit of vanilla extract to your chai spice pumpkin bread recipe is a great idea! Add 1 to 1.5 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract to the wet ingredients (mix it in with the eggs, sugars, pumpkin puree, and vegetable oil).
- Pepitas: Add as a topping to your chai spice pumpkin bread, a nod to the popular Starbucks version. Sprinkle about 2-3 tablespoons of pepitas evenly over the top of the batter before baking.
- Muffins: Turn your chai spice pumpkin bread into muffins. Line a standard muffin tin with paper liners or lightly grease the cups. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C), fill each muffin cup about 2/3 to 3/4 full with batter, and bake for 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Chocolate Chips: A lot of people like to make chocolate chip pumpkin bread. Add 1/2 cup semi-sweet sweet chocolate chips to the batter and stir well to incorporate.
- Sour Cream or Greek Yogurt: If you like an extra moist pumpkin bread, add a tablespoon or two of sour cream or Greek yogurt to the wet ingredients.
Tools
- Small Saucepan: For heating the milk to make the chai-infused milk.
- Mug or Bowl: To steep the chai tea bag in the hot milk.
- Whisk: For mixing both the dry and wet ingredients to ensure a smooth batter.
- Large Mixing Bowls: One for dry ingredients and another for wet ingredients.
- 9×5-inch Loaf Pan: For baking the bread (or muffin tins if you’re planning to make pumpkin muffins).
- Parchment Paper (optional): To line the loaf pan for easy removal of the bread.
- Spatula: For gently combining the wet and dry ingredients.
- Toothpick: To check for doneness by inserting it into the center of the bread.
Chai Spiced Pumpkin Bread Loaf Recipe
- First, steep the chai tea bag in warm milk and let it cool.
- Preheat your oven and grease a loaf pan.
- Whisk the dry ingredients together in one bowl, and in another, mix the wet ingredients, including the chai-infused milk.
- Combine the wet and dry mixtures gently with a spatula, then pour the batter into the loaf pan.
- Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, and let the bread cool on a wire rack before cutting individual slices.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Don’t Overmix: When combining the wet and dry ingredients, mix until just combined. Overmixing can lead to a denser, tougher pumpkin loaf. A few small lumps are fine.
- Pan Prep: If you’re using parchment paper, leave an overhang on the sides for easy removal of the bread from the pan. This will help keep the loaf intact when you lift it out.
- Even Baking: If your bread tends to brown too quickly on top, tent it with aluminum foil for the last 15 minutes of baking to prevent over-browning while the inside finishes cooking
- Check for Doneness: To avoid over-baking, start checking the bread for doneness at the lower end of the suggested baking time. Insert a toothpick or skewer into the center; it should come out clean or with just a few moist crumbs, not wet batter.
How to Turn Pumpkin Bread into Muffins
This chai latte pumpkin spice bread recipe makes 15–18 pumpkin muffins. Bake at 350°F for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
What Goes with Chai Latte Pumpkin Spice Bread
Keep it simple! A hot cup of coffee, chai tea, or even a pumpkin spice latte complements the warm spices in the bread. Some people like to spread a bit of cream cheese on a slice, or even apple butter. A drizzle of maple syrup or a side of yogurt goes great with pumpkin spice bread.
How to Store Leftover Pumpkin Bread
Store leftover pumpkin bread in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, or place it in an airtight container. It will stay fresh at room temperature for about 2-3 days. If you need to keep it longer, you can refrigerate it. Wrap it well or use an airtight container, and it should last up to a week.
How to Freeze Chai Latte Pumpkin Spice Bread
Once the chai latte pumpkin spice bread has cooled completely, wrap the whole loaf or individual slices tightly in plastic wrap. Then, place the wrapped bread into a resealable plastic bag. Keep the bread in the freezer for up to three months. To thaw, leave the bread in the refrigerator overnight or at room temperature. If you’ve thawed a whole loaf, you can freshen it by warming it in a 325°F oven for about 10 minutes.
Summary
I took your favorite pumpkin spice chai latte recipe and made it into a delicious pumpkin bread! It’s guaranteed to be one of your favorite pumpkin recipes this fall.
Homemade Chai Latte Pumpkin Spice Bread Recipe
This chai latte pumpkin spice bread is inspired by Starbucks—a mashup of their iconic pumpkin chai latte drink and pumpkin bread. This quick bread recipe is full of pumpkin flavor combined with chai spices, and is perfect for this time of year.
Ingredients
- 1 and 3/4 cups 219g all-purpose flour, spooned & leveled
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 3/4 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 1/2 cup 100g granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup 150g packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1 15- ounce can 425g pumpkin puree (or about 2 cups fresh)
- 1/2 cup 120ml vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup 60ml chai-infused milk (see instructions below)
Chai-Infused Milk
- 1 teabag of chai tea
- 1/4 cup 60ml whole milk
Instructions
- Prepare Chai-Infused Milk: Bring 1/4 cup of milk to a boil in a small saucepan or heat it in the microwave for 1-2 minutes until hot. Pour the hot milk over the chai tea bag in a mug or bowl. Let it steep for 2-3 minutes. Remove the tea bag and allow the chai-infused milk to cool to room temperature. If prepared the day before, refrigerate it overnight and bring it to room temperature before using. Alternatively, use chai concentrate.
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan or line it with parchment paper.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, allspice, cloves, and salt. Set aside.
- Prepare Wet Ingredients: In another bowl, whisk the eggs, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until smooth. Stir in the pumpkin puree, oil, and chai-infused milk until fully combined.
- Combine Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing gently with a spatula until just combined.
- Pour into Pan: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread it evenly.
- Bake: Bake for 55-65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. If the top browns too quickly, cover with aluminum foil during the last 15 minutes.
- Cool: Let your chai latte pumpkin spice bread cool in the pan for 15-20 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- For easy removal, you can make a parchment paper sling. Just cut a piece of parchment paper long enough to extend over the edges of your loaf pan. Place it in the pan before pouring in the batter, leaving some overhang on the sides. Once the bread is baked and cooled slightly, you can simply lift the bread out using the parchment handles—no sticking, no fuss!
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
