Name: Iced Banana Bread Chai
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Yield: 1
Ingredients: ½ cup chai concentrate; ½ cup 2% milk; 1 cup ice cubes; 3 tablespoons heavy cream; 1 tablespoon whole milk; 2 tablespoons banana bread syrup; ½ teaspoon cinnamon sugar, or to taste

This Iced Banana Bread Chai is a cozy twist on an iced chai latte, with warm chai spices and sweet banana bread cold foam. It’s my at-home take on the Starbucks fall drink, that brings together spiced chai and homemade banana bread syrup.

Iced banana bread chai latte topped with creamy banana bread cold foam and cinnamon sugar, with sliced bananas and cinnamon sticks alongside the Starbucks copycat drink.

This Iced Banana Bread Chai is what happens when warm, spiced chai meets the cozy flavor of banana bread. It starts with a cold chai latte and is topped with a luscious layer of banana bread cold foam that slowly melts into the drink.

Chai and banana bread make a pretty natural match. The cinnamon, clove, cardamom, and ginger in chai have the same warm, bakery-like qualities that make banana bread so good. Add that creamy banana bread cold foam on top, and you get a sweet first sip followed by those warm chai spices.

This is my at-home take on the Starbucks Iced Banana Bread Chai, with one important change. The Starbucks version uses unsweetened chai concentrate sweetened with banana bread syrup, then tops it with brown sugar cold foam.

When I tested it at home, though, I found that the sweetened chai concentrates readily available at the grocery store made that version much too sweet. So I moved the banana bread syrup into the cold foam instead.

You still get all those banana bread and chai flavors you’re looking for, but you only need one syrup, the sweetness is just right, and every sip starts with creamy banana bread flavor before the warm chai spices come through.

Starbucks copycat iced banana bread chai latte topped with banana bread cold foam and cinnamon sugar, made with chai latte concentrate, banana bread syrup, milk and cinnamon sugar.

Why You’ll Love This Iced Banana Bread Chai

It uses ingredients you can actually find. A store-bought sweetened chai concentrate and homemade banana bread syrup are all you need for the flavor base.
The cold foam adds the banana bread flavor. Instead of adding banana bread syrup to the chai, I use it in the cold foam. That keeps the chai from getting too sweet while letting the banana bread flavor come through.
The cold foam slowly melts into the chai. You get creamy banana bread flavor right away, then it gradually mixes into the spiced chai underneath.

Starbucks copycat iced banana bread chai topped with a rich layer of banana bread cold foam and cinnamon sugar, surrounded by sliced bananas, cinnamon sticks, and homemade banana bread syrup.

Tip: If you make my homemade banana bread syrup, make a batch ahead of time. You can use it in this cold foam and in other drinks whenever you want that banana bread flavor.

Starbucks Iced Banana Bread Chai vs. My At-Home Version

Starbucks Version	My At-Home Version
Unsweetened chai concentrate	Sweetened chai concentrate
Banana bread syrup in the latte	No syrup in the latte
Milk	Milk
Ice	Ice
Brown sugar cold foam	Banana bread cold foam
Cinnamon dolce sprinkles	Cinnamon sugar

The difference is where the banana bread syrup goes. Starbucks adds it to the chai, while I use it in the cold foam. That makes this version work with the sweetened chai concentrates you can easily find at the grocery store, without making the drink too sweet.

Starbucks copycat iced banana bread chai latte with creamy banana bread cold foam on top and a jar of homemade banana bread syrup in the background.

Ingredients Needed

Banana bread syrup
Chai concentrate
Milk (for latte and cold foam)
Heavy cream
Ice cubes
Cinnamon Sugar

Labeled ingredients for making a Starbucks copycat iced banana bread chai latte, including chai concentrate, milk, heavy cream, banana bread syrup, ice, and cinnamon sugar.

Ingredient Notes & Substitutions

Banana bread syrup – You can make my homemade banana bread syrup or use a store-bought version. I love the homemade one because it uses real ingredients and is simple to make. For this recipe, the syrup flavors the cold foam. If you’re using unsweetened chai concentrate, you can also use it to sweeten the chai itself.

Chai concentrate – Use your favorite chai. This is the base of the drink, so the chai flavor matters. I use sweetened chai concentrate for this version because that’s what I tested this recipe with at home. You can also make my homemade chai concentrate and choose the unsweetened option.

Milk – Use whatever milk you like for the latte portion. I use 2% milk. You’ll also need a small amount of whole milk for the cold foam.

Heavy cream – This is what gives the cold foam its creamy texture. It gets frothed with the milk and banana bread syrup until it’s light enough to pour over the chai.

Ice cubes – This is an iced chai, so fill your glass well with ice, being sure to leave space for the creamy cold foam layer.

Cinnamon sugar – You can make your own by mixing a little cinnamon with white sugar, or use turbinado sugar for a chunkier topping. You can also buy pre-mixed cinnamon sugar.

Iced banana bread chai latte with banana slices, cinnamon sugar, milk, and banana bread syrup arranged around the drink.

How to Make Iced Banana Bread Chai

Detailed recipe and instructions are in recipe card at bottom of post.

Make the Banana Bread Cold Foam

For the best frothing, start with very cold ingredients and a cold container. I like to put the heavy cream, whole milk, banana bread syrup, and a tall, narrow jar or glass in the freezer for about 5 minutes. You don’t want anything to freeze, just get it really cold.

Add the cold ingredients to the chilled container. Using a handheld milk frother, start frothing near the surface to pull in air, then lower the frother into the mixture to create a vortex. Keep frothing until it looks like melted ice cream and is thick enough to pour but still fluid.

If it isn’t quite thick enough, pop it back in the freezer for a couple of minutes and froth again. That little trick works surprisingly well.

Steps for making banana bread cold foam by combining cold milk and heavy cream with banana bread syrup, then frothing until thick and creamy.

Make the Iced Chai

Fill a glass with the chai concentrate and milk, followed by the ice, making sure to leave space at the top for the cold foam layer.

Steps for making an iced chai latte by adding chai concentrate and milk to a glass, then filling it with ice.

Add the Banana Bread Cold Foam

Slowly pour the cold foam over the iced chai. It should sit on top at first, then gradually cascade into the drink as you sip.

Banana bread cold foam being poured over an iced chai latte, creating a thick, creamy layer on top of the Starbucks copycat drink.

Finish the Drink

Add a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar just before serving.

Close-up of a Starbucks copycat iced banana bread chai topped with a final sprinkle of cinnamon sugar over the creamy cold foam.

Recipe Notes & Tips

Using unsweetened chai: If your chai concentrate is unsweetened, add banana bread syrup to the chai itself. You can then top it with banana bread cold foam, which is what I prefer, or brown sugar cold foam if you want to stay closer to the Starbucks version.

Using homemade chai: If you make your own chai concentrate, you can control the sweetness from the start. My homemade chai concentrate has an unsweetened option that works well here.

Starbucks copycat iced banana bread chai in a glass on a wood coaster, garnished with cinnamon sticks and banana slices.

More Starbucks Copycat Iced Chai Lattes

If you’re a fan of iced chai, here are a few more Starbucks-inspired versions to try: