This Chai Spiced Bread is soft, fluffy, and swirled with brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cardamom, and cloves, then finished with a sweet orange glaze. Perfect for breakfast, brunch, or gifting.
Chai Spiced Bread with Orange Glaze
There is something about the smell of fresh bread in the oven that instantly makes the whole house feel better. Add cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cardamom, and cloves to the mix and suddenly your kitchen smells like the coziest bakery on earth.
This Chai Spiced Bread is soft and fluffy with a gooey brown sugar spice swirl running through the center. Then, because apparently we weren’t done making it delicious, it gets finished with a sweet and tangy orange glaze.
Why You’ll Love This Chai Spiced Bread
- Soft and fluffy homemade bread
- Warm chai spices in every slice
- Sweet brown sugar swirl
- Fresh orange glaze
- Makes two loaves
- Perfect for breakfast, brunch, or gifting
- Freezer-friendly
The spice combination is what makes this bread special. Cinnamon gives you that familiar cozy flavor, while ginger, nutmeg, cardamom, and cloves add depth and warmth.
They all have very strong personalities on their own, but together they behave beautifully. Think less spice cabinet chaos, more tiny delicious orchestra.
What Does Chai Spiced Bread Taste Like?
If you love cinnamon rolls, babka, or sweet breakfast breads, this one is right up your alley.
The loaf itself is soft and lightly sweet, while the center is buttery and filled with warm chai spices and brown sugar. The orange glaze adds just enough citrus to brighten everything up.
And yes, it does look a little like a giant cinnamon roll that decided to become bread. I fully support that life choice.
How to Serve Chai Spiced Bread
This bread is delicious all by itself, but you can also warm a slice and add a little butter. It is wonderful with coffee, tea, chai, or hot chocolate.
Since the recipe makes two loaves, I like to think of it as one for you and one to share. Of course, nobody is checking, so if both loaves mysteriously stay in your kitchen, I saw nothing.
Tips for the Best Chai Spiced Bread
- Make sure the milk is warm, not hot, so it doesn’t damage the yeast.
- Let the melted butter cool before adding it to the dough.
- Add extra flour only if the dough is very sticky.
- Roll the dough tightly so the swirl stays defined.
- Let the loaves rise fully before baking.
- Tent with foil if the tops brown too quickly.
- Glaze the bread while it is still slightly warm.
The dough should feel soft and slightly tacky. Resist the temptation to dump in extra flour unless it really needs it. Too much flour is how fluffy bread turns into something better suited for building a small patio.
How to Make Chai Spiced Bread
The process is very similar to making a cinnamon swirl bread. First, mix the brown sugar with all of the chai spices.
Make the dough, let it rise until doubled in size, then roll it into a large rectangle.
Spread the softened butter evenly over the dough.
Then sprinkle the chai sugar mixture evenly over the butter. This is the moment things start smelling very promising.
Starting from the short side, roll the dough tightly into a log.
Trim the uneven ends if needed and cut the log in half to create two loaves.
Place each loaf seam-side down in a greased loaf pan, then let them rise for another hour.
After that, bake until golden and finish with the orange glaze. That’s it. The reward is two gorgeous loaves with that beautiful swirl inside.
Storage and Freezing
Store Chai Spiced Bread tightly wrapped at room temperature for up to 3 days.
You can also freeze the loaves for up to 2 months. Wrap them well and place in a freezer-safe bag. Thaw at room temperature, then warm gently before serving.
If possible, freeze the bread before glazing and add the orange glaze after thawing for the best texture.
I hope you can try this delicious Chai Spiced Bread at home. If you do, tag me on Instagram @Livingsweetmoments or use the hashtag #LivingSweet.
Chai Spiced Bread
Ingredients
For the Bread
- 1 cup warm milk
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter melted and cooled
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg
- 4 cups bread flour plus additional flour if needed
For the Chai Filling
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
For the Orange Glaze
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
- 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
- 2 teaspoons orange zest
Instructions
For Bread
- Grease 2 loaf pans.
- In the bowl of the mixer,add the yeast and warm milk. Mix lightly and cover with a dish towel for 5minutes for yeast to activate.
- Add the sugar, egg, butter, flour, and salt and mix using your dough hook on mediumspeed until the dough comes together. If dough is too sticky, add more flour, 1tablespoon at a time.
- Keep mixing for 5-6 minutes or until dough becomes smooth and elastic.
- Remove from mixer and place in a greased bowl. Cover with a dish towel and let itrise for 1 hour. (or until doubled its size) in a warm area.
For Filling
- In a bowl mix the sugarsand spices together with a whisk.
- Once the dough has doubled in size, remove from the bowl and place on a floured surface.
- Roll dough into a rectangle, about 16x10".
- Spread the butter all over the dough.
- Sprinkle the sugar-spice mixture evenly over the butter.
- Starting from the short end, roll the dough tightly into a log seam side down.
- Trim off the ends and cut the log in half.
- Place each log into the prepared loaf pans seam side down.
- Cover them with a dish towel and let it rise for 1 hour in a warm area.
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Bake loafs for 28-30 minutes. If they brown excessively before they are cooked, cover them with foil.
- Remove from the oven and place them on cooling racks.
For Orange Glaze
- Beat the butter until smooth with a mixer.
- Slowly add the rest of the ingredients.
- Drizzle them on top the loaves while they are still warm.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions
What spices are in chai spice?
This recipe uses cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cardamom, and cloves for a warm and aromatic chai-inspired flavor.
Can I make Chai Spiced Bread ahead of time?
Yes. The bread can be baked a day ahead and stored tightly wrapped at room temperature. Add or refresh the glaze before serving if desired.
Can I freeze Chai Spiced Bread?
Yes. Wrap the cooled loaves tightly and freeze for up to 2 months. For best results, freeze before adding the orange glaze.
Can I make this bread without the orange glaze?
Absolutely. The bread is delicious on its own, or you can dust it lightly with confectioners’ sugar instead.
Why is my bread dense?
Dense bread can happen if too much flour is added, the yeast does not activate properly, or the dough does not rise long enough. The dough should be soft and slightly tacky before proofing.
You may also like:
Cinnamon Raisin Sourdough Bread
Maple Pecan Sourdough Loaf
What size loaf pans for the chai spiced bread?
the 9.5×5