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Amish Friendship Bread is a sweet, cinnamon-spiced bread made from a 10-day yeast starter that you feed, bake with, and traditionally share with friends. It tastes more like a soft quick bread than a traditional yeast bread and each recipe makes two loaves. I grew up making this and I bet you have memories of it too!

Close-up of several slices of golden-brown banana bread arranged on parchment paper, showing a soft, moist texture with a slightly crisp crust.

Table of Contents

Amish Friendship Bread, in all essence, is an edible chain letter. And while I delete chain letters, I’ll never ever turn down quick bread. I remember this bread being everywhere when I was growing up in the last 80s and early 90s; Every house I visited had a bag or a bowl of starter sitting on the counter and I ate it for weeks in middle school. Then it completely disappeared from my life until about 25 years later when I suddenly was craving having another slice.

That’s when I learned how to make Friendship Bread Starter from scratch. It takes 10 days of feeding and stirring, but the actual quick bread is incredibly easy once the starter is ready (no kneading or dough hook required). Make it plain, add chocolate chips or nuts, or top it with cinnamon sugar and then share the extra starter to keep the tradition going.

Five labeled starter ingredients on a white surface: a bowl of granulated sugar, a bowl of flour, a measuring cup of water, a packet of active dry yeast, and a measuring cup of milk.

Amish Friendship Bread Starter Ingredients

Friendship bread is, essentially, a quick bread (like banana bread without bananas) made with sourdough starter. You grow the starter on your counter for 10 days, stirring it and feeding it and loving on it, and then at the end of 10 days you make the most amazing bread with it.

  • This starter is much easier to get going because you start it with active dry yeast. Make sure you have the proper kind: active dry not instant. You’ll start off waking up the yeast with warm water (110-120°F).
  • While the yeast is getting foamy, you’ll stir together granulated sugar, all-purpose flour, and whole milk. This is the backbone of the starter recipe.
  • I have not tried low-fat or nondairy milk, but there is no reason to believe that it won’t work with those. Brown sugar should also work

Feeding Amish Friendship Bread Starter

A hand pours liquid starter from a measuring cup into a glass bowl. A whiteboard nearby reads Amish Friendship Bread Day 1. The bowl sits on a white surface.
A plastic zip bag filled with beige batter sits next to a whiteboard that reads Amish Friendship Bread Day 1..
A clear zip-top bag filled with a creamy mixture labeled Amish Friendship Starter in black marker, placed on a white surface.
  1. Day 1: This is when you make your starter. You can keep it in a covered bowl or put it in a gallon size ziploc bag.
  2. Days 2, 3, 4: Just stir or mash the bag to stir. Press out any air (especially on day 2, so the bag doesn’t explode).
  3. Day 5: Feeding day. This is when you’ll add another cup each of sugar, flour, and milk.
  4. Days 6, 7, 8, 9: Just stir or mash the bag to stir.
  5. Day 10: Feeding day, sharing day, baking day. Feed again like day 5 before dividing to bake and share.

Friendship Bread Day 10: Feeding, Sharing, Baking

  • After stirring and feeding again on day 10 you’ll have approximately 4 cups of starter.
  • Bake with 1 cup of starter (makes 2 loaves).
  • Reserve 1 cup of starter to continue the cycle on your own counter (place in a new bag or bowl and start with Day 2 the next day).
  • Share 2 cups of starter with instructions. You can also share 1 cup and freeze 1 cup. Or discard or bake lots of bread.
A loaf of banana bread on parchment paper, partly sliced with three pieces cut and fanned out in front of the loaf. The bread looks moist with a golden-brown crust.

Dorothy’s Testing Notes and Baking Tips

  • DO NOT USE METAL when caring for the starter: do not use a metal whisk, metal bowl, or metal spoon. Only use wooden spoons or silicone spatulas. The metal can interfere with the starter.
  • Do not refrigerate the starter.
  • The bread makes two 8×4-inch or 9×5-inch loaves. If you have a 10-inch loaf pan it will fill the whole thing, but I do not recommend using that large of pan (it will get very dark before it cooks all the way through).
  • You know friendship bread is done baking when a toothpick comes out from the ceter of the crack with just a few crumbs.
  • When sharing the bread, you need to give them instructions on what to do. I created a free PDF Friendship Bread Printable you can print and share.
4.45 from 63 votes

Amish Friendship Bread and Starter Recipe

By: Dorothy Kern
Grow some Amish Friendship Bread Starter and then make the most delicious bread with it! The bread is yeasted but tastes like a quick bread! Then share a cup of starter with a friend, so they can enjoy it too.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Starter Time: 10 days
Total Time: 10 days 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 16 servings
Close-up of several slices of golden-brown banana bread arranged on parchment paper, showing a soft, moist texture with a slightly crisp crust.
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Ingredients

Starter (Day 1)

  • 1 package active dry yeast, (2 ¼ teaspoons)
  • ¼ cup warm water, (110°F)
  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • 1 cup (124g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup milk, (nonfat, regular or 2%, or nondairy)

Feeding (Day 5)

  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • 1 cup (124g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup milk, (nonfat, regular or 2%, or nondairy)

Feeding (Day 10)

  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • 1 cup (124g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup milk, (nonfat, regular or 2%, or nondairy)

For the Bread:

  • 2 cups (248g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 cup starter, (after it's been fed)
  • ⅔ cup oil
  • 1 cup (100g) granulated sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • Nuts, chocolate chips, or cinnamon sugar, optional

Instructions 

  • NOTE: Do not use metal utensils, spoons, or bowls. Do not refrigerate starter.

Day 1: Make your starter

  • Stir yeast into warm water. Let sit for 10 minutes.
  • Stir sugar and flour in a large bowl. Stir in milk until mixture is smooth.
  • Stir the yeast mixture into the flour mixture. Cover loosely and store on the counter.
  • Optional: place mixture in a gallon size ziploc bag and seal, releasing all the air. Store on counter.

Days 2-4

  • Stir the mixture once per day, or mash the bag if you're using a bag.

Day 5: Feeding #1

  • Feed the mixture: Stir 1 cup each sugar, flour, and milk into the starter. Cover loosely and store on the counter. (If your mixture is in a bag, just add the ingredients to the bag and mash until they are incorporated.)

Days 6-9

  • Stir the mixture once per day, or mash the bag if you're using a bag.

Day 10: Feeding #2/Baking/Gifting

  • Feed the mixture: Stir 1 cup each sugar, flour, and milk into the starter. Cover loosely and store on the counter. (If your mixture is in a bag, just add the ingredients to the bag and mash until they are incorporated.)
  • Reserve 1 cup of starter to continue growing on your counter. Consider today (Day 10) to be Day 1, and repeat these instructions starting with Day 2 tomorrow.
  • Remove 1 cup of starter to use in the Amish Friendship Bread Recipe (see directions below).
  • For gifting: Measure out 1 cup of remaining starter and place in a new gallon size ziploc bag (or bowl for gifting). Repeat with a second 1 cup starter. Any extra starter can be measured out to gift or bake with (if it measures 1 cup) or discarded.

Friendship Bread Recipe:

  • Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease pan(s) with butter or shortening or spray with nonstick baking spray (the cooking spray that comes with flour in it).
  • Stir baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and flour in a medium bowl. Set aside.
  • Stir starter, oil, and 1 cup sugar with a wooden spoon or spatula. Stir in eggs, 1 at a time, then stir in vanilla. Gently fold in dry ingredients. Stir in chocolate chips or nuts, if using (see note).
  • Place batter in pan(s). Optionally, you can sprinkle with cinnamon sugar (see note).
  • Bake according to your pan size below, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool before removing from pan.
  • Pan sizes:
    Two 4×8-inch or two 9×5-inch loaf pans: 40-50 minutes
    One 10.5×16-inch loaf pan: 50-60 minutes

Notes

Pan Sizes:

  • Check your pan sizes. If your loaf pans are 4×8-inch or 9×5-inch, make two loaves. If your loaf pan is 10.5×16-inches, you can make one loaf.
  • You can also use ONE 9-inch square or 9-inch round cake pan instead of the loaf pans.

Optional Fillings/Toppings:

  • Add 1 cup chocolate chips or nuts to the batter.
  • If you’re making two loaves, you can divide the batter in half and use 1/2 cup of either chocolate chips or nuts per loaf.
  • I love topping the loaves with a mixture of cinnamon sugar before baking (1 tablespoon granulated sugar + 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon)

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 401kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 61mg | Sodium: 285mg | Potassium: 462mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 28g | Vitamin A: 539IU | Calcium: 366mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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Storing and Freezing Starter

  • Always store growing starter at room temperature, covered with plastic or in a bag.
  • You can freeze 1 cup portions of starter after feeding on day 10. Thaw completely (once it’s thawed, that’s day 1) then continue with day 2 and so on.
  • Store baked bread in an airtight container.
  • Freeze baked and cooled loaves wrapped in plastic and sealed in a container or bag.
Two rectangular loaf pans filled with smooth, light brown batter sit side by side on a white countertop, ready to be baked.

How to make Amish Friendship Bread

  1. Baking the actual quick bread requires 1 cup of starter.
  2. To that, you’ll add vegetable oil (or another neutral oil), eggs, baking powder and baking soda, and salt. Add ground cinnamon and vanilla, for flavor.
  3. You can add 1 cup nuts or chocolate chips, or sprinkle the top with cinnamon sugar before baking.

Free PDF Instructions

Print these instructions for how to maintain the starter and how to make Friendship Bread and give them along with 1 cup of starter on day 10.

Get the Printable Here
Two recipe cards titled Amish Friendship Bread offer everything you need to get baking. One features the classic Amish Friendship Bread ingredients and step-by-step baking instructions; the other details how to make an authentic bread starter, along with helpful tips. Both cards have clear, black text on a white background, and each includes a Free Printable label for easy sharing.

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Dorothy Kern

Welcome to Crazy for Crust, where I share recipes that are sometimes crazy, often with a crust, and always served with a slice of life.

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4.45 from 63 votes (47 ratings without comment)

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205 Comments

  2. OHHH my gosh does this bring back memories !!

    You are sooo right, my whole neighborhood had this on their counter…we kept passing it around, exchanging variations and recipes. That was such a fun time…does anyone remember the muffin batter you kept in the ice box for 7 days ?? my kids loved having muffins at the drop of a hat…. I’m so glad you’re bringing the Amish bread back.

    Reply

  3. Oh man. I had a starter years ago and I made and gifted SO MUCH BREAD. It was crazy. But then I moved and threw it away (didn’t think the starter would survive a 3000 mile drive!). And kind of forgot about it until RIGHT NOW reading this post. Thanks for the reminder. May have to get on board again in time for the holidays!!

    Reply

  4. I’ve had someone give me a starter for some before, but up until then I had never heard of it either! This looks like such a fun idea and gift for the holidays!

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  5. I love Amish Friendship Bread so much, I could eat a whole loaf myself! There was a year (maybe 25 years ago) when there was a loaf on my counter and a bowl of starter on top of my fridge all the time. I may have gained 10 pounds that year, but I sure enjoyed it! 🙂 Only if I can line up a whole bunch of people to give this to (holiday gifts?) do I dare start this again! What fun to expose a whole new generation to the awesomeness of Friendship Bread!

    Reply