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+ servings
amish friendship bread with cinnamon sugar and slice missing
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4.40 from 58 votes

Amish Friendship Bread + Starter

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 Time15 minutes
Cook Time50 minutes
Starter Time10 days
Total Time10 days 1 hour 5 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 16 servings
Calories: 401kcal
Author: Dorothy Kern
Cost: $10

Ingredients

Starter

  • 1 package active dry yeast 2 1/4 teaspoons
  • 1/4 cup warm water 110°F
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup milk (nonfat, regular or 2%)

Feedings (2)

  • 2 cups granulated sugar divided
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour divided
  • 2 cups milk divided (non-fat okay)

For the Bread:

  • 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup starter
  • 2/3 cup oil
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • Nuts, chocolate chips, or cinnamon sugar optional (see note)

Instructions

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

Day 1: Make your starter

  • 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. You may have an additional 1 cup of starter, which you can place in a third bag to give OR you can make a second batch of the bread (recipe below). You can also freeze this 1 cup of starter to use in the future (freeze in a gallon size bag).

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 4x8-inch or two 9x5-inch loaf pans: 40-50 minutes
    One 10.5x16-inch loaf pan: 50-60 minutes

Video

Notes

Pan Sizes:

  • Check your pan sizes. If your loaf pans are 4x8-inch or 9x5-inch, make two loaves. If your loaf pan is 10.5x16-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)
For a printable resource to give out with your bread, click here.
To use instant yeast: use as directed, but heat the water to 120-130 to start, not 110.

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