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Amish Friendship Bread is meant to be shared! Learn how to make this classic cinnamon-swirled sweet bread, including details on how to prepare the Amish friendship bread starter that forms the base of the recipe. It’s sweet and special!
If you’re in the mood for a fun kitchen project, I always say, make bread! Trust me on this—I’ve made everything from simple flatbreads and spoon bread to intricate star bread and even chocolate zucchini bread. I love it all! But today, we’re going to dive into making Amish friendship bread. This 10-day bread recipe involves making a sweet, sourdough-like starter that’s tucked into bread dough for a yeasty sweet loaf. We love toasted slices of Amish friendship bread spread with softened butter for a morning treat.
And you don’t have to save your Amish friendship bread starter just for making Amish friendship bread. It’s wonderful added to other baked goods like rolls, sweet breads, muffins, and more. Or, in the true spirit of friendship bread, give away portions of your starter to family and friends so that they can make their own loaves of Amish friendship bread.
Why You’ll Love This Bread Recipe
- Slow and steady. This recipe can’t be rushed. You’ll feed your starter every day and watch it closely to make sure it’s growing and healthy. My kids love checking on it every day as it ferments, and I love the slow method that helps me slow down, too.
- Unique. We all know the tangy taste of a crusty loaf of sourdough bread, but this Amish friendship bread is in a class of its own. From the doughy sweet bread to the cinnamon swirl, this bread stands apart.
- Keeps well. If you want to keep your starter all to yourself, go right ahead! Divide the starter into 1 cup amounts and pop them into freezer-safe bags and store them in the freezer. When you defrost the starter, you can use it immediately to bake bread, saving you the time of making a fresh batch of starter.
What Is Amish Friendship Bread?
Amish friendship bread is a sweet bread similar to sourdough bread that’s flavored with cinnamon and sugar. The idea is that you’ll make a yeast-based starter and feed it over a 10-day period before including one cup of the starter in a loaf of Amish friendship bread. The remainder of the starter is meant to be distributed to family and friends – hence the name “friendship bread”.
While an Amish friendship bread starter is similar to a sourdough starter, it’s important to note some differences: Amish friendship bread starter includes yeast, while a traditional sourdough starter needs just flour and water. In addition, the Amish friendship bread starter calls for sugar and milk. But you will also allow the starter to activate on the counter like you’d do with a sourdough starter, and you’ll need to feed it regularly for 10 days before adding it to the Amish friendship bread recipe.
Recipe Ingredients
While several different sections make up this Amish friendship bread recipe, the ingredients are simple staples you’re sure to have at home. Here’s a look at what you need. Check the recipe card at the end of this post for the full ingredient amounts.
Starter
- Yeast – I tested this recipe using active dry yeast for the starter rather than instant yeast, so I recommend using active dry yeast for the best results.
- Warm Water – Use a thermometer to check that the water is 110°F before adding it to the starter.
- Granulated Sugar – Because this is a sweet bread, we’ll use sugar in both the starter and the bread itself.
- All-Purpose Flour – It’s important to use the spoon and level method when you measure flour for bread for the best accuracy rather than scoop and level.
- Milk – You can use whole milk or 2% milk for the starter.
Feedings
- Granulated Sugar
- All-Purpose Flour
- Milk
For the Bread
- Starter – Use 1 cup of the starter you’ve already prepared as the base of the bread.
- Granulated Sugar
- Vegetable Oil – It’s important to use a neutral oil in the bread so that it doesn’t overpower the other flavors, so don’t be tempted to substitute for another oil.
- Eggs – Use large eggs in this recipe.
- Vanilla – Pure vanilla extract adds to the sweet flavor of the bread.
- Buttermilk – Make sure to shake the buttermilk well before you add it to the recipe so that it interacts with the baking powder and helps the bread to rise.
- All-Purpose Flour – Again, make sure to use the spoon and level method so that the bread dough doesn’t end up too dry or heavy.
- Baking Powder – For the best results, check the expiration date on your carton of baking powder and start with a new carton if it has expired.
- Salt – I use sea salt.
- Ground Cinnamon – For a hint of warm flavor.
- Pecans – Toasted, chopped pecans add a bit of crunch.
- Topping – Granulated sugar and ground cinnamon.
How To Make Amish Friendship Bread Starter
I’ve outlined the steps below that go into making the starter for Amish friendship bread. You’ll need 10 days for the starter to grow. Check the recipe card for the detailed instructions.
- Day 1: Activating the Yeast – Dissolve the yeast in warm water (110°F) and let it sit until frothy.
- Day 2-4: Feeding the Starter – Combine 1 cup of granulated sugar, 1 cup of all-purpose flour, and 1 cup of milk in a bowl. Add the yeast. Cover the bowl loosely and set it on the counter.
- Day 5: First Feeding – Add 1 cup of granulated sugar, 1 cup of all-purpose flour, and 1 cup of milk to the starter.
- Day 6-9: Daily Stirring – For the next several days, continue to stir the starter once a day.
- Day 10: Final Feeding – Add another 1 cup of granulated sugar, 1 cup of all-purpose flour, and 1 cup of milk to the starter. The starter should smell sweet-sour.
How To Make Amish Friendship Bread
Once the starter is alive and well, make the bread. Here’s how to do it. Find the detailed instructions in the recipe card lower down.
- Prepare. Preheat the oven to 325°F and grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan.
- Make the dough. Combine the starter, sugar, and vegetable oil.
- Add wet ingredients. Add eggs, vanilla extract, and buttermilk to the mixture. Whisk together until smooth.
- Add flour. Mix in the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Stir together the batter until smooth.
- Add nuts. Fold in the pecans.
- Place in pan. Transfer the batter to the loaf pan.
- Add topping. Mix the cinnamon and sugar together, then sprinkle it over the top of the batter.
- Bake. Place in the oven and bake for 60-90 minutes. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then cool on a wire rack.
Recipe Tips
Bread making can be intimidating, but if you follow some best practices it is easily doable by everyone in their home kitchen! Here are some of my top tips for making this amish friendship bread recipe:
- Monitor the starter. Throughout the process, if the starter develops an off smell (like rotten eggs) or shows signs of mold, discard it and start over with fresh ingredients. A healthy starter should smell yeasty and look bubbly.
- Keep in a warm kitchen. A sourdough starter performs best in a warm environment, so when you’re creating and feeding your starter make sure your kitchen isn’t too cold.
- Plan! You’ll note in the recipe instructions that 10 days is needed to maintain an active Amish friendship bread starter before turning on the oven to bake the bread itself. So it’s best to have a plan in place for when you want the loaf so that you can prep the starter in advance and be ready to bake on the day you wish to assemble the bread recipe.
- Share or keep your leftover starter. You need one cup of the starter when you make this bread. What to do with the rest? Save it and use it in other recipes, or divide it up and share it with friends to use as the base for their own starters.
- Wait to slice the bread. As with most homemade bread baking, it’s best to let the bread cool fully before you slice it.
Recipe FAQs
It takes about 10 days to make Amish friendship bread, with the majority of that time spent on allowing the starter to ferment and rise. If you have a healthy starter already in your fridge, it will take just hours to make a loaf of friendship bread.
Amish friendship bread is made with flour, yeast, milk, and sugar, while traditional sourdough starter needs just flour and water. An Amish friendship bread loaf also is much sweeter than a loaf of sourdough bread.
You’ll know if your starter has gone bad if you see any mold on it (if you do, discard it immediately!) or if it has a sour smell like rotten eggs. Your starter should have a yeasty smell but it should not smell bad.
When baking your Amish friendship bread, do not open the oven. While you may want to take a look at how it’s doing, if you open the oven your bread may collapse in the center.
Serving Suggestions
Amish friendship bread is wonderful, plain or toasted, served with a pot of tea or a hot cup of coffee, like a caffe macchiato. It can be a lovely dessert with brunch or nibbled as a snack. Here are a few ways to serve it:
- Butter – Spread warm slices of bread with salted or unsalted butter.
- Honey – Add a drizzle of honey to the buttered bread for extra sweetness!
- Nut Butter – For a little extra, add almond butter or peanut butter to a slice of homemade bread.
- With Breakfast Dishes – Serve Amish Friendship bread at breakfast or brunch, with egg dishes like eggs Benedict casserole or eggs in purgatory. Don’t forget a plate of crispy baked bacon!
Proper Storage
- Starter – Store any leftover starter in a non-metallic container with a loose lid or cover. Keep it in the refrigerator and feed it every 5-7 days to maintain its activity. Remember to stir before and after feeding.
- Bread – Store any leftover bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- Freeze the Bread – You can place the bread or slices of bread in a freezer-safe bag and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw the bread in the fridge before eating.
More Bread Recipes
Amish Friendship Bread
Ingredients
Starter:
- 1 package active dry yeast, or 2¼ teaspoons
- ¼ cup warm water, about 110°F
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup milk
Feedings:
- 2 cups granulated sugar, divided
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
- 2 cups milk, divided
For the Bread:
- 1 cup starter
- 1 cup granulated white sugar
- 3 cups vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1¼ cup buttermilk
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ cups toasted chopped pecans
For the cinnamon sugar mixture:
- ⅓ cup granulated white sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
Making the Starter
- Day 1-4: Activating the Yeast. In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in warm water (110°F). Stir gently and let it sit for about 10 minutes until it becomes frothy. This indicates that the yeast is active and ready to use.
- Feeding the Starter. In a large non-metallic bowl or container, combine 1 cup of granulated sugar, 1 cup of all-purpose flour, and 1 cup of milk. Stir well to combine. Add the frothy yeast mixture from Step 1 into the bowl. Stir thoroughly until all ingredients are incorporated.
- Store. Cover the bowl loosely with a clean cloth or plastic wrap. Store the starter at room temperature, away from direct sunlight.
- Day 5: First Feeding. By now, you should start to notice some fermentation activity in the starter, such as bubbles forming and a slight sour smell. It's time for the first feeding. Add 1 cup of granulated sugar, 1 cup of all-purpose flour, and 1 cup of milk to the starter. Stir until smooth and well combined. The mixture will become thicker and more gooey.
- Day 6-9: Daily Stirring. For the next several days, continue to stir the starter once a day. This helps distribute the yeast and encourages fermentation. You may notice the starter becoming bubbly and increasing in volume.
- Day 10: Final Feeding. On the 10th day, perform the final feeding before using the starter in your bread recipe. Add another 1 cup of granulated sugar, 1 cup of all-purpose flour, and 1 cup of milk to the starter. Mix thoroughly until smooth and well incorporated. The starter should now have a sweet-sour aroma and a thick, pancake batter-like consistency.
Preparing the Amish Friendship Bread
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan or line it with parchment paper.
- In a large ceramic bowl, combine 1 cup of the starter with 1 cup of sugar and vegetable oil. Mix well with hand whisker.
- Add eggs, vanilla extract, and buttermilk to the mixture. Mix until fully incorporated and smooth.
- In a separate bowl, sift together 2 cups of flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Gradually incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, stirring just until they are well combined. Be careful not to overmix.
- Fold in the toasted chopped pecans.
Baking
- Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan.
- In a small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon until well blended.
- Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture evenly over the top of the loaf.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 60 to 90 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and let cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Then transfer the loaves to wire racks to cool completely before slicing.
Notes
- Measure out 1 cup of the starter in your Amish Friendship Bread recipe. The remaining starter can be divided and shared with friends or used to start a new batch.
- Store any leftover starter in a non-metallic container with a loose lid or cover. Keep it in the refrigerator and feed it every 5-7 days to maintain its activity. Remember to stir before and after feeding.
- Serve the Amish Friendship Bread slices plain or with butter and honey.
- Store any leftover bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or freeze for longer storage.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
