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This easy Amish Friendship Bread is laced with notes of cinnamon, sugar, and vanilla for a sweet breakfast, snack, or dessert that pairs perfectly with a warm cup of coffee. There’s a printable starter recipe too, so you can pass it along to your friends!

Front shot of a sliced loaf of amish friendship bread on a wooden board.
Table of Contents
  1. The Story Behind Amish Friendship Bread
  2. Taste and Texture
  3. Printable Amish Friendship Bread Starter Recipe
  4. Preparation and Storage Tips
  5. Recipe Variations
  6. Expert Tips
  7. Amish Friendship Bread and Starter Recipe Recipe

If you’re looking for other sweet breakfast breads, try this Amish Friendship Bread without a starter, a loaf of cinnamon swirl bread, and our favorite banana nut bread, too!

Thanks to my friend Jackie for sharing her recipe and a bag of her Amish Friendship Bread starter with me. Now I can’t wait to pass along the details to all of you as well!

The Story Behind Amish Friendship Bread

So here’s the deal with Amish Friendship Bread: each batch begins with a starter (made with flour, yeast, sugar, and milk). You’re supposed to share the starter with 3 friends every time you prepare a batch of the bread. Those friends then make their own bread, and share their starter with 3 more friends. You get the idea — it’s basically like the bread version of an old-school chain letter! The recipe (and starter) is passed along from one friend to the next.

But don’t worry! You don’t have to wait for a friend to give you a batch of her starter in order to be able to prepare this Amish Friendship Bread! You can whip up your own batch of starter, bake your loaves of bread, and then start your own chain (or not). It’s totally up to you!

Side shot of slices of amish friendship bread with starter served with cups of coffee.

Taste and Texture

This cinnamon-flavored bread has the consistency of a pound cake or coffee cake, and is dusted with a cinnamon-sugar topping. The gelatin component in the vanilla instant pudding mix, along with plenty of oil, yield an incredibly moist and tender texture. Plus, thanks to the pudding mix, you get the added bonus of rich vanilla flavor.

The cinnamon friendship bread is perfect for breakfast, brunch, snack, dessert, or even a side dish with a special dinner.

Amish friendship bread is not the same as sourdough. The Amish friendship bread is a sweet sourdough starter since it includes milk and sugar. As a result, it has a much sweeter taste (and less tang) than a traditional sourdough starter.

Loaf of amish friendship bread starter recipe baked and sliced on a wooden cutting board.

Printable Amish Friendship Bread Starter Recipe

Download the Amish Friendship Bread Starter Recipe and printable directions here. I have also included the full set of ingredients and instructions in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post, so use whichever version works best for you!

In short, this is a 10-day process starting from the day that you make (or receive) the starter. It’s very easy, though — you just have to be patient! Time is on your side, as you feed the starter and allow it to bloom. The end result is well worth the wait, too.

On Day 10, you’ll have 4 bags of starter (so that you can keep one for yourself and share 3 with friends), and you’ll also have enough starter to bake 2 loaves of delicious bread. It’s a fun activity for the kids to get involved with, and it’s a great way to share some love and baked goods with friends during the holiday season!

Side shot of two slices of amish friendship bread on a small gold and white plate.

Preparation and Storage Tips

  • Keep the starter in the sealed Ziploc bag at room temperature throughout the 10-day process. Do not put the starter in the fridge.
  • Extra bags of starter can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. You do not need to feed the starter while it’s in the freezer.
  • When ready to use the frozen starter, allow the bag to thaw completely at room temperature. You can bake with it immediately, or you can start the 10-day cycle over on Day 1 to create even more bags of starter.
  • How to Store Amish Friendship Bread: Always wrap the baked loaves of breadin plastic wrap or foil to prevent them from drying out. The bread does not need to be refrigerated. It will stay fresh at room temperature on the counter for 2-3 days, and it will last in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
  • To Freeze the Baked Loaves: For longer storage, cool the bread completely, wrap tightly, and keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Horizontal side shot of amish friendship bread on a cutting board.

Recipe Variations

  • Amish Friendship Bread without Starter: If you don’t want to bother with the 10-day starter process, you can make this Amish Friendship Bread without starter. It’s incredibly good, too!
  • If you don’t want to store your starter in plastic Ziplock bags, you can use a large mixing bowl covered with plastic wrap. Jars are not a great option, because sealed lids can cause the jars to shatter.
  • Muffins: Use the batter to prepare muffins instead of loaves of bread. To do so, divide the batter evenly between two 12-cup muffin tins that are lined with paper cups or greased. Sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture on top. Bake in a 375°F oven for about 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.
  • Mix-ins: stir chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, white chocolate chips, cinnamon chips, raisins, dried cranberries, or chopped nuts (such as walnuts or pecans) into the batter before baking.
  • For even more variations, check out these 7 ways to use your Amish friendship bread starter. Pancakes, breads, and cupcakes galore!
Side shot of plates with slices of amish friendship bread.

Expert Tips

  • Do not use any metal spoons or bowls when mixing. This instruction was originally included in the Amish Friendship Bread recipe because there was a chemical reaction that occurred between the fermenting starter and the metal equipment. That said, if your metal bowls and spoons are stainless steel or coated, this likely will not be an issue. We prefer wooden spoons just to be safe!
  • It’s normal for the starter to rise, bubble and ferment. If air gets into the bag, let it out.
  • If you have a very active starter, you may end up with more than four one-cup portions on Day 10. That’s fine! Just pack them up and either share them or freeze them.
  • Do not refrigerate the starter. If you have extra bags of starter that you would like to keep fresh, pop them in the freezer. I’ve included the freezing and thawing directions in the Preparation and Storage section above.
  • How to Know if Your Starter is Good: If your starter appears discolored with a pink or green tinge, has mold, or has a sharp acetone smell, discard the starter. It’s better to be safe than sorry when it comes to food poisoning!
  • Do not prepare the vanilla pudding. Just add the dry pudding mix directly to the batter.
  • Remember that you can also download a printable PDF of the Amish Friendship Bread Starter Recipe.
Front shot of a loaf of Amish friendship bread sliced on a wooden cutting board.

More Easy Bread Recipes to Try

Zucchini Banana Bread

3 hours hrs 5 minutes mins

Blueberry Bread

2 hours hrs 10 minutes mins

Amish Friendship Bread without Starter

1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Square side shot of a loaf of easy amish friendship bread on a cutting board.

Amish Friendship Bread and Starter Recipe

5 from 10 votes
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 1 hour
Total: 10 days 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings 2 loaves
Calories 223 kcal
Make a batch of starter to share with friends, and then bake yourself a loaf of this cinnamon sugar Amish friendship bread, too!

Ingredients
  

TO MAKE THE STARTER ON DAY 1:

TO ADD TO THE STARTER ON DAY 6:

TO DIVIDE THE STARTER ON DAY 10:

TO BAKE THE BREAD:

  • 1 cup of Amish Friendship Bread Starter (what’s left in your large bowl after dividing on Day 10)
  • 3 large eggs
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 large (5 ounce) box vanilla instant pudding mix (just the dry mix)
  • 1 cup canola oil
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup milk (use at least 2% milk or higher fat)
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • For the Topping: ¼ cup of granulated sugar + 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

MAKE THE STARTER:

  • In a small bowl, combine the warm water with the dry active yeast. Set aside until bubbly, 5-10 minutes.
  • In a large non-metal bowl mix together the all-purpose flour and the granulated sugar. Stir in the milk and the yeast mixture.
  • Cover loosely and leave on the countertop at room temperature until bubbly.
  • Place starter in a large (gallon size) Ziploc bag. Seal bag and squish, squash, and mush until well combined. Let stand at room temperature overnight. The day that you prepare the starter is DAY 1.
  • Day 2: Squish and mush the bag.
  • Day 3: Squish and mush the bag.
  • Day 4: Squish and mush the bag.
  • Day 5: Squish and mush the bag.
  • Day 6: Add to the bag – 1 cup of flour, 1 cup of sugar, and 1 cup of milk. Squish and mush the bag.
  • Day 7: Squish and mush the bag.
  • Day 8: Squish and mush the bag.
  • Day 9: Squish and mush the bag.
  • Day 10: BAKING AND DIVIDING DAY. Pour the entire contents of the starter bag into a non-metal bowl and add 1 ½ cups of flour, 1 ½ cups of sugar, and 1 ½ cups of milk. Measure out 4 separate batches of the starter batter (1 cup each) and place into large gallon-size Ziploc bags. Keep one bag of starter for yourself to continue the process (Day 10 is equal to Day 1) and give the other 3 to friends along with a copy of these instructions. After dividing the starter into separate bags, you should have about 1 cup of the starter batter still left in your large bowl. The starter that remains in the large bowl will be used for baking your Amish Friendship Bread.

BAKE THE FRIENDSHIP BREAD:

  • Preheat oven to 325°F/160°C. Spray two loaf pans with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
  • To the bowl with the remaining 1 cup of starter, add the eggs, flour, instant pudding mix, canola oil, sugar, milk, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, vanilla, and salt. Stir just until combined.
  • Divide the batter evenly between the two greased pans.
  • In a small bowl, combine ¼ cup sugar and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon. Sprinkle the top of each loaf with the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
  • Bake for 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack and then remove bread from pans.

REPEAT THE 10-DAY PROCESS OR FREEZE THE STARTER:

  • If you keep a starter bag for yourself, then DAY 10 is equal to DAY 1 again, and you can repeat the baking process every 10 days. If you do not want to continue the cycle right away, place the 1-cup bags of starter in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you take the starter out of the freezer, you can treat this as DAY 1, or you can use that starter right away to bake the loaves of Friendship Bread.

Notes

  • Do not use any metal spoons or bowls when mixing. This instruction was originally included in the Amish Friendship Bread recipe because there was a chemical reaction that occurred between the fermenting starter and the metal equipment. That said, if your metal bowls and spoons are stainless steel or coated, this likely will not be an issue. We prefer wooden spoons just to be safe!
  • It’s normal for the starter to rise, bubble and ferment. If air gets into the bag, let it out.
  • If you have a very active starter, you may end up with more than four one-cup portions on Day 10. That’s fine! Just pack them up and either share them or freeze them.
  • Do not refrigerate the starter. If you have extra bags of starter that you would like to keep fresh, pop them in the freezer. I’ve included the freezing and thawing directions in the Preparation and Storage section above.
  • How to Know if Your Starter is Good: If your starter appears discolored with a pink or green tinge, has mold, or has a sharp acetone smell, discard the starter. It’s better to be safe than sorry when it comes to food poisoning!
  • Do not prepare the vanilla pudding. Just add the dry pudding mix directly to the batter.
  • Remember that you can also download a printable PDF of the Amish Friendship Bread Starter Recipe.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice of bread (12 slices per loaf)Calories: 223kcalCarbohydrates: 32.5gProtein: 2.5gFat: 9.8gSaturated Fat: 0.9gCholesterol: 111mgSodium: 117.9mgFiber: 0.5gSugar: 20.8g
Keyword: Amish bread, amish friendship bread, amish friendship bread starter recipe
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American, Amish
Author: Blair Lonergan

This recipe was originally published in November, 2017. It was updated in January, 2024.

blair

Hey, I’m Blair!

Welcome to my farmhouse kitchen in the foothills of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains. Inspired by local traditions and seasonal fare, you’ll find plenty of easy, comforting recipes that bring your family together around the table. It’s down-home, country-style cooking!

Read More

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Comments

  1. Thank you so much for posting this today. The instructions are crystal clear and I can’t wait to make my starter tonight.

      1. Hi, Maybel! I haven’t tested the recipe without the pudding mix, and I wouldn’t recommend doing so. Pudding mix adds vanilla flavor and sweetness to the bread, but it also gives the bread a more moist, dense texture. As far as the milk goes, I prefer either 2% or whole milk…but skim or a milk-alternative would probably work okay, too. Hope you enjoy!

    1. Maybe you could answer a question… I missed day six adding the flower milk and sugar can I do it on day seven? Thank you!

  2. I have a sourdough starter, but this one is different in that you keep it from air and add milk. Maybe I’ll have to start a new one and see how it compares. Never heard of adding pudding mix to bread either, I bet it tastes fantastic!

        1. Hi, Amy! Yes, you can definitely do that, but you would need to multiply the ingredients by 4 since you’re using 4 bags of starter instead of 1. For instance, instead of 3 eggs, you would need 12 eggs. Instead of 1 cup of canola oil, you would need 4 cups…etc. Enjoy!

    1. 5 stars
      This bread is delicious! I gave these baking instructions a 5 star rating. I used 2 others before I tried this one. Turned out moister then the last 2 I used. The pudding and milk I believe is the best method compared to others, that didn’t require one or the other. I also used a lactose free milk which didn’t seem to make a difference. I will now try your starter, along with your baking instructions. Very pleased! Thank you for sharing.

      1. Does this starter need to be in a ziploc to keep air out, or can it stay in a plastic wrap covered bowl while it “ferments”?

  3. This looks SO good- I’ve always loved Amish friendship bread, and I’m so glad I’ve finally found a recipe that looks and sounds like it will live up to my memories!

  4. I have a question! If I mix up the ingredients directly under the ingredients section, do I bake right away like a normal bread or do I have to do the “squish the bag” thing for 10 days and then bake?

    1. Hi, Kiley! Whether you receive the starter from a friend or make your own starter, you will always start the recipe on Day 1. That means that you do the squishy-bag thing for the first 9 days, and then bake the bread (with the rest of the ingredients) on Day 10. Does that make more sense? Just let me know if you have any other questions or if you need more clarification! 🙂

      1. Hello! I want to make a bunch of loaves of this to give to everyone in my family for christmas. If I keep the 3 extra bags of starter instead of giving it to friends, could I make 4 batches in one day, or do I have to make one batch on day 10, let the 3 extra bags sit for 10 more days, and then make them?

        1. Hey, Natalie! See Step #7 in the recipe instructions — you’ll need to wait 10 days. 🙂 If you want to have enough time, just get started well in advance and freeze as many of the baked loaves as you need to. Wrapped tightly, the baked bread will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. Enjoy!

        2. Natalie, On day ten, you can absolutely make 4 batches in one day… but you might want to do three batches, and save one portion to make some more ten days later IIt’s also something to do when no one else wants starters any more! It does freeze well. I sometimes make a bundt for a gathering, or smaller loaves for gifting… or to keep us from eating it as quickly. One batch to four btaches. It’s your choice!

          1. how much of the starter batter do you need to make the first 2 loaves. I\the recipe says use what’s left. with Covid I do not want to give away 3-4 starter kits. I would like to bake some loaves though, maybe freeze some for later. How much of my bag of starter do I add intead of “what’s left)
            hope that is clear?
            thank you so much. I just bought everything to make 2-3 batches
            I have not done the last step of adding 1 1/2 cups of Sugar,flour and milk yet. I do have a nice bag of starter though

          2. Hi, Betti! I’v never measured exactly, but it’s my understanding that you need 1 cup of starter for 2 loaves. So put 1 cup of the starter in a bowl, add the remaining ingredients in the recipe card, and bake in two loaf pans as instructed. Hope that helps!

          3. 5 stars
            I’m just finishing up with my starter and looking for recipes that use a AFB starter. I think I have made it so many times, I just want to be adventurous.

        1. Yes, I bake without the starter. You mix the ingredients like usual just without the starter. It’s just as delicious.

          Ingredients
          3 eggs
          1 cup canola oil
          1 cup sugar
          1 cup milk
          2 teaspoons cinnamon
          ½ teaspoon vanilla
          1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
          ½ teaspoon baking soda
          ½ teaspoon salt
          2 cups flour
          1 large (5 ounce) box vanilla instant pudding mix (just the dry mix)
          For the Topping: 1/4 cup of sugar + 1 teaspoon cinnamon

  5. My 27 yr. old insisted I find the recipe for AFB (it’s been around our family a long time…and earned it’s own nickname.) I managed to dig out the tattered sheet of paper and get the starter going for baking prior to the holiday. My recipe is identical, and I thank you for posting this, because that sheet of paper isn’t gonna last much longer, so now it’s pinned!! One variation…half my family love the cinnamon spice, but the rest insist on chocolate. If interested, you can substitute chocolate pudding and cocoa, and throw in a cup of chocolate chips. Better than chocolate cake!!

    1. Oh, wow! I’ve never heard of the chocolate version, Annette! Thanks for letting me know! That sounds delicious. 🙂

        1. I have! I froze some starter about a year ago. Thawed it in December and it still tasted great – just know that it may not produce as much gas as the non frozen kind. I only had to “burp” my thawed starter once or twice. But it still tasted delicious!

  6. This recipe would definitely win some friends! ???? I’m going to have to make a gluten free version!

      1. Hi, Teri! No, unfortunately I don’t have any experience with gluten-free baking. Sorry that I’m not more helpful in that regard! 🙂

        1. I don’t know, Lisa. I haven’t ever tried freezing the starter myself. In general, you can keep food in the freezer without an issue (if it’s tightly wrapped to keep air out) for about 3-6 months. 🙂

  7. 5 stars
    I’ve never heard of Amish friendship bread before but it sounds delicious especially this cinnamon version. Looking forward to trying it!

    1. Hi! I’ve never tried the recipe without eggs, so I can’t guarantee the final result. 🙂 That said, you can try a “flax egg,” which is often used in vegan recipes. You can find a flax egg recipe here: https://minimalistbaker.com/how-to-make-a-flax-egg/

      Another alternative would be applesauce. I would use a total of 3/4 cup applesauce to replace the 3 eggs. Hope that helps!

  8. At the end of the 10-day counter sitting and after the final feeding I freeze my starter in four individual one cup freezer bags. just won a blue ribbon for quick bread at our state fair using a bag of frozen starter which I let warm up to room temperature and bubble a bit for a day. This recipe is awesome.

    1. After defrosting for one day do you then do the 6 day add ing. And then 10 day add and cook or do you just add the 10 day ingredients and bake next day after removing from freezer. Thank You!!!!

      1. Hi, Debby! I think she’s saying the she froze the starter on Day 10, so you would want to thaw on the counter and then pick up with Day 1, where you would give it to a friend. The dough is pretty flexible, though, so if you just let it sit for a day, and then prepared it for baking as instructed for day 10, it would probably still be fine. Hope that helps! 🙂

        1. Yes, On day 10 I add the flour, milk, and sugar. Then put into 4 individual freezer bags and freeze. When I want to make a bread I take one out and let it defrost on the counter. The next day I use it to bake just like you would on day 10 . When I am down to one or 2 frozen bags, I take one out, defrost it, and begin the 10 day regimen again.. I am using frozen starter from July, 2019 right now to make a new batch of starter. It is bubbling like crazy!!!

  9. I have quite a lot of starter and wonder if you could tell me the amount of starter to use in this bread? Is it one cup, one and a half cup, or maybe 2 cups. I have given away so much, can’t find more people to give to, so on 10th day I to make several things, cookies, cinnamon rolls, bread, etc. Thanks in advance for your help.

    1. Hey, Linda! I’m so sorry, but I honestly have no idea. I never measured the amount of starter before preparing the bread. Sorry I can’t be more helpful in that regard!

  10. Myself and a friend both made this and we were both very disappointed in the final result. She is a very seasoned baker and knew when she put it in the over that something was missing. I too thought it looked too thick when I placed it in the oven! She called her’s an Amish “Brick”, yet it wasn’t fully cooked in the center. Mine was great on the outer edges, but the middle also didn’t cook properly. I googled this recipe and EVERY other one that I found has you add 1 cup of milk to the ingredients when mixing to bake the bread!! (And all the other ingredients were EXACTLY the same!! ) I don’t think the twenty or so other recipes are wrong!
    Giving this a second try with the 1 cup of milk added!

      1. Only on day 6 and on day 10 Before dividing the batter. Milk is not listed with the ingredients along with the eggs, oil, etc. before baking.

  11. i was just wondering on the 10th day when you mix all the ingredients together is it by hand? Or at that point can you use a hand mixer. The beaters on the hand mixer are metal. So I’m guessing probably not. Is that correct?

    1. Hey, Joann! At that point, I’m not sure that the metal mixers would be a problem, but I would just mix by hand to be safe. 🙂

  12. I baked my bread on day 10.ended up with 4 more bags. gave one away. how do i bake one of the others from freezer without having to end up with another four bags

    1. I’m not sure, Carolyn! I guess that’s why it’s called “friendship bread” — so that you can keep giving it away! 🙂

    2. Just take it out of freezer let it set a day and add ingredients and bake. I never give away just make it and then I have my 4 portions. I make one portion and than I freeze 3 portions. When I want more bread I take one out. When I use the 3rd portion I bring the 3rd and 4th portion out. Cook the 3rd portion and use the other as a starter. I have also just made 3 portions before to get 6 loaves (one set with raisins, one with nuts and one plan).

      1. Oh my I had no idea you could freeze it! So go through the whole process and on the day you split it up,you just split as if you’re giving it away,but rather than give it away, you freeze it? Thank you for that information! Gayle

        1. Exactly, I just divide like I am going to give it away and freeze it. My kids love it so I have never frozen it for very long, maybe two months

  13. 5 stars
    I picked your website because a google search showed a picture of your bread, and it looked exactly how I wanted mine to look, with a nice brown color and a tall rise in the middle. Most other breads look so flat. I followed your recipe and made this bread last night, it turned out perfectly. Thank you so much for sharing your recipe!

  14. Hi Blair…. Had this starter years ago. Kept it going for 7yrs before I killed it. Didn’t know how to start one. Now I do thank you. Also wanted to say that I sprinkle the cinnamon and sugar in the pan first shaking it all around the pan, then adding mixture. Sprinkle a little on top. Also I change out different puddings for different flavors. Thanks again for the starter, I plan to start up again.

    1. Wonderful, Laura! I hope that you enjoy the bread again! Love the idea of sprinkling the dish with cinnamon and sugar. YUM!

  15. It’s now day 10 and I have to work late tonight. Have you ever let it go an extra day? I would just freeze it, but I think it’s silly to do that for just one day. Thanks!

    1. Hi, Trina! On Day 10, you’ll put all of the starter from the bag in a large bowl, and then add the extra ingredients listed. Then measure out 1 cup of the mixture into 4 separate bags. What remains left in the bowl will be used to bake your loaf of bread as instructed in the recipe. Hope that helps to clarify! 🙂

  16. How long can it be stored in the baggies? Do you (or whoever you give it to) have to start as soon as it is received or can you wait until you’re ready to start?

    1. Hi, Lauren! The bread needs to be baked on Day 10, so if you give it to your friend on Day 5, just make sure that she knows which day she should make the bread. Hope that makes sense! 🙂

  17. 5 stars
    RE: Out of friends, overwhelmed by starter

    This starter was given to me, and we made delicious bread! I decided to keep all the new starters to make neighbor treats, but now I have four batches ready to go, and no way to get rid of 16 new starters. Is there a way to make the bread on Day 10 without creating the host of starters from each one? I only have so many friends and freezer space, and if the start becomes sentient, my kitchen is doomed.

    1. Hi, May! I think that I understand your question. 🙂 I honestly don’t know what to suggest, since I’ve never tried making the bread without the full recipe. You might do what one reader suggested in a comment — just make the bread from scratch without a starter (see her recipe). That way you’re not creating a bunch of extra starters that you don’t have any use for. Hope that helps!

    2. May, I have done this before (on a smaller scale). On day 10, I add the milk/flour/sugar. Then I put 1c of the mixture into two bags. I double the recipe for what you add to the bowl, then bake 4 loaves. I then either freeze or give away the two starter bags. I think we have 6 starter bags in our freezer right now, and are no longer slaves to ta starter 🙂
      Theoretically, if you wanted to use up all of the starter mix, you could add the milk/flour/sugar, leave it all in the bowl, and multiply the other ingredients you add by 4. Then bake 8 loaves, and you’re good to go!

      Hope this helps.

  18. Hi, thank you for the recipe. I made mine and it was absolutely delicious. I have a question though, what if it’s day 10 and I don’t want to share the starter, can I divide the whole batch of starter to make 4 loaves instead of 2 loaves only?

    1. On day 10, after i have added the milk sugar and flour and divided into 4 batches … do i add more milk flour and sugar to the bowl with the remainder ingredients? Im trying to decipher what it means to “add remaining ingredients”

      1. Hey, Alisha! On Day 10, after you’ve divided the 4 batches, you can set aside 3 bags of starter to give to your friends and keep 1 cup of the starter for yourself. Put your 1 cup of starter in a non-metal bowl. To your 1 cup of starter in the bowl, add the 3 eggs, 1 cup of canola oil, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup milk, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, 1.5 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 2 cups flour, 1 large box dry instant pudding mix). Stir together. This is your batter. Divide the batter between two loaf pans and bake as instructed.

        Enjoy!

    2. Yes. Replace the pudding with banana pudding and add a mashed banana everything c else the same. Makes 2 nice loaves. Everyone loved it!

  19. My recipe calls to feed on the 5th and 10th day. It is 1 cup sugar, 1 cup flour, and 1 cup milk added both times.

    1. I accidentally added 1.5 cups each of sugar , flour and milk in day 6. What should I do? I am in day 10 today.

  20. Can you make this without the instant pudding? Very hard to find here, especially now with grocery shopping time extremely limited. Also, do you know if there is a substitution for yeast that can be used? Love this recipe and would love to be able to make it with my limited resources.

    1. Hi, Teresa! I know, it’s definitely tough to find groceries at the moment! I’ve never tried the bread without the pudding mix, so I have no idea if it would work or how the consistency/flavor would change. I also haven’t tried making it without the yeast, and I worry that the texture would be really off without it. Not sure though!

      It sounds like what you’re looking for it a cinnamon-sugar quick bread recipe. I would suggest using this recipe for my Brown Sugar Cinnamon Muffins, but bake the batter in a loaf pan instead of in a muffin tin. It doesn’t require pudding mix or yeast, but will give you a similar flavor. https://www.theseasonedmom.com/cinnamon-muffins/ If baking in a loaf pan, I would use a 350 degree F oven for about 45 – 55 minutes, or until cooked through. Hope that helps!

      1. Thank you Blair. Just now saw your reply, so apologize for the late response. I have tried without the pudding and it didn’t change the consistency all that much. Of course living at 8000 ft above sea level makes baking a challenge to itself. Thank you for all your delicious recipes. Take care and God bless.

  21. Just viewed recipe. The printable directions, 2 pages, with your logo, is missing milk in the bread baking part of recipe. I have a recipe for 1/2 cup of milk. Yours on web page says 1 cup. But not on the printable one! Which is correct??? Thanks.

    1. Also, on day 10 my recipe calls for only 1 cup each of flour, sugar & milk. Will that be ok? Yours says
      1 1/2 cup.

      1. Hi, Barbara! I just double-checked both sets of directions and they both include 1 cup of milk when you go to bake your portion of the starter on baking day. Hope that helps. 🙂

  22. Hello! I received a starter from a family member but got confused o. The day. So I didn’t add the Day 6 ingredients until Day 7. Should I bake on Day 10 even though the ingredients in the middle were added a day late or wait and bake on Day 11? Thanks in advance!

    1. I would wait until day 11. I have waited to bake on day 11, and it was delicious! Plus that gives your day 6 (7) ingredients the full 4 days to ferment.

        1. Is it okay to make it on day 10? That would be more convenient for me but I don’t want to mess it up lol

  23. Hi, I was just wondering if you could use Instant Yeast for this bread. I have never tried it before and that’s what I have on hand. So I was just wonder if it would work just as good as the dry active yeast.

  24. 5 stars
    I am so grateful to find this recipe! I had it years ago when a friend of mine gave it to me with some starter. I continued making the recipe, in mini loaves so I could give one as a sample with the recipe and starter, for over a year. I also put walnuts in mine. People who were unable to make their own requested it from me every ten days! It’s so delicious! In many moves the recipe was lost. I now live in an Assisted Living facility and would like to make this for my new friends and my church family. Thank you so much for posting it. I also put it in my Pinterest account. That way I shouldn’t lose it again.

    1. That’s awesome, Cheryl! I’m so glad that you found the recipe so that you can share it with your new friends now. Enjoy!!!

  25. I made this recipe today,absolutely delicious I have 4 bags of starter. I can freeze them no problem. I am not able to give any bags away.. My question is, after I defrost a bag and do the day process, can I bake 2 loaves without making additional bags?

    1. Hi, Linda! I’m not really sure how that would work. To just bake 2 loaves from the thawed bag, you’d have to discard 3/4 of that bag and then just use the remaining 1/4 of the bag with 1/4 of the dry ingredients called for in the recipe. It would be a lot of math, but you could do it. 🙂

  26. I am at day 10, and I’m not sharing any. Can I just take 1 cup out of my bag and do the bake, with out having to add the last bit of milk, sugar and flour? I don’t see why I have to add to just throw it away. Every 10 days I’ve been baking and just want to stop for a while. Already have some in the freezer.

    1. Hi, Linda! I honestly don’t know. I haven’t tried baking some of the mix without adding the other ingredients. If you give it a shot, let me know if it turns out. That would be helpful for others to know, too. 🙂

    2. I finally tried this yesterday. It worked well and the bread was great. The only difference was that the loaves were smaller than usual. So adding the extra flour, sugar and milk must increase the batter a little to make 2 loaves. Next time I will make one large loaf and some smaller loaves with what is left.

  27. I’m not understanding why I would have to discard 3/4 of bag. Can’t I just use 1 cup, before I add on day 10, and then add baking ingredients to bake? Wouldn’t it be the same as day 10 instructions without adding? I just feel it is such a waste to add and throw it out.

    1. Hi Linda! Removing a portion is a component in every starter to achieve the desired end result. You have to do the same for sourdough starter too. You don’t need to toss it though; you can use it in a recipe instead. Try subbing for sour cream in cake or tea bread. I bet it would be delicious!

  28. 5 stars
    I got a starter from a friend and just baked the bread two days ago. It was delicious! My husband loved it. I was wondering if I could add mashed bananas to make it like a banana bread? Would I leave something out and use the banana as a substitute maybe? Maybe the milk? Thanks! Was also glad to learn I can freeze the starters. I was only able to give one away so still have 3.

    1. Hi, Christine! I’m so glad that it was a hit! Bananas are a great substitute for some of the fat that’s typically called for in quick bread recipes. I would try replacing half of the oil with an equal amount of mashed bananas and see how that works. Let us know if you give it a shot!

  29. Hi! Just made this bread at it was delicious!
    Question.. the recipe says to put a cup of starter into 4 bags, then make bread with what is left in the bowl. With the 4th bag you save for yourself, can I just make bread 10 days later? Or do I have to split that bag into 4 again?

    1. Hi, Rosie! Great question…and I’m not sure that I have the correct answer since I’ve never tried to think this through before. Maybe someone else can weigh in, too! My thought is that since you have to “feed” the starter to keep it alive by adding the flour, sugar and milk on Day 6, you’ll need to divide it up again at the end to keep the ratios/proportions correct for each loaf.

  30. Hello, this is the first time I will be making this! Do you need to bake the bread in glass loaf pans or can they be metal? Thank you for posting!

  31. Love this, we are on our second round. I am wondering if anyone has tried transitioning this starter into a sourdough bread recipe? Best regards!

    1. Thanks, Michael! I honestly have no idea if the starter would work for sourdough bread. Sorry I’m not an expert in that arena. 🙂

  32. Hello. Many asked how much batter is left after you divide up the 4, one cup bags. I made mine today and I measured it out so everyone would k ow and it was 2 cups. I also added 3 ripe mashed bananas and cut the oil down to 1/2 cup and it came out great! Happy baking and Thanksgiving everyone.

  33. Are there other non-sweet bread recipes you can use this same starter for? For instance, a white bread or sourdough bread? I have tried to find some but the starter recipes are different, this is the starter that I have.

  34. I’ve used my friendship starter to make French bread before; it came out sweet, a bit like Hawaiian bread. I would guess that any savory bread you make will have a sweet undertone because of the amount of sugar in the starter. I bet it would make an excellent corn bread. You should be able to substitute the starter for any recipe that has sour cream or buttermilk. I have this sourdough jalapeno cornbread recipe that I’ve been wanting to try with friendship starter – if you make it let me know how it goes!

    Alaska Jack’s Jalapeno Pepper Cornbread
    1 1/2 cups corn meal
    1 1/2 Tbs sugar
    1 1/2 tsps salt
    1 1/2 cups milk
    1 1/2 cups starter
    1 1/2 tsps cream of tartar
    1 1/2 tsps baking soda
    2 eggs – slightly beaten
    1 cup cheddar or Monterey jack cheese – shredded
    1 cup onion -chopped
    1/3 to 1/2 cup finely chopped jalapeno peppers

    Combine corn meal, sugar and salt in a mixing bowl. Scald milk, pour over corn meal; cool to lukewarm. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Pour into buttered 9 inch square pan. Bake at 425 F for 40 minutes.

      1. 5 stars
        I let mine cool 24 hours in the pan, cover it with parchment paper, placed carefully in a freezer bag and put it in freezer. I done this because I’m making a Hard Candy Christmas and my ppl will be getting homemade food/gifts. I will be making the last two loaves today, 6 loaves total.

      2. Hi, Mary! Let it cool completely, then wrap it tightly and store it at room temperature for 2-3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. You can also freeze for up to 3 months. Enjoy!

  35. Hi! So, I pulled some starter out of the freezer about 9 days ago. I remember when we were using it before, I found myself “burping” the bag almost daily. I haven’t had to release any gases this time! Do you think it will still be good? I’m hoping to give loaves away to the neighbors for the holidays, so I’m hoping it’ll still work! Thanks in advance.

    1. Hi, Heather! I know that many folks have had great success with freezing the starter, so I think it should work fine for you. No guarantees, though, since I have no idea if your particular starter is still good. I’d do a test batch and see how it turns out. If it doesn’t work well, then you can change plans slightly and still bake a version of the bread without starter to share with friends. Just google “Amish Friendship Bread no starter” and you should find plenty of options. Hope that helps!

      1. Update: they did great!! I had two bags of starter and made 10 loaves of bread (plus two bags of starter). Did one triple batch and one double batch. I haven’t tasted them yet, but they seem to have turned out perfectly!

        1. Awesome, Heather! I’m so glad that it worked well for you. Thanks for taking the time to leave a note and let me know!

  36. I forgot to add the ingredients on Day 6. Now it is day 11. Do you think I could add the ingredients of Day 6 and then wait 4 days to to begin the process to make additional starters and bake some bread for myself?

    1. Hi, Becky! I suppose you could measure out just 1/4 of the starter, add 1/4 of the additional ingredients (so just 0.375 cups each of flour, sugar and milk), and then prepare according to the recipe from there. You’d still have extra starter leftover, which you could discard if you don’t want to use it.

  37. Hi Blair, thank you so very much for sharing the recipe and starter. My mom baked this exact recipe all the time during my highschool years. Fast forward many years. I have relocated and have no one in my area to share the starter with me. Now I finally have the starter recipe and can hardly wait to bake up some loaves and I can share the starter with the neighbours and friends. Thanks again so much!!