Amish Friendship Bread

A friend gave me some Amish Friendship Bread starter and I loved it. It can be changed to make many flavors of bread. Make the starter and recipe as a gift during the holidays or make the bread and freeze to give out for the holidays.


Do not use any metal bowls or spoons when making this!

Amish Friendship Bread Starter Recipe

1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
3 cups all-purpose flour, divided
3 cups white sugar, divided
3 cups milk

In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in water. Let stand 10 minutes. In a 2 quart container glass, plastic or ceramic container, combine 1 cup flour and 1 cup sugar. Mix thoroughly or flour will lump when milk is added. Slowly stir in 1 cup milk and dissolved yeast mixture. Consider this day 1 of the 10 day cycle. Put one cup in a gallon zip lock bags to give out to your friends. You can also freeze the starter for later use.




How to make the bread.

1 cup starter


Day 1:
Do nothing with the starter.

Days 2-5:
Knead the bag

Day 6:
Add 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar, and 1 cup milk to the bag and knead.

Days 7-9:
Knead the bag

Day 10:
Add 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar and 1 cup milk. Stir. Take out 3 cups and place 1 cup each into three separate plastic containers. Give one cup and a copy of this recipe to three friends.

To the balance (a little over one cup) of the batter, add the following ingredients and mix well.

1 cup oil
1/2 cup milk
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla


In a separate bowl combine the following dry ingredients and mix well:


2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 - large box instant vanilla pudding or two small boxes
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup nuts



Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients. Mix and pour into two well greased and sugared bread pans. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour.


Amish Friendship Bread Variations

Apple Cinnamon Friendship Bread:
Add one cup of raisins and one small diced apple.


Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread Friendship Bread:
Add small can of pumpkin, 2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice, 1 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips; decrease oil to 1/2 cup. Omit cinnamon.

Butterscotch Friendship Bread:
Add 1 box of butterscotch pudding instead of vanilla pudding and 1 cup of butterscotch chips.

Lemon Poppy Seed Friendship Bread:
Use lemon pudding and add 1/4 cup of poppy seeds

Lemon Coconut Friendship Bread:
Omit cinnamon, nuts and vanilla. Use lemon flavored pudding, add 1-tsp. lemon extract and 2 cups coconut.

Banana Nut Friendship Bread:
Use banana cream pie pudding and two mashed bananas

Christmas Friendship Bread:
Add one cup of dried cranberries and a tablespoon of orange zest

Cheesecake Friendship Bread:
Use 3/4 cup white chocolate chips, macadamia nuts and cheesecake pudding

Tropical Friendship Bread:
Add a small can of well drained crushed pineapple, coconut, and chopped pecans.