It's a tradition that keeps giving and giving and giving...
Did Amish friendship bread make its way to your elementary school? If you had a little pouch of strange-smelling spongy dough (it’s called a sourdough starter) in your locker, you’re probably familiar. It was a sweet tradition for making a tasty bread with your friends and family that should you should totally try with your gang.
What Is Amish Friendship Bread?
There are several variations of the recipe, but the gist remains the same. It’s a two-part process: creating the starter and baking the bread. The starter itself takes 10 days to form, but once it’s ready, it can last forever (as long as it’s fed with water and flour every so often), One baker told us she’d been keeping her starter active since 1985! Once the starter is complete, it’s divided into one-cup increments and distributed among friends, saving them the grueling 10-day process. If that’s not friendship, what is?
Don’t have any friends that will share with you? Not to worry, you can create your own starter by mixing 1 cup each of white sugar, flour and milk with a one packet of yeast. Stir it up really well and set aside for 5 days. On the fifth day, feed your starter 1 cup each of white sugar, flour and milk. Stir it well and set aside for another 5 days (10 days total). On the 10th day, feed your starter again and then divide it into one cup portions. One of those portions is now your day 1 starter, the rest you can bake with, share with friends or even freeze to use later.
Amish Friendship Bread Recipe
It’s a little lighter and healthier than the original version but still has that awesome traditional flavor.
TOTAL TIME: Prep: 20 min. Cook: 55 – 60 min.
Ingredients
1 cup Amish friendship starter
2 cups white whole wheat flour (all-purpose is fine too)
1/3 cup milk
1 cup sugar (you can reduce this as low as 1/3 cup)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 box vanilla pudding
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 egg
1/2 cup canola oil
Directions
In a bowl, combine starter, milk, beaten eggs, vanilla, buttermilk & oil.Mix well.
In a separate bowl whisk together remaining dry ingredients. Fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients being careful not to over mix. Pour into a greased, floured 9″ loaf pans. In a small bowl combine 1/4 cup brown sugar and 1 tsp cinnamon, sprinkle on top of batter.
Bake at 350º for 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Yield: 1 loaves
(reduce the temperature to 325º for dark or non-stick pans)
Where Did the Tradition Come From?
Amish friendship bread is a food surrounded by stories. Amish lore has it that an Amish mother will hand down a piece of her starter on her daughter’s wedding day. That way, the family bread will be passed down from generation to generation. When fed with flour and water every few days, the starter just grows stronger. In fact, it lasts so long that Amish families never truly use it up: They keep scooping out one-cup sections to use in baking and feed the remaining sponge so that it can be used again and again. More commonly, though, Amish communities just divide their starter and distribute it among their friends. This tradition lives on today inside and outside of Amish communities.
I'm always busy with three active sons, so this rich quick bread is a favorite. I like to wrap these loaves to give as gifts. —Sharon Walker, Huntington Station, New York
This simple bread is especially good with soups and stews, but slices are also tasty alongside fresh green salads. The herbs make it a flavorful treat any time of the year. —Donna Roberts, Shumway, Illinois
I shred and freeze zucchini from my garden each summer so that I can make this bread all winter long. Our family loves this chocolaty treat.—Shari Mckinney, Birney, Montana
Whenever I pass a display of bananas in the grocery store, I can almost smell the wonderful aroma of my best banana bread recipe. It really is amazingly good! —Gert Kaiser, Kenosha, Wisconsin
This traditional Irish soda bread can be made with an assortment of mix-ins such as dried fruit and nuts, but I like it with a handful of raisins. —Gloria Warczak, Cedarburg, Wisconsin
This recipe stars one of our state’s crops. Topped with an easy orange glaze, slices of the moist bread make a sweet snack
to enjoy anytime. —Sweet Potato Festival Committee, Vardaman, Mississippi
My grandma brought this recipe with her when she emigrated from Italy as a young wife and mother. It is still a family favorite. —Janet Eddy, Stockton, California
This bread is irresistible! A friend gets mad when I make it because I give her a loaf and she can't help but eat the whole thing! —Lisa Christensen, Poplar Grove, Illinois
Flecks of zucchini give a third dimension to the popular lemon and poppy seed combination in this moist quick bread. My family loves this lemon zucchini bread at all times of the year.—Field Editor Carol Funk, Richard, Saskatchewan.
I've been making these tasty breadsticks that go with almost any meal for years. Since they use ingredients like flour, sugar, baking powder and milk, it's convenient and inexpensive to mix up a batch. —Nancy Johnson, Connersville, Indiana
After learning of gluten and dairy issues in our family, I knew I had to re-create our favorite sweet bread. This gluten-free bread can be made using a premixed gluten-free flour or your own homemade blend. We use coconut milk to make it dairy-free, but any type of milk works! —Courtney Stultz, Weir, Kansas
My delicious quick bread is comforting in the afternoon with a cup of tea, served toasted in the morning for breakfast, or as a midnight snack. Morning, afternoon or evening, this is always a treat! —Mary West, Marstons Mills, Massachusetts
Serve this classic from the Emerald Isle with butter, jam and a hot cup of tea. Baking this beauty in a 9-in. pan means there is enough to go around. —Sadie Rotondo, Rockland, Massachusetts
We love quick breads, and I've found that they freeze nicely if properly wrapped. This is a scrumptious recipe to make before the holidays and freeze for last-minute guests or gifts. —Joan Hallford, North Richland Hills, Texas
This yummy pumpkin bread won first prize in the Acorn Pantry Bread Contest. It melts in your mouth, and the recipe easily doubles for gift-giving. —Renee' Nanez, Frederic, Wisconsin
I’ve been baking for over 50 years and I never get tired of trying new recipes for my family, friends and co-workers. Baking actually relaxes me. I feel like an artist creating a masterpiece of love. This savory loaf makes a great gift. —Paula Marchesi, Lenhartsville, PA
The texture of this bread is almost like a cake, so I usually serve slices of it for dessert. The loaf looks so festive with the pretty glaze drizzled on top. —Gaye O'Dell, Binghamton, New York
Ice cream gets a whole new use in this tender bread recipe that I pared down to serve two. Be sure to use full-fat ice cream for best results. —Katherine Kuehlman, Denver, Colorado
These thin, crisp breadsticks created in our Test Kitchen add a bit of elegance to a holiday dinner. Each bite is perfectly seasoned with thyme and coarse salt.
My husband and I both enjoy cooking, but the baking is left to me. Our sons loved this chocolaty quick bread when they were little—and still do as grownups! —Melissa Mitchell-Wilson, Wichita, Kansas
This recipe is a favorite of my family because it isn't greasy like most of the other cheese breads I have tried. It will not last long! —Debi Wallace, Chestertown, New York
This recipe proves that simple ingredients often result in the best-tasting dishes. These popovers are a nice change from ordinary toast or muffins. —Donna Gaston, Coplay, Pennsylvania
Tart berries, crunchy nuts and sweet chocolate are simply scrumptious when mixed together in this easy quick bread. Sometimes I'll top it off with an orange-flavored glaze. —Donna Smith, Fairport, New York
Socca is a traditional flatbread from Nice, France. It's a common street food, cooked on a grill and served in a paper cone, usually chopped and sprinkled with salt, pepper or other delicious toppings. Bonus: It's gluten free. — Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Being of Dutch descent, I knew I had to try this recipe for a moist, fruity quick bread. It freezes well, so I often have a loaf on hand for church bazaars. —Gladys Meyer, Ottumwa, Iowa
Here’s an all-around great bread for any season. The red bursts of cranberry lend every slice extra appeal for Christmastime. —Rosemary Johnson, Irondale, Alabama
While cinnamon swirl bread is a natural for breakfast, we love it so much we enjoy it all day long. This is a nice twist on traditional cinnamon swirl yeast breads. —Helen Richardson, Shelbyville, Michigan
Of all the quick breads we had growing up, this beautiful lemon blueberry bread is the best! The citrus glaze adds a lustrous finish and locks in moisture. —Julianne Johnson, Grove City, Minnesota
When our tree branches are loaded with ripe and juicy fruit, I treat my family and friends to lots of easy pear recipes. I always receive raves and requests for this particular pear bread recipe because of the mix of fun ingredients.—Linda Patrick, Houston, Texas
The seasonal flavors of eggnog, rum extract and nutmeg shine through in these moist, golden loaves. Tender slices go great with a cup of coffee. —Beverly Elmore, Spokane, Michigan
This loaf has a rugged, textured look that adds to its old-fashioned appeal. The mild Parmesan flavor nicely complements the zucchini, which adds bits of green color to every tender slice. —Christine Wilson, Sellersville, Pennsylvania
My family hops out of bed on Valentine’s Day because they know I’m baking this quick bread for breakfast. They’re major chocoholics and it always hits the spot. —Angela Lively, Conroe, Texas
I came across this recipe in a local newspaper about 10 years ago, and I still make the bread on a regular basis. The recipe conveniently yields a number of mini loaves, making gift-giving easy. —Linda Wood, Roanoke, Virginia
I love making many of these special loaves to give away for the holidays. They also freeze well so it is easy to pull out for unexpected guests. —Judy Fischer, Green Bay, Wisconsin
My neighbor gave me this recipe, and I love that it makes two loaves. We usually eat one and then give the other away or freeze it for later. The glaze complements the bread perfectly. —Heather Frese, Albany, Missouri
Having a bunch of leftover candy canes after the holidays inspired me to use them up by adding them to a chocolate bread. Coffee and cocoa intensify the flavor. —Shelly Platten, Amherst, Wisconsin
You can customize this bread to your family's specific tastes. Try dried apricots and pecans, or dried blueberries and hazelnuts. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
At my husband's urging, I entered this recipe at the Pennsylvania Farm Show and won first place! I think you'll love the cakelike texture and tropical flavors. —Sharon Rydbom, Tipton, Pennsylvania
Cinnamon and raisins bring heartwarming flavor to this mildly sweet bread. It's ideal for an on-the-go breakfast or a quick snack before dinner. —Flo Burtnett, Gage, Oklahoma
My children love to bake (and eat) all kinds of banana bread. They make this all by themselves, with just a little help from me to put it in the oven. —Kristin Metcalf, Charlton, Massachusetts
This is quite a good bread - our family really enjoys it! It's also very quick and easy to prepare, once you have the rhubarb diced. —Grace Capen, Sacramento, California
We had a lot of family get-togethers when I was growing up. My grandmother, aunts and mom were all good cooks, and each had her own specialty when it came to bread. But Mom's was my favorite—she started making it 40 years ago. The flavors call to mind the taste of cornbread stuffing! —Shirley Smith, Yorba Linda, California
My aunt brought her tea bread recipe with her from Scotland, and enjoying a fresh-baked loaf has become a family tradition during the holidays. Each slice is loaded with red cherries. —Kathleen Showers, Briggsdale, Colorado
Pears give these little loaves delicious flavor and help keep them nice and moist. They make lovely gifts to share, too. —Mary Lynn Wilson, Linden, Texas
My best friend, Rita, shared this irresistible Irish soda bread recipe. It bakes up high, with a golden brown top and a combination of sweet and savory flavors. —Jan Alfano, Prescott, Arizona
I got this apple quick bread recipe a long time ago and with a few changes it's become one of our favorites. Everyone who's ever tasted this apple bread has asked for the recipe! —Phyllis Herlocker, Farlington, Kansas
This is quite a good bread - our family really enjoys it! It's also very quick and easy to prepare, once you have the rhubarb diced. —Grace Capen, Sacramento, California
This quick bread is a family favorite, so I always try to have ripe bananas on hand for this recipe. I'm sure your family will love this tasty, nutty bread as much as mine does. —Susan Jones, La Grange Park, Illinois
While these loaves may be small, they have a big rich flavor. The macadamia nuts make them a special treat with tropical flair. Plus, they're so pretty with the toasted coconut topping. —Kim Gilliland, Simi Valley, California
This cranberry bread is tender and moist. The first time I made it, it immediately became a favorite for the fall and winter holidays. The tart cranberries complement the sweet chocolate so well.—Jessica Hornaday, Nampa, Idaho
This is authentic ciambellotto, a sweet loaf my great-grandmother used to bake in Italy. I still use her traditional recipe—the only update I made was for using modern appliances. —Denise Perrin, Vancouver, Washington
My family loves quick breads. This one is moist and spicy. If you don't have mini loaf pans it works just as well in regular size pans. —Nancy Foust, Stoneboro, Pennsylvania
I've had this fruity loaf in my recipe collection since 1975. I tweak it with spices and candied fruit, depending on the season. —Dawn Lowenstein, Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania
On this westernmost ridge of the Appalachians, we get abundant rain and sunshine, which allows our children to grow a super sweet corn crop. With staggered plantings, there is enough to eat from mid-July through August, plus plenty to freeze for the long winter. This cornbread is just one way we use some of the bounty! —Anne Wiehler, Farmington, Pennsylvania
Red pepper flakes combined with the cinnamon and allspice give each slice of this bread a subtle hint of warmth. —Donna Marie Ryan, Topsfield, Massachusetts
I received this recipe as part of a gift, along with a lemon thyme plant and a fresh loaf of this pound cake-like bread. Everyone who tries it asks for the recipe. —Jeannette Mango, Parkesburg, Pennsylvania
This tasty bread is perfect for a Thanksgiving meal or any time of the year. I plant pumpkins in my garden, and this is one of my favorite ways to use them.
If you’re from the South, you have to have a good cornbread recipe. Here’s a healthier version of my mom’s skillet cornbread. —Debi Mitchell, Flower Mound, Texas
These moist loaves are packed with the zesty taste of cranberries and orange peel. I suggest serving slices toasted with butter or cream cheese. —Ron Gardner, Grand Haven, Michigan
Every time I prepare this yummy bread, I always receive raves. It’s perfect with coffee or as a gift, plus it’s really quick and easy to prepare. —Joan Hallford, North Richland Hills, Texas
Sue has been part of the Taste of Home family for over 16 years. Her collection of magazines dates back to the premier issue in 1993. When she isn’t writing, she’s answering your burning cooking questions and working with our team of Volunteer Field Editors.