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No-Starter Amish Friendship Bread

With this recipe for No-Starter Amish Friendship Bread, there is all the flavor of a traditional Amish Friendship Bread but none of the wait!

A SIMPLER FRIENDSHIP BREAD RECIPE

If you aren’t familiar with Amish Friendship Bread then you are missing out on some of the yummiest sweet bread you’ve ever tasted. Growing up, this bread was popular among the Navy wives in our little base community.

two slices of friendship bread on a plate with a bottle of milk in the background.

WHAT IS A BREAD STARTER?

To make the traditional Amish Friendship Bread, you need to get a “bread starter” from one of your friends (or make it yourself). The starter is made with a mixture of flour, sugar and milk placed into a resealable bag.You knead the bag once a day for a few days And then you have to “feed” it a few days after that. After the tenth day, you can divide it all up into 10 resealable bags and pass them out to friends, hence the name, Friendship Bread). They can then make the bread by adding a few more ingredients to the starter or start the process all over again to make more starters. Bottom line, it takes a bit of time and dedication so I’m going to show you how to make a cheater version!

No-Starter Amish Friendship Bread recipe from The Country Cook, loaf of sweet bread shown on a white platter and sliced.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (FULL RECIPE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POST)

  • sugar
  • cinnamon
  • real buttermilk
  • oil
  • large eggs
  • vanilla extract
  • sugar
  • ground cinnamon
  • baking powder
  • baking soda
  • salt
  • all-purpose flour
  • instant vanilla pudding
  • chopped walnuts (optional)
buttermilk, oil, large eggs, vanilla extract, sugar, ground cinnamon baking powder, baking soda, salt, all-purpose flour, instant vanilla pudding, chopped walnuts.

HOW TO MAKE AMISH FRIENDSHIP BREAD:

Preheat oven to 325f degrees. Spray two bread loaf pans (or 8 mini loaf pans) with nonstick cooking spray. Sprinkle half of the cinnamon sugar mixture on the sides and bottom of loaf pans.

cinnamon sugar sprinkled into the bottom of two loaf pans.

In a large bowl, stir together buttermilk, oil, eggs and vanilla. Stir in sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Then, slowly stir in flour and instant vanilla pudding. Finally, gently stir in chopped walnuts.

buttermilk, oil, eggs, vanilla, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt, flour and instant vanilla pudding mixed together in the bowl of an electric stand mixer.

Pour batter evenly into prepared pans. Sprinkle the tops with rest of the sugar/cinnamon mixture.

sweet bread batter poured into two bread loaf pans and sprinkled with cinnamon sugar.

Bake for 45 minutes (for mini loaves) and about an hour for full-size loaves. Allow to cool completely. Then gently remove the loaves and pack them into cellophane bags.

whole loaf of Amish friendship bread on a white platter and sticks of cinnamon off to the side.

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Amish Friendship Bread recipe

No-Starter Amish Friendship Bread (+Video)

With this recipe for No-Starter Amish Friendship Bread, there is all the flavor of a traditional Amish Friendship Bread but none of the wait!
4.70 from 39 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 16

Ingredients

For the cinnamon sugar mixture:

  • ½ cup sugar
  • 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

For the bread:

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 325f degrees. Spray two 8×4-inch bread loaf pans (or 8 mini loaf pans) with nonstick cooking spray.
  • In a small bowl, mix together the sugar and cinnamon.
  • Sprinkle half of the cinnamon sugar mixture on the sides and bottom of loaf pans.
  • In a large bowl, stir together buttermilk, oil, eggs and vanilla.
  • Stir in sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
  • Then, slowly stir in flour and instant vanilla pudding.
  • Finally, gently stir in chopped walnuts.
  • Pour batter evenly into prepared pans.
  • Sprinkle the tops with rest of the cinnamon sugar mixture.
  • Bake for 45 minutes (for mini loaves) and about an hour for full-size loaves.
  • Allow to cool completely then slice.

Video

YouTube video
Course: Breads, Dessert
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Calories: 325kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 13g | Sodium: 297mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 18g

Nutritional Disclaimer

“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.

Did you make this recipe?Share it on Instagram @thecountrycook and mention us #thecountrycook!

Originally published:September 2017
Updated & republished: December 2020

Recipe credit: Friendship Bread Kitchen

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Recipe Rating




36 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Is the baking temperature right at 325? My bread definitely wasn’t done in one hour. Next time I will increase to 350 and see if that works. It tastes great, tho when fully baked!

  2. 5 stars
    I have made this recipe SO many times since you first shared it years ago. It was one of my favorite recipes to give to friends and family around the holidays. So delicious – thank you for sharing and for all the time you put into your posts. It is so very much appreciated for people like me who are visual learners.

  3. I made this bread last night and oh my goodness! Some of the best and most moist bread ever. I wish I could make all my bread varieties this texture. The flavor was so good.I searched your site for a plain banana bread and a plain zucchini bread using this recipe but couldn’t find one. Can you Please (I beg of you lol!) create a banana bread recip and a zucchine bread recipe based off this one. I would do it but don’t know how. I know the moisture would change because of the bananas or because of the zucchini and I don’t know how much that would change the amount of buttermilk. Thanks so much.

    1. oh wow – that is amazing Barbra! You know what’s interesting is this particular recipe is one of my least viewed recipes. It doesn’t get any attention or appreciation at all so I’m surprised you found it while searching! I would definitely make more recipes with this base recipe if more people wanted but I’m not sure there is an interest there. I’ll definitely keep it in mind though and I’m absolutely thrilled you love it!!

      1. 5 stars
        This recipe brings back memories. I used to make Amish friendship bread a Lot. LOL! My best friend would not want anymore because then she had the starter too and so did her sister, etc.etc. I agree with Barbra. I would love to see a recipe for zucchini bread based on this recipe. I follow you and love your recipes, but I had never seen this one until you featured it today. Thanks, Loli

      2. 5 stars
        I loved it!!! Passed it on to family and friends. I too would love a recipe for Banana Bread and zucchini bread.
        Thank you so much for your recipes.
        You are greatly appreciated!!!!

  4. This brings back memories! I’ll have to give it a try, especially since it’s a quicker process. I remember how my mom would tend to the starter dough for days, and she tried to make sure to have enough left to keep it going. I can almost smell the dough! Thanks!

  5. At the top, the list says (2) 3.4 oz boxes of the pudding. But, in the recipe, it only calls for 1 box. Which should be used?

  6. 5 stars
    Oh my goodness! This is excellent. So easy and I was successful! So yummy with Earle Grey or hazelnut coffee. Definitely at the top of my breakfast breads, tea breads and even desserts. Thank you ! Always look forward to your emails. ☺️

  7. 5 stars
    Can wheat flour be used in place of the All Purpose flour? Or maybe whole wheat white flour? My daughter says they eat wheat bread so I thought if the wheat flour could substitute for the All Purpose White Flour, it might be more appealing to her?

  8. Do you have to use buttermilk? Can almond milk be used instead? I’ve read other recipes that use regular or nonfat milk.

  9. May be a silly question, but when the recipe calls for the pudding – are you adding prepared pudding, or simply the powder from the box?

  10. 5 stars
    What are the actual measurements for the bread starter. I’d like to make that to pass out with this recipe.
    Thank you!

  11. 5 stars
    Looks and sounds wonderful. Years ago I made “Friendship Bread”, used with a starter from a friend, but you added peaches, cherries and the nuts. Could this be added to yours or do you know of this recipe?