Make a starter then make a loaf of delicious cinnamon bread. We've detailed everything you need to know to kick off this fun tradition—from a simple starter mix to the first, fresh-from-the-oven slice. Amish friendship bread is a quick bread made with a sweet, sourdough starter. It’s a ten-day process, but it’s so easy (lots of squishing, waiting, mixing in ingredients and more waiting). On the 10th day, bake two delicious loaves of cinnamon-scented bread for you and a new friend, and share the leftover starter with other friends!
Check out the recipe for instructions on how to get started. Begin by mixing the ingredients together to make a smooth batter.
Spray two large loaf pans with nonstick baking spray (the kind with flour in the mix). If you can't find baking spray, generously butter and flour the pan instead. The more the merrier when it comes to greasing a pan so that the bread won't stick!
This is where the bread takes a turn for the delicious! Traditional Amish Friendship bread is a loaf of cinnamoney goodness. But we amped things up with an extra cinnamon swirl. (It’s so beautiful to slice into!) To give your loaves a final flair, scoop about 1/3 of the batter into a medium bowl, add cinnamon (lots and lots of cinnamon), then whisk until the batter changes to a deep, brown color.
Now place little dollops of the cinnamon batter into the bowl with the remaining batter and use a fork or knife to gently swirl together, but just a little!
You want to keep those nice, big swirls intact by not overmixing.
Now pour the batter into your two, prepared loaf pans…
And get ready to bake in a hot oven. The loaves will need about an hour to bake—the perfect amount of time to clean the kitchen.
Once your loaves are out of the oven and cooled, wrap them up with a note and share with a new friend.
They'll be so glad you did, and you will too!
Don't forget to give your bread with a bag of friendship bread starter to keep the fun going for everyone, all year long. (Be sure to give it a good sniff before using again— it should have a pleasant sour smell and be bubbly. Discard it if it smells bad, turns reddish or orange in color, or grows mold.)
Ingredients
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Starter
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1package active dry yeast
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1/4cup very warm water
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1cup warm cultured buttermilk
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1cup Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour
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1cup granulated sugar
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Additions to Starter During 10 Days
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2cups Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour
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2cups granulated sugar
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2cups cultured buttermilk
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Bread
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1cup (1 bag) Starter
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3eggs
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1cup butter, softened
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1/2cup cultured buttermilk
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1cup packed brown sugar
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1/2teaspoon vanilla
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1 1/2teaspoon baking powder
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1/2teaspoon salt
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1/2teaspoon baking soda
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2cups Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour
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3tablespoons ground cinnamon
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1box (6-serving size) vanilla instant pudding and pie filling mix
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2tablespoons granulated sugar
Directions
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1DIRECTIONS TO MAKE THE STARTER:
In medium bowl, stir together yeast and warm water until yeast is dissolved. Add buttermilk. Beat in 1 cup flour and 1 cup granulated sugar. Pour mixture into 1-gallon zipper-topped bag; seal bag. Place in cool, dry location for at least 8 hours or up to 10 hours.
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2Place starter in refrigerator and store there for Days 2 through 10. Consider this (or the day you receive the starter) as Day 1 of the cycle.
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3DIRECTIONS TO ACCOMPANY A STARTER BAG:
Day 1: Do nothing.
Day 2: Mash bag.
Day 3: Mash bag.
Day 4: Mash bag.
Day 5: Mash bag.
Day 6: To bag, add 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 cup granulated sugar, 1 cup cultured buttermilk; seal bag and mash until mixed.
Day 7: Mash bag.
Day 8: Mash bag.
Day 9: Mash bag.
Day 10: Follow directions below:
Pour entire bag into nonmetal bowl. Add 1 cup flour, 1 cup granulated sugar, 1 cup cultured buttermilk. Measure out 1 cup of Starter into each of 4 (1-gallon) zipper-topped bags. Keep 1 bag for yourself, and give other bags to 3 friends along with recipe.
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4DIRECTIONS TO MAKE TWO LOAVES OF BREAD:
Heat oven to 325°F. Spray 2 (9x5-inch) loaf pans with cooking spray. In large bowl, beat contents of 1 bag of Starter, the eggs, butter, buttermilk, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, flour, and pudding mix with whisk until a smooth batter forms.
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5Scoop 1 cup batter into small bowl. Add cinnamon; beat with whisk until cinnamon is well mixed into batter. Spoon dollops of cinnamon batter back into large bowl with vanilla batter. With fork, gently swirl vanilla and cinnamon batters together. Don't over mix! Two or three swirls should be enough! Pour batter into pans. Sprinkle top of each loaf with 1 tablespoon granulated sugar.
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6Bake 55 to 65 minutes or until bread springs back when touched lightly in center. Cool until bread loosens from sides of pan. Turn breads out onto serving dish or cutting board. Serve and enjoy!
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