Amish Friendship Bread

Amish Friendship Bread Recipe

For your start:

Mix 1 cup milk

1 cup flour and

1 cup sugar in a NON metal bowl or gallon baggie (I personally use the baggie...just squish it all together to mix it).

Leave alone on counter for 2-5 days

Day 6 stir it (if in bowl, or squish it in baggie)

Day 7 add 1 cup sugar, 1 cup flour, and 1 cup milk then mix.

Day 8-9 mix (stir or squish)

Day 10 add 1 cup sugar, 1 cup flour, and 1 cup milk

Today is the day you can take out 1 cup of starter for baking and give 1 cup to a friend. Maintain starter.

These are the directions I give to friends with a start.

Do not use a metal spoon or a metal bowl for mixing. Do NOT refrigerate.

When air forms in bag and it's puffy, let out and reseal. It is normal for batter to raise, bubble, and ferment.

Day 1 This is the day you receive your batter...Do Nothing!

Day 2 Mush the bag

Day 3 Mush the bag

Day 4 Mush the bag

Day 5 Mush the bag

Day 6 Add into the bag 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup milk. Mix together by squeezing the bag.

Day 7 Mush the bag

Day 8 Mush the bag

Day 9 Mush the bag

Day 10 Combine in a large bowl:

Batter from the bag, 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar, and 1 cup milk. Stir and pour four 1 cup starters into ziplock bags. Keep one for yourself and give the other three to friends with these instructions.

To the remaining batter, in a non-metal bowl add and mix well:

1 cup oil, 1 cup sugar, 1/2 cup milk, 3 eggs, 1 tsp vanilla, 2 cups flour, 2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp salt, 1-1/2 tsp baking power, 1 large box vanilla instant pudding ( right from the box, not made)

Preheat oven to 325. Grease and generously sugar (a mixture of 1/4 cup sugar and 1 tsp cinnamon) two large loaf pans, or one large bundt pan (or 4 small loaf pans). Pour batter into pan and sprinkle remaining sugar mixture on top. Bake one hour. Let stand 10 minutes before removing from pan.

Optional: add 1 cup chopped nuts and/or raisins, chocolate chips, coconut, etc.

The fourth bag that you pour will be yours to keep and start the 1o day process over again. You will have bread every 10 days! I have learned a trick...you can freeze the batter for up to 6 weeks, so I have started freezing it and then pulling out a start when I want bread. I just do day 10 on it and it makes 2 extra starts instead of 4. I either give them away or put them back in the freezer until I want more bread. This makes it easier than having to bake bread every 10 days.

My kids love this and request it instead of birthday cake sometimes. The small (mini) loaves are great neighbor gifts for Christmas.