Use this Amish Friendship Bread Starter Recipe as a base for many sweet breads, dinner rolls, muffins and other baked goods. Hints for storing and using up the sourdough starter.
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Download the Amish Friendship Bread Starter instructions here.
Have I got a treat for you today! Classic Amish Friendship Bread Starter Recipe. Have you ever tried this sweet sourdough?
It’s one of those recipes that people seem to either love or hate. On one hand, you make a sweet sourdough that you have to keep dividing and using up, or passing out to your friends….or throw away. If you keep the starter going, it just…well…keeps going.
On the other hand, you make a sweet sourdough that is versatile and makes an amazing cinnamon quick bread. Quick bread that is so addicting that you can eat 6 loaves in a matter of 3 days.
Yeah….just please don’t ask. 🙂
Whether you make it this bread weekly, haven’t seen it in years, or are completely new to Amish Friendship Bread, my goal is to convince you to at least give easy sourdough recipe a try. I’m going to make it easy for you with hints! The recipe for the bread itself is coming soon, but first you need the starter.
How to Make Amish Friendship Bread Starter:
- Have Ziploc plastic bags (for easily storing the starter), glass bowls and wooden spoons on hand. For sourdough, you don’t want to use metal bowls or utensils. Sourdough is acidic and can dissolve some metals. It’s best to use anything but metal bowls and utensils.
- Write the directions right on the Ziploc bags using a permanent marker so you never have to go hunting for the directions.
- Make the starter recipe, then pour it into a Ziploc bag (with the directions written on it). You can also store this in a loosely covered glass bowl if you’d like. I just find it easier to use a Ziploc bag.
- While you are working your way through the 10-day process, store the starter at room temperature. If the Ziploc bag gets air in it, simply let it out.
- How much sourdough you end up with at the end of the 10 day process depends on how active your sourdough is. You’ll end up with about 5-6 cups.
- On Day 10 after you add last bit of flour, sugar and milk, separate out 1-cup portions into Ziploc bags (don’t forget those directions on the front!).
- At this point, you can give away some of those starter bags to friends along with the recipe and instructions so they can indulge in their own friendship bread.
- Keep a starter for yourself to continue the sourdough process (Day 10 is equal to Day 1), and make the Amish Friendship Bread with one of the other cups of starter.
- If you can’t find anyone who wants the sourdough starter, simply throw those 1-cup bags into the freezer until another time when you’d like to start the sourdough process our bake the bread. When you pull the sourdough out of the freezer, treat it as Day 1. Or just go ahead and use that cup to bake loaves of friendship bread!
You don’t have to feel like this is a never-ending recipe. Although it may seem that way, you can easily freeze the 1-cup sourdough portions at the end of the 10 days to make multiple recipes (that we’ll be sharing on our site soon!).
But this Amish cinnamon friendship bread? You’ll be wanting to make it. It’s the best in served warm with a slather of butter.
Although this sweet sourdough starter is very easy, you may have questions! Please comment below with your questions and I’ll update this article to answer your questions as you have them.
Download the Amish Friendship Bread Starter instructions here.
Amish Friendship Bread Starter Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup warm water about 110 degrees
- 1 package active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup milk (2% or higher fat)
Instructions
- Pour the warm water into a small glass bowl.
- Sprinkle the yeast over the water. Let this stand for 5-8 minutes to allow it to dissolve.
- In a larger glass bowl (or plastic bowl. Don't use metal bowls or utensils for sourdough), mix together the flour and sugar with a wooden spoon.
- Stir in the milk and then the yeast mixture.
- Cover loosely with plastic wrap and allow it to stand until bubbly.
- Once the mixture is bubbly, pour it into a gallon-size zippered plastic bag and seal. Do not refrigerate. Allow the sourdough mixture to sit out at room temperature. This counts as Day 1.
- Day 2: Mash the bag.
- Day 3: Mash the bag.
- Day 4: Mash the bag.
- Day 5: Mash the bag.
- Day 6: Add 1 cup of flour, sugar and milk. Mash the bag until it is mixed well.
- Day 7: Mash the bag.
- Day 8: Mash the bag.
- Day 9: Mash the bag.
- Day 10: Pour the sourdough into a glass (or other nonmetal) bowl. Add 1/2 cup each of all-purpose flour, granulated sugar and milk. Mix well with a wooden spoon.
- Divide out 1 cup portions of the starter, placing each one-cup portion in separate zippered plastic bags. You'll get about 4-5 bags.
- Seal the bags, and give the starter away to friends along with the instructions, keeping one for yourself if desired. The starter then goes back to Day 1.
- Keep one starter for yourself
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Shandi says
I apologize if this was already asked… I live on the other side of the state from my family. Do you think I could mail the starter? It takes around 3 days for them to receive packages. Should I put it in a container instead of bag? And would they consider it day when they receive it? Thanks! Can’t wait to get started!!
Julie Clark says
I’ve never shipped it but you definitely could. If it took 3 days, I’d just have them start on day 1.
Crissy says
I wouldn’t ship it. The bag needs to be burped each day otherwise it could explode and that would make one heck of a mess. Also you don’t know the temperature conditions during shipping. The only way I would possibly consider being okay to ship is if you were able to freeze it and ship it right away.
Nellie L Wright says
I’ve baked the amish friendship bread before , but never made the starter. Do you use all purpose flour or self rising?
Julie Clark says
I use all-purpose flour.
Stephannie says
What temp do you bake it at and for how long?
Julie Clark says
Here are the instructions: https://www.tastesoflizzyt.com/amish-friendship-bread-recipe/
Rachael says
Hello. My husband and I have read the instructions 4 times and watched the video. Nowhere do we see the temp to back or for how long. I saw in the comments someone else ask, and they were just provided a link which takes you back to the top of the page. Can you please provide the baking instructions?
Julie Clark says
The actually bread recipe is here: https://www.tastesoflizzyt.com/amish-friendship-bread-recipe/#wprm-recipe-container-14071
Linda says
So you never put it in the starter in the refrigerator?
Julie Clark says
Nope! No need to if you follow the schedule.
Laura says
Hi,
My husband and myself both added milk,sugar, flour. On day 5…
Yes our communication lacks….will my starter be o.k.?
Thanks
Julie Clark says
It should be fine!
rhonda says
Hi…can’t wait to start this! Thank you. Is all active dry yeast created equal? If not…what should I look for…
Julie Clark says
Yes, I believe it is. Just look for the package to say “active dry yeast”
Kellye Lasky says
I have a question. I just put everything together for my Amish Friendship Bread Starter yesterday. It remains in the bowl, loosely covered with saran wrap, waiting for it to bubble. Yet, it still hasn’t happened. It’s been about 18 hours since I put all the ingredients together.
I double checked to make sure I used the correct the yeast, (made sure the water temp was 110 degrees)
& double checked all the other ingredients. I even made a 2nd batch.
What could be the problem?
Julie Clark says
I think it will be fine to continue on. Sometimes we don’t have many bubbles. It could just be the air temperature.
Travis says
do you bake this using just one cup in the pan. It doesn’t seem like much dough. I know you can add chocolate chips and nuts if you want,however, it still doesn’t seem like much dough to make a cake, even in a banana nut bread pan?
Julie Clark says
This is the complete recipe for the bread: https://www.tastesoflizzyt.com/amish-friendship-bread-recipe/
Rebekah says
How long should we expect it to take to get bubbly? Or at what point should we just transfer from bowl to bag?
Julie Clark says
It might not get that bubbly. Just follow the days/steps outlined in the recipe and you should be fine!
Michelle says
I would like to make a couple dozen mini loaves to give to coworkers and teachers. I have two starters that are both on day 3. Is there a ‘bake sale quantity’ recipe? I get 4 minis out of 1 starter in addition to the starters to share. Could I use the ‘new starters’ as the base for additional baking batches on day 10? Or do I need to go through the entire 10 day cycle again? Or what is the approximate volume left after removal of the portion to share? Not sure I am being clear but hopefully someone will know what I mean. Thanks for the help!
Julie Clark says
You can use up some of the starters you divide out to bake those loaves. You want 1 cup of starter per recipe, and 1 cup left to keep the starter going. I hope that helps!
Michelle says
That’s what I was hoping you would say! Thank you!!
Carrie DeCaria says
So after the 10 day process, I just storethe remainder in my cupboard and add milk, sugar and flour when it gets low? Won’t it spoil?
Julie Clark says
After the 10 day process, you start the 10 day process over again so you are kneading, adding flour, etc. Keep feeding the starter as the schedule states and you’ll be fine!
Alana says
On day 10, I want to make some bread. Do I take out 1 c. of batter for my bread & then add the sugar, milk and flour to continue the starter?
Julie Clark says
No..add the sugar flour, etc. first…then divide up and bake the bread.
Jean says
I made starter Bread. Four times now and each time around the holidays it was delicious I’m starting my starter kit tonight if anyone trying it for the first time I’m telling you this bread is very good it’s delicious , you won’t be sorry
Laura says
I went out of town and did not add ingredients on day 6 it is now day 8 should I discard this starter?
Julie Clark says
No I’d just start it back up.
Michele says
At day 10 when you divide up the starter, then start at day 1 again. Do you add 1 cup of each again for day 1 or skip that?
Julie Clark says
Skip that.
Debbie Cannady says
Can I use almond milk.
Julie Clark says
I haven’t tried that yet.
Laura says
I want to make the starter with my camp fire group for them to each take home. How long will it take to rise in the bowl before we can pop it into the ziploc? Thx
Julie Clark says
It will really depend, but it can take up to a day (depending on air temperature)
Vonnie says
Can I bake the bread at day 9 instead of day 10?
Julie Clark says
I’ve not done that, but it would probably turn out ok.