Amish Cinnamon Bread is a quick and easy bread that can be enjoyed as a breakfast bread or an afternoon snack. It is also commonly known as Amish Friendship Bread. Amish cinnamon bread is a sweet quick bread made from a simple sugar, flour and milk starter mixed straight into the batter, with instant vanilla pudding for a soft crumb and a cinnamon sugar layer over the top.
This recipe makes two loaves, which is the whole point of a friendship bread. One stays home and one goes to a neighbor. There is no ten day starter to keep alive on your counter and no waiting, so you can decide to make it in the morning and be handing a loaf to someone by lunchtime.
Click to read about our trip to Amish Country
My daughter and I recently took a trip to Lancaster, PA, on our way to New York. We were on a tour bus with her friends from school, so we really got to see and hear a lot about the culture, the scenery, the history, and learn more about the Amish and Mennonite people.
It was really fascinating to hear about their beliefs and just their simple way of life. We had lunch in one family’s home downstairs, where the mother’s business was creating a feast for her guests and sharing stories.
I have never had so much food in my life. We were able to buy homemade peanut butter, which actually made it home on the plane. I had heard horror stories of it not traveling too well. The funny thing is, I bagged and triple bagged it for safety measures, and when we got off the plane, I checked my bag, and TSA had gone through it and took the peanut butter out of the bags and just left it together with my clothes.
Fortunately, it did not leak, and the rest of my family really got to experience some Amish peanut butter for the first time.
Another great thing we saw was that even though their homes are sparse, they are landscaped so beautifully. Remember, I live in the desert. They have lots of land, animals, and flowers. We went to a quilt shop and saw the most beautiful quilts. The craftsmanship and time it takes to put into one quilt are inspiring.
They sell things on the side of the roads in little shacks (not sure if that is the correct word or not, forgive me or leave me a comment). At night, they leave it out in the open without locking it up. This is a very foreign concept to me. I even saw a furniture store where they leave all the furniture outside at night. It made me really sad to see how different California is.
One of my favorite things to see was the horse and buggies with children riding by. When they build their houses, everyone comes alongside and they can complete a house in a weekend. That is amazing to hear of people coming together to help one another out.
Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 10 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 55 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 16 servings, two 9 by 5 loaves
- ⚡ Calories: 324kcal per slice
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Warm cinnamon and vanilla with a crunchy cinnamon sugar top and a soft, tender crumb
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, no yeast and no ten day starter, about like my skillet cinnamon rolls
Quick Answer
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and grease two 9 by 5 loaf pans. Mix the starter ingredients, sugar, flour and milk, together in a bowl, then stir in the oil, milk, vanilla and eggs. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt and the box of instant vanilla pudding. Add the liquid mixture to the dry mixture and stir until combined. Pour into the two greased pans, sprinkle the cinnamon sugar topping over the batter, and bake for about 60 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
Jump to:
Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- The starter goes straight in. Traditional friendship bread keeps a bag of starter fermenting for ten days. Here the sugar, flour and milk are mixed fresh and used immediately, so you get the same soft, slightly tangy crumb on the same afternoon.
- Instant pudding is doing real work. The starches in the pudding mix hold moisture through baking and for days afterward, which is why this loaf does not dry out like a plain quick bread.
- 325 degrees, not 350. A lower oven lets a tall, sugary loaf cook through the middle before the cinnamon sugar top scorches.
- Both baking powder and baking soda. The soda reacts with the acidity in the milk mixture, the powder carries the rest of the rise, and together they keep the crumb open rather than dense.
- The topping is sprinkled, not swirled. Cinnamon sugar over the surface of the batter sinks in slightly during baking and sets into that thin crisp lid people go for first.
- A cup of oil sounds like a lot. It is what makes this a keeping bread. Oil stays soft at room temperature, so a loaf wrapped on the counter is still good three days later.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It makes two loaves. One for your family and one to give away, which is where the friendship in the name comes from.
- No yeast and no waiting. No proofing, no kneading, and no ten day starter to feed.
- Breakfast or snack. A slice with coffee in the morning and another one with tea in the afternoon.
- It freezes well. Wrap a cooled loaf and it keeps for months, the same way my cranberry orange loaf does.
- Easy to change. Swap the pudding flavor and you have a different bread with no other changes.
- Pantry ingredients. If you bake at all, you likely have everything except the pudding mix, and cinnamon keeps well if you are also making my pumpkin pie spice.
Key Ingredients
Three short lists: the starter, the bread, and the topping. Quantities are in the recipe card below.
- The Starter. Sugar, all purpose flour and milk, mixed together right before you bake. This is the shortcut version of the ten day Amish Friendship Bread starter.
- Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix. One 5 1/8 ounce box, dry, straight into the dry ingredients. Do not make the pudding first. This is what keeps the loaf moist.
- Vegetable Oil. A full cup. Any neutral oil works, and it is what gives this bread its keeping quality.
- Milk. Regular or a vegan alternative, in both the starter and the batter.
- Eggs. Three large, which bind a batter this wet and rich.
- Ground Cinnamon. Two teaspoons in the batter and two tablespoons in the topping. Fresh cinnamon makes a real difference here since it is the headline flavor.
- All Purpose Flour and Sugar. Standard pantry amounts, split between the starter and the batter.
- Baking Powder, Baking Soda and Salt. The lift and the balance. Measure the salt properly, it is what keeps the loaf from tasting flat and overly sweet.
See the recipe card below for exact quantities and full instructions.
Variations & Substitutions
The pudding box is the easiest lever in this recipe. Change the flavor and the whole loaf follows.
- Chocolate Amish Cinnamon Bread. Add 1 box of chocolate instant pudding instead of vanilla, 1 teaspoon of cocoa powder, and 1/2 cup of chocolate chips.
- Banana Amish Cinnamon Bread. Substitute banana instant pudding, 1 mashed banana, and 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts.
- Pumpkin spice version. Swap the cinnamon in the batter for pumpkin pie spice in the fall and serve it with the rest of my pumpkin recipes.
- Make it dairy free. Use a vegan milk alternative in both the starter and the batter. The loaf bakes the same.
- Bake it as muffins. Fill lined muffin cups two thirds full, top with the cinnamon sugar, and start checking at 20 minutes.
- Add a glaze. A simple powdered sugar drizzle turns a breakfast loaf into dessert, the way it does on my red velvet cinnamon rolls.
How to Make Amish Cinnamon Bread
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease two 9 by 5 loaf pans.
- Mix the starter ingredients together: the sugar, flour and milk.
- Add the oil, milk, vanilla and eggs to the starter and mix.
- In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, baking soda, pudding mix, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
- Add the liquid mixture into the dry mixture and stir until just combined.
- Pour the batter into the two greased loaf pans.
- Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar topping evenly over both loaves.
- Bake for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Grease the pans well. The cinnamon sugar caramelizes at the edges and will hold onto a bare pan.
- Do not overmix the batter. Stir until the flour disappears and stop. Overmixing gives you a tough, tunneled loaf.
- Divide the batter evenly. Two uneven loaves will not finish at the same time.
- Tent with foil if the top browns early. Sugar on top browns before the center is done in a slow oven.
- Cool in the pan for ten minutes before turning the loaves out, or a wet, tender loaf can break across the middle.
- Slice it cold for neat slices, warm for the best smell. Both are correct.
Serving Ideas & Suggestions
Serve it warm with butter for breakfast, or sliced thin on a plate for afternoon tea with a pot of Earl Grey. It sits well on a tea table beside scones and holds its own at a Christmas tea party or an adult tea party spread. My tea party checklist covers what else belongs on the table.
Perhaps you have heard of Amish Friendship Bread before. Perhaps you have even tasted some or had someone give you a starter for it. It became very popular in the 1980s. If so, then you are familiar with the ritual of adding ingredients, stirring the mix, and then making bread every 10 days. If not, now is the time to learn how easy it is to start your own Amish Friendship Bread so you can make fresh bread for yourself and share a loaf with your friends. There is a similar German tradition called Hermann cake that uses a starter. Since the Amish are of a German heritage, perhaps that is where the claim, and the name, comes from.
Here are a few other cinnamon snacks you may enjoy: skillet cinnamon rolls, cinnamon pumpkin spice cookies, cinnamon chip scones, homemade cinnamon chips, and a cinnamon iced dalgona coffee to go with a slice. If you have a loaf going stale, it makes very good crockpot bread pudding, and for another pull apart style bake there is my pumpkin spice pull-apart bread and my pumpkin cream cheese popovers.
Amish Cinnamon Bread FAQs
It is a sweet cinnamon quick bread traditionally made from a starter that is passed from friend to friend, fed and stirred over ten days, then baked and shared along with more starter. It became very popular in the 1980s. This recipe gives you the same bread without keeping a starter alive, because the starter is mixed fresh and used the same day.
No. You mix the sugar, flour and milk starter right before you bake and use it immediately. That is what makes this an everyday version rather than a ten day project.
Yes, any flavor works. Chocolate pudding with a teaspoon of cocoa powder and half a cup of chocolate chips gives you chocolate Amish cinnamon bread. Banana pudding with a mashed banana and chopped walnuts gives you the banana version.
Cool it completely, then wrap it well or keep it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days. The oil and the pudding mix keep it soft longer than most quick breads.
Yes. Cool it completely, wrap it in plastic and then foil, and freeze for up to three months. Thaw it on the counter still wrapped so the condensation stays on the outside.
Usually the oven is running hot or the batter was divided unevenly. Bake at 325 degrees, split the batter evenly between two 9 by 5 pans, and test the center with a toothpick before pulling them out. If the top is browning too fast, tent it with foil and keep baking.
Amish Cinnamon Bread
Ingredients
Starter
- 3/4 cup white granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup all purpose flour
- 3/4 cup milk or Vegan alternative
Bread
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 3 Large Eggs
- 1/2 cup milk or Vegan Alternative
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 2 cups All purpose flour
- 1 cup white granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 5 1/8 oz box Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix Or any flavor
Mix Topping
- 1/4 cup white granular sugar
- 2 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease 2 9 X 5 loaf pans.
- Mix the Starter ingredients together.
- Add the oil, milk, vanilla, and eggs to the starter and mix.
- In a large bowl, mix in flour, sugar, soda, pudding, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
- Add liquid mixture into dry mixture.
- Pour into 2 greased loaf pans .
- Sprinkle with a cinnamon sugar topping.
- Bake for 60 minutes or until done.
Jenni says
Amish friendship bread is my favorite! I actually have some starters in my freezer right now! I will totally have to get them out now! Thanks for reminding me how good they are!
Candi Elm says
Thanks Jenni, I remember making these years ago and forgot how easy and tasty they were.
Joanie says
I loved reading about your time in the Amish country – I remember visiting the area many years ago when I was a child with my parents. Thank you for sharing this Friendship Bread recipe, I had been searching for a similar recipe and am so glad I found yours.
Candi Elm says
Thanks Joanie, I am glad to stopped by and found it.
Mimi says
This looks so yummy and perfect for Fall
Candi Elm says
The perfect fall treat.
Amanda says
This sounds absolutely delicious!
Candi Elm says
Thanks Amanda It is easy and tasty.
Mary says
I have done this many many years ago. However, you can also make this:
Amish Cornbread
This Amish Cornbread is easy to make and will be the perfect side to any soup or stew. It melts in your mouth and we’ll quickly become a favorite cornbread recipe in your house.
Cooking Time: 30 min
Ingredients
• 1 cup Amish (Friendship) Starter
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup cornmeal
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 teaspoon baking powder
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Grease a 9 inch baking pan. In a large mixer bowl combine starter, eggs, milk, sugar, flour and cornmeal.
3. Beat at medium speed for 2 minutes. Mix in oil, baking soda, salt and baking powder.
4. Transfer mixture to prepared baking pan and bake for 25 – 30 minutes at 425 degrees F.
Mary says
This is the recipe I was given years ago:
Amish Friendship Bread Starter
1 (.25 oz) package dry active yeast 1/4 C. warm water (110 degrees F)
3 C. All-purpose flour, divided 3 C. sugar, divided
3 C. milk, divided
In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in water. Let stand 5 minutes. In a 2 quart glass, plastic, or ceramic container, combine 1 cup flour & 1 cup sugar. Mix thoroughly or flour will lump when milk is added. Slowly stir in 1 cup milk in dissolved yeast mixture. Cover loosely & let stand until bubbly. Consider this DAY 1 of the 10 days. Leave loosely covered at room temperature. You may also use gallon size Zip lock bag to store your starter in. (I use a half gallon clean & washed pickle jar as the bag is mushy & if it doesn’t seal all the way, can spill out Or you can put the bag into a container so it won’t allow it to fall over.)
On DAYS 2 through 4: Stir starter with a spoon (or squeeze your Zip lock bag). DAY 5: Stir in 1 Cup flour & 1 Cup sugar & 1 Cup milk. Days 6 through 9: Stir only (or knead your Zip lock bag & remove extra air from the bag). DAY 10: Stir in 1 Cup flour, 1 Cup sugar & 1 Cup milk. Remove 1 Cup of starter to make your first bread. Give 2 Cups to friends along with the Amish Bread recipe. Store remaining 1 cup starters (from this first starter batch) in the refrigerator, or begin the 10 day process over again beginning with step 2). *Once you have made the starter, you will consider it DAY 1, & thus ignore Step 1. You can also freeze starter in 1 cup measures for later use. Frozen starter will take at least 3 hours at room temperature to thaw before using.
I mark the days on the calendar….makes it easier than trying to remember. DAY 5 write: FEED ME!
DAY 10: Make Bread today!
Amish Friendship Bread
1 Cup starter or remaining amount 3 eggs 1 Cup oil (or 1/2 Cup oil & 1/2 Cup applesauce 1/2 Cup milk 1 Cup sugar 2 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp vanilla 1 1/2 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp salt 2 Cup flour 1 box instant Vanilla pudding (4.6 oz)
Using only NON METAL bowls & utensils (I use the Pampered Chef glass Classic batter bowl, wooden spoon to stir it with & rubber spatula to mix it with):
Heat oven to 325 degrees F. Mix 1/2 Cup sugar with 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon. Grease 2 large loaf pans & dust the greased pans with 1/2 the cinnamon sugar mixture. To the remaining starter, add all the ingredients listed above. Mix well. Pour the batter into the 2 pans & sprinkle the remaining sugar/cinnamon mixture on top. Bake for 1 hour. Cool until bread loosens from pan (about 10 minutes). Turn out to a cooling rack. Serve warm or cold. Options: Instead of vanilla pudding, try other flavors: Chocolate, cheesecake, tapioca, butterscotch, lemon, or any flavor you like. I did the Triple Chocolate with 1 pkg Chocolate pudding, 1/4 cup cocoa, & 1/2 bag of Dark Chocolate chips & 1/2 bag of marshmallows. I made Strawberry Banana as well with 1 box Strawberry Banana Jell-o (not pudding), added 3 old soft bananas to it & 2 handfuls chopped pecans. Yes, add nuts or raisins if you like them. I want to do Cherry Jell-o with Walnuts next. I thot I had the Cherry Jell-o but somehow, nope! The great thing is you can’t go wrong with it….adjust it as you want….I thought about chopping an apple real small & throwing that in sometime too. I haven’t got that far yet. I used to do this when many years ago. It makes 2 loaves each batch. Have fun experimenting!
Becca Wilson says
This bread looks like it would be so amazing. I love anything dealing with cinnamon.
Candi Elm says
I love cinnamon too and its great to help keep blood sugar down.
Sandi says
Husband loves cinnamon rolls for breakfast so maybe I can make this as an alternative!
Candi Elm says
Cinnamon Rolls are one of my downfalls.
Emily says
I was cleaning through a bunch of paperwork this weekend and came across a letter I got with the recipe for this bread. I saved it because I liked it so much.
Candi Elm says
I love finding amazing things when I clean.
Candi Elm says
Thanks Paula, Cinnamon does have a warm and delicious flavor.
Anita Middleswart says
I seriously want to try this. How long does the starter need to sit before you can use it? Refrigerated not?