Amish Cinnamon Bread is a quick and easy bread that can be enjoyed as a breakfast bread or afternoon snack. It is also commonly known as Amish Friendship Bread.
A Visit 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 of 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 go 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 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 is 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 there 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.
Now let’s get into the recipe.
Amish Cinnamon Bread Recipe
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 ts Vanilla Extract
- 2 cups All purpose flour
- 1 cup white granulated sugar
- 2 ts ground cinnamon
- 1 1/2 ts baking powder
- 1/2 ts baking soda
- 1/2 ts salt
- 1 5 1/8 oz box Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix Or any flavor
Mix Topping
- 1/4 cup white granular sugar
- 2 tb 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.
Nutrition
Story Behind Amish Friendship Bread
Perhaps you’ve heard of Amish Friendship Bread before. Perhaps you’ve even tasted some or had someone given you a starter for it. It became very popular in the 1980’s. If so, then you’re familiar with the ritual of adding ingredients, stirring the mix, and then making bread every 10 days. If not, now’s 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’s where the claim, and the name, comes from.
Substitution Ideas for Amish Bread
Chocolate Amish Cinnamon Bread: add to the ingredients 1 box of chocolate instant pudding instead of vanilla, 1 ts of cocoa powder and 1/2 chocolate chips.
Banana Amish Cinnamon Bread: Substitute Banana instant pudding, 1 mashed banana and 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts.
Here are a few other Cinnamon Snacks you may enjoy:
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!
Thanks Jenni, I remember making these years ago and forgot how easy and tasty they were.
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.
Thanks Joanie, I am glad to stopped by and found it.
This looks so yummy and perfect for Fall
The perfect fall treat.
Such a tasty treat, I love anything with cinnamon
Thanks Paula, Cinnamon does have a warm and delicious flavor.
This sounds absolutely delicious!
Thanks Amanda It is easy and tasty.
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.
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!
This bread looks like it would be so amazing. I love anything dealing with cinnamon.
I love cinnamon too and its great to help keep blood sugar down.
Husband loves cinnamon rolls for breakfast so maybe I can make this as an alternative!
Cinnamon Rolls are one of my downfalls.
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.
I love finding amazing things when I clean.
I seriously want to try this. How long does the starter need to sit before you can use it? Refrigerated not?