I have seen and heard of Amish Friendship Bread before, but didn’t know exactly how to start or what to do with this mush bag sitting on my counter. I found a FULL recipe and directions on Mommy’s Kitchen how to start a batch, cook, and pass along to friends!

Amish Friendship Bread is a delicious sweet bread made with a live “starter”which is considered the bread mixture that is concocted in a Ziploc bag and then passed on to friends revealing the term Friendship Bread. This recipe was a great way of re-affirming friendships that originated with the Amish, but is now practiced by persons of all nationalities and religious affiliations.

Starter Ingredients:

*Mix all listed ingredients below in a one gallon Ziploc bag

1 package active dry yeast
2 – cups warm water (110 degrees)
1 cup milk
1 cup flour
1 cup sugar

For Amish Friendship Bread Starter:

Dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup of the warm water in a deep glass container. Stir in remaining warm water, flour and sugar. Beat until smooth. Cover a large glass jar or bowl with a tight fitting lid works best for this. DO NOT REFRIGERATE! The starter requires 10 days for fermentation as follows: DAYS 1, 2, 3 and 4: Stir batter
DAY 5: Add 1 cup each milk, flour, sugar and stir
DAYS 6, 7, and 8,9: Stir batter each day
DAY 10: Add 1 cup each flour, sugar, milk; stir.
Put 1 cup of starter in each of three containers or larger zip lock bags. Give away to friends and keep one. This will begin their Day 1.

Remember, don’t use a metal bowl, or metal utensils. If you mess things up, you can always start a new one. Want to slow things down, feed your starter less frequently. Need a break, freeze your starter. You’ll know if things go bad if your starter turns orange or pink, or gets a funky smell.

Directions after you have your Starter:

Do not use any type of Metal Spoon or Bowl Mixing. Do Not Refrigerate.
It is normal for the batter to rise and ferment. Do not taste raw batter and Date Bag.

Day 1: Do Nothing.
Day 2: Mush the bag and let the air out
Day 3: Mush the bag and let the air out
Day 4: Mush the bag and let the air out
Day 5: Mush the bag and let the air out
Day 6: Add to the bag 1 Cup flour, 1 cup sugar and 1 cup milk. Mush the bag and let the air out.
Day 7: Mush the bag and let the air out
Day 8: Mush the bag and let the air out
Day 9: Mush the bag and let the air out
Day 10: Mix and divide starter as follows. Pour the entire contents of the bag into a non metal bowl. Add 1 1/2 Cups Flour, 1 1/2 Cups Sugar, and 1 1/2 Cups Milk. Next measure 1 Cup Batter into 4 gallon size zip lock bags. Keep one for yourself and give the other 3 to friends along with a copy of the recipe. You will end up with 5 batches of bread (4 bags and 1 in the bowl)

Baking Instructions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees
To the remaining batter in the bowl (about 2 cups) add:

3 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 baking soda
1 cup sugar
1 large box instant pudding (or 2 small boxes)
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup oil
2 cups flour

If using Self – Rising Flour omit soda, salt and baking powder.

Grease two large loaf pans or one 9×13 inch pan. Mix 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon. Dust the greased pans with half the mixture. Pour batter into the pans and sprinkle the remaining cinnamon mixture on top.