Amish Friendship Bread Recipe Variations (2024)

When you have Amish Friendship Bread starter coming out your ears and your friends stop answering the door when they see you coming with that familiar bag of bread-to-be, you need different and tasty ways to use up your starter.

Amish Friendship Bread Recipe Variations (1)

Even if you aren't sick of the basic recipe, a little variety is a good (and very delicious) thing! Try any one of these fantastic variations of the classic Amish Friendship Bread. They are all just as wonderful as the orginal.

Banana Nut Amish Friendship Bread

Amish Friendship Bread Recipe Variations (2)

When making the basic recipe, reduce oil to 1/3 cup. Omit cinnamon.

Increase vanilla extract to 1 1/2 teaspoons.

Add 3 large very ripe bananas, mashed (banana skins should be almost black) and 1/2 cup chopped nuts.

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Amish Friendship Bread Recipe Variations (3)

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Chocolate Amish Friendship Bread

Omit cinnamon from the basic recipe and add 1 (5.1 oz) box of instant chocolate pudding, an additional 1/2 cup milk, 3 tsp. cocoa and 3/4 cup chocolate chips.

Bake for 1-1/2 to 1-3/4 hours.

Apple Cinnamon Friendship Bread

Amish Friendship Bread Recipe Variations (4)

To the basic recipe add one cup of raisins and one ripe, medium diced apple.

Butterscotch Amish Friendship Bread

To the basic recipe add 1 (5.1 oz) box of butterscotch pudding, an additional 1/2 cup milk, and 1 cup of butterscotch chips.

Omit the cinnamon.

Mounds Bar Amish Frienship Bread

To the basic recipe add 1 (5.1 oz) box of chocolate instant pudding, an additional 1/2 cup milk, chocolate chips, and coconut.

Chocolate Mint Amish Friendship Bread

To the basic recipe add one box of fudge pudding mix and an additional 1/2 cup milk. Omit the cinnamon.

Lemon Amish Friendship Bread

Substitute Lemon Extract for the vanilla flavoring.

To the basic recipe add 1 box of lemon pudding and an additional 1/2 cup milk.

Omit the cinnamon and nuts, and add 1/4 cup of poppy seeds.

For extra flavor, add 2 cups shredded coconut.

Cranberry-Orange Amish Friendship Bread

Amish Friendship Bread Recipe Variations (5)

When making the basic recipe, substitute orange juice for milk.

Before baking, stir in 1 tablespoon grated orange zest (colored portion of peel) and 1 cup dried cranberries.

Banana-Chocolate Chip Amish Friendship Bread

When making the basic recipe, reduce oil to 1/3 cup.

Reduce cinnamon to 1 teaspoon.

Add 1 (5.1 oz) box of instant banana pudding mix and an additional 1/2 cup milk.

Before baking, stir in 1 cup very ripe mashed bananas and 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate minichips.

Cherry Amish Friendship Bread

When making the basic recipe, substitute almond extract for vanilla.

The Food Substitutions Bible

  • The must-have convenient reference guide for every home cook!
  • Includes more than 8,000 substitutions for ingredients, cookware, and techniques.
  • Save time and money on by avoiding trips to grab that "missing" ingredient you don't really need.

Amish Friendship Bread Recipe Variations (6)

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Omit the cinnamon.

Before baking, stir in 1 cup dried cherries.

Caramel Apple Friendship Bread

Omit cinnamon from the basic recipe.

Add 1 (5.1 oz) box of instant caramel pudding, an additional 1/2 cup milk, and 2 cups dried apples.

Pumpkin Spice Amish Friendship Bread

When making the basic recipe, reduce oil to 1/3 cup.

Reduce cinnamon to 1 teaspoon. Use brown sugar instead of white sugar.

Add 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice.

Before baking, stir in 1 cup canned pumpkin.

Strawberry Amish Friendship Bread

To the basic recipe, add 1 small box of strawberry Jell-O and an additional 1/2 cup milk.

Add 1 cup thawed strawberries.

Chocolate Cherry Amish Friendship Bread

Omit cinnamon from the basic recipe.

Replace the vanilla flavoring with almond flavoring.

Add 1 (5.1 oz) box of instant chocolate pudding, an additional 1/2 cup milk, 3 tsp. cocoa, and 1 can tart red cherries in water, drained.

Carrot Cake Amish Friendship Bread

Increase the cinnamon in the basic recipe to 1 Tablespoon.

Add to the basic recipe the following ingredients:

3 medium carrots shredded
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chunky homestyle applesauce
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon clove
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Use a a bundt pan instead of a loaf pan. Bake until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Can be frosted with cream cheese frosting.

What To Do With All of This Friendship Bread

Now that you have all of this Amish friendship bread on your hands, what are you going to do with it? You certainly can't keep it all for yourself! After all, that would negate the “friendship” part of Amish Friendship Bread.

The easiest, and arguably best, thing to do with your extra bread is to simply gift a loaf each to your friends. Make the variety that you think suits each friend's tastes the best, and surprise them with it the next time you see each other! We're sure they'll be asking for the recipe in no time at all.

Another option is to gift a loaf or two to your neighbors. Neighborly gifts are always appreciated, and can go a long way towards making your living experience better. This is an especially good idea if you've just moved to a new place.

Finally, you can bring some loaves to work, if you happen to work in an office setting or similar. Your coworkers will surely appreciate some delicious bread during the workday! Maybe consider tossing a loaf your boss's way, too- it could go a long way towards that next raise or promotion!

The Food Substitutions Bible

  • The must-have convenient reference guide for every home cook!
  • Includes more than 8,000 substitutions for ingredients, cookware, and techniques.
  • Save time and money on by avoiding trips to grab that "missing" ingredient you don't really need.

Amish Friendship Bread Recipe Variations (7)

We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

Amish Friendship Bread Recipe Variations (2024)

FAQs

Why does my Amish Friendship Bread sink in the middle? ›

Keep the oven door closed while your Amish Friendship Bread is baking. You may be tempted to peek, but sudden temperature drops can result in the bread collapsing in the middle.

Does Amish Friendship Bread need to be refrigerated? ›

Does Amish friendship bread need to be refrigerated? No.

Should my Amish Friendship bread starter smell like alcohol? ›

Your starter should smell like yeasty–sweet, tangy, and fermented. It reminds some people of beer. Fermenting batter is, well, fermenting batter so it may not smell like roses but it shouldn't smell bad.

How do you know if your bread starter is bad? ›

Typical signs of food spoilage and mold include pink, orange, or green colors, white fuzzy spots, or sometimes areas that are darker with white areas on top. If you see any of these signs, I would recommend throwing your starter away and creating a new one.

Why does my bread starter smell like alcohol? ›

It is totally normal (and desirable) and often happens as a starter is approaching peak and for a short time after peak. 3. Beer / Wine – Some starters smell like beer or wine after they peak and begin falling. This is the early alcohol aroma and it is a natural byproduct of the yeast fermentation.

How long can you keep an Amish Friendship Bread starter? ›

If it's properly cared for, Amish friendship starter can be maintained indefinitely. "It is heartier than most sourdough starters because the sugars in the added milk and sugar give the yeasts extra food to survive, but other things like ambient temperature and contamination could alter your starter," Gee says.

What should my Amish Friendship Bread starter smell like? ›

People making Amish Friendship Bread for the first time often ask what their starter should smell like. Your starter should have a lovely, yeasty smell, like getting a whiff of bread rising in a bakery, times five. If you stick your nose into your bag of starter, you'll get a pretty heady hit of yeast.

How long does Amish Friendship Bread last after baking? ›

Storage. Once the bread has cooled completely, store it as a whole loaf or sliced in an airtight container, wrapped in plastic wrap, or in a Ziploc bag. Amish friendship bread can be stored at room temperature for 4-5 days, in the refrigerator for 5-7 days, and in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Is amish friendship bread starter the same as sourdough starter? ›

A Herman starter or Amish Friendship Bread Starter is typically made with milk, flour, sugar and commercial yeast. A sourdough starter is generally made only of flour and water. A Herman starter will be sweeter and more mellow flavored than a sourdough starter.

Can I freeze amish friendship bread starter? ›

Can You Freeze Amish Friendship Bread? You can freeze both the starter and the baked the bread. If you freeze the starter, it will last for years in the freezer. Stick it in the freezer and write the date on the bag.

Why does my bread smell like alcohol but no mold? ›

When opening a package of sliced bread, a smell of alcohol is very often perceived. This results from the treatment of bread slices with ethyl alcohol: the treatment is only superficial and normally evaporates when the bag is open or when the bread slices are toasted.

Why does my bread smell like sanitizer? ›

Yeast contamination can occasionally occur in bread after baking which can produce a chemical smell that is similar to acetone. Yeast does not survive the baking process, but bread can become contaminated with "wild" yeast during the cooling, slicing or packaging processes (post processing contamination).

Why is it called Amish Friendship Bread? ›

Amish communities emphasize helping each other and working together, as shown by activities like barn raisings. The practice of Amish Friendship Bread, where people share the bread's starter mix, reflects this community spirit, encouraging a sense of togetherness and giving.

How do I know if my starter is moldy? ›

While there are many different reasons that you might be wary of some kind of strange growth on your starter, mold really is worth worrying over. It's also pretty easy to recognize. The characteristic furry, fuzzy, hairy colors sprouting on the surface are a sure sign you should throw it out.

What should bread starter smell like? ›

Once your starter is fully mature (usually after about a week), it should have a pleasant, slightly sour smell. This is the smell of a healthy, well-fed starter, ready to leaven a loaf of bread. The aroma can be compared to yogurt or buttermilk, indicating a good balance of yeast and lactic acid bacteria.

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