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

Should my Amish Friendship Bread starter smell like alcohol? ›

If your sourdough starter smells strongly of yeast and alcohol, it's likely that it has become over-fermented. This can happen if you've been feeding your starter too much or too often, or if the temperature in your kitchen is too warm.

How do I know if my Amish Friendship Bread starter is bad? ›

Yes, AFB starter is hardy, but it needs to be fed. If your starter turns pink or has pink splotches, throw it out. After feeding it, nothing happens. Again, every starter (and kitchen) is different so you don't want to be impatient.

What's the recipe for friendship bread? ›

In a large bowl, combine the Amish bread starter with oil, eggs, 2 cups flour, 1 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Mix well. Pour into prepared loaf pans. Bake in preheated oven for 50 to 60 minutes.

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.

Is my sourdough starter dead if it smells like alcohol? ›

If your sourdough starter smells strongly of alcohol or vinegar, it's a sign that it's hungry and needs feeding. This smell is produced by yeast when they run out of food and start producing alcohol. Don't worry, though. Simply feeding your starter should bring it back to balance.

Is my sourdough starter ruined if it smells like alcohol? ›

Even a powerful alcohol smell isn't necessarily an indicator of a problem as long as there isn't any hooch forming. The smell you need to look out for is a vinegar smell, as that's an indicator that the yeast is starving and bacteria is starting to take over.

What happens if you put too much starter in your bread? ›

And you guessed it..the more starter you use, the faster your dough will ferment - resulting in a less sour loaf. Using less starter in your recipe will help slow down the fermentation process.

What happens if I forgot to discard starter before feeding? ›

If you didn't discard a portion of your starter each time you feed it, two things would happen: Your starter would grow to an enormous, unmanageable size. Your starter would likely become more and more inhospitable to the bacteria and yeast we want as the mixture would become ever more acidic.

Why does my friendship bread starter smell like alcohol? ›

A layer of grey liquid on top of sourdough starter usually occurs after the yeasts and bacteria have consumed the food in a starter. A few hours at room temperature may be enough time for the starter to consume the food fed to it and to show a layer of hooch (alcohol).

Can I freeze my Amish Friendship Bread starter? ›

Active Amish friendship starter will keep for up to three months in the freezer. "You can also pop your starter in the fridge, but you can't forget about it like you can with freezing your starter," Gee says.

Why is my friendship bread not rising? ›

Keep it warm!

Cold kitchens are a bane to any Amish Friendship Bread starter or sourdough starter, especially if you're trying to rise dough. Keep the dough warm and draft-free.

What is the difference between Amish Friendship Bread and sourdough? ›

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.

How do you store Amish Friendship Bread after baking? ›

Most of our Amish Friendship Bread recipes behave like quick breads. The loaves freeze well when wrapped in freezer wrap, foil, or freezer bags. For coffee cakes, I recommend baking and freezing them in disposable pans that can be wrapped and can go right into the freezer.

What is the difference between Amish friendship starter and sourdough starter? ›

The so called Amish friendship starter is one that uses dry yeast, such as instant dry yeast, and other ingredients to advance a science experiment sort of project bound to take over your refrigerator. A sourdough starter, on the other hand, simply uses flour and water.

How long is Amish Friendship Bread starter good for? ›

What makes Amish Friendship Bread starter so special is that it keeps on giving–you could keep it on your counter indefinitely, removing a cup to bake with indefinitely. Like any sourdough starter, if you take good care of it, you'll always have yeast on hand, and it's easy to share with friends.

What does it mean when bread dough smells like alcohol? ›

It means that you let rise too long. As the yeast does its thing, it gives off CO2 and alcohol.

When your starter smells like alcohol? ›

It is most pronounced when all the bubbles have subsided, all flour has been consumed, and a thin layer of clear liquid forms on the top of the starter (a.k.a., “hooch.”) A strong ethyl alcohol smell means your starter is starving and needs to be fed.

What does it mean if my starter smells like alcohol? ›

When the sourdough starter isn't fed often enough or feedings are skipped, it is common for an alcohol odor to develop. Increasing feeding frequency can help; however, if the starter has been neglected for a while, it may require more effort to revive it.

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