Just recently, a dear friend gave me a starter for Amish Friendship Bread and a loaf of Amish Friendship Bread. I was so excited. I remember my mom making this bread when I was younger. As a teenager, the lady who is now my mother-in-law would make this, also. My mother-in-law frequently made hers in muffins and my mom made loaves of bread. Either way, it is delicious.

In order to make this bread, you need to have a lot of patience, for it takes 10 days to make it. Each day you do something to your starter. You can make your own starter, or if you are lucky, a good friend will give you one. This is how the bread gets its name.

Before you start the bread making process, there are a few important things to know. First, do not refrigerate the starter. Second, do not use a metal bowl or spoon when working with the starter. Third, do not forget about the starter. Trust me, it is easy to forget.

When making your own starter, you began by using 1 cup of plain flour, 1 cup of sugar, and 1 cup of milk. You mix the ingredients together, pour the mixture into a gallon size bag, and set it on your counter. That is all you do for day one. If someone gives you a starter, you do nothing for day one. The next several days do not require you to do much. All that is needed is for you to squeeze the bag and remove any excess air. It is normal for the starter to smell fermented and for it to bubble. Then, later in the week you will add 1 cup of plain flour, 1 cup of milk, and 1 cup of sugar. Mix it all up and set it on the counter. Over the next few days, you will continue to squeeze the bag each day and remove any excess air. Then finally, on day 10, you make your delectable bread. Although it is a process, it is not a hard process. Again, the hardest part for me is remembering to attend to it every day.

Now, on day 10 you have a choice to make. You will only use a portion of your starter to make your bread. The remaining starter can be given to friends or you can make bread with the remaining starter and give your friends an already made loaf of scrumptious Amish Friendship Bread. Below you will find the recipe. I hope you enjoy!

Amish Friendship Bread

To make a starter:
1 cup of milk
1 cup of sugar
1 cup of plain flour

DO NOT use a metal spoon or bowl for mixing…
DO NOT refrigerate…
If air gets in the bag, let it out…
It is normal for batter to thicken, bubble, and ferment…

Day One: This is the day you receive the batter or make your starter, DO NOTHING
Day Two: Squeeze the bag.
Day Three: Squeeze the bag.
Day Four: Squeeze the bag.
Day Five: Squeeze the bag.
Day Six: ADD 1 cup of milk, 1 cup of sugar, and 1 cup of plain flour.
Day Seven: Squeeze the bag.
Day Eight: Squeeze the bag.
Day Nine: Squeeze the bag.
Day Ten: Combine in a large bowl, the batter and add 1 cup of milk, 1 cup of sugar, and 1 cup of plain flour. Mix with wooden spoon or spatula. Pour 1 cup of starters into 4, gallon size bags. Keep 1 starter for yourself and give the other 3 to friends along with the instructions.

To the remaining batter in the bowl add:
1 cup Oil
1 cup Sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla
3 large Eggs
½ tsp. Salt
2 tsp. Cinnamon
2 cups Flour
½ cup milk
½ tsp. Baking Soda
1 large box instant vanilla pudding
(optional 2 small lemon pudding)
1 ½ tsp. Baking Powder
Mix all ingredients together and pour into 2 large, well-greased and sugared loaf pans. You can sprinkle some extra cinnamon and sugar on top. Then bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour. (Or 5 mini loaves for 45 minutes)

Optional: Add 1 cup chopped pecans and/or ½ cup raisins.

(Photo provided by Missy Newton.)