Is this the year you want to eat healthier, but don’t want to give up your Amish Friendship Bread? Us too!
We’re making this year the year of healthier Amish Friendship Bread options. This means more recipes with less oil, less eggs and less sugar, as well as a host of gluten-free and dairy-free options. You shouldn’t have to give up flavor and a love for Amish Friendship Bread because you’re trying to eat better, right?
This Pumpkin Cranberry Walnut Amish Friendship Bread is oil-free. We loved the way it turned out but if you want to boost the moisture, add one packet of pumpkin spice instant pudding, or ½ cup softened butter. Eating healthier means moderate adjustments to your favorite recipes, so figure out what works best for you. We want you to feel good about baking Amish Friendship Bread and sharing the recipe with others!
We usually keep our starter in this 72-ounce Bormioli Rocco Fido Square Jar, but lots of people prefer storing their starter in mixing bowls. This past month we had a lot of starters going on, so in addition to our main starter jar we had several mixing bowls, too. Instead of covering it with plastic wrap, we used this 100% food-grade silicone lid (BPA free, of course), which kept a seal just by placing it on top of our bowl.
It’s fast and easy to mix this recipe up. We wondered if it might be too dry, but our oil-adverse testers thought it was perfect. It tasted even better the next day–just pop it in the toaster oven. Enjoy!
Pumpkin Cranberry Oil-Free Amish Friendship Bread
Ingredients
- 1 cup Amish Friendship Bread Starter
- 3 eggs
- ½ cup milk
- ½ cup pumpkin puree
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin spice
- 1½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 cups flour
- 1 cup walnuts (coarsly chopped)
- 1 cup fresh cranberries (tossed in sugar)
- 1 teaspoon ginger powder
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325° F (165° C).
- In a large mixing bowl, add ingredients as listed, reserving half of the candied cranberries.
- Grease one large cake pan.
- Dust the greased pans with a mixture of ½ cup sugar and ½ teaspoon cinnamon.
- Pour the batter evenly into loaf or cake pans and sprinkle the remaining sugar-cinnamon mixture on the top.
- Top with candied cranberries.
- Bake for one hour to 70 minutes or until the bread loosens evenly from the sides and a toothpick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean.
- ENJOY!
Notes
>> Have you tried this? Share your best pic with us or leave a comment below and let us know how it worked for you!
What do you consider to be a large cake pan?
Hi Judy! We like to use a 10 inch round cake pan for this recipe, but it is up to you. You can always use different bakewear, as well. Here are the conversion times, if you want to try something different: https://www.friendshipbreadkitchen.com/conversion-tables/
I have made this several times. It is delicious! I gave some to my neighbor a few days ago; within 10 minutes she texted me, “I never had such delicious bread before!” I did decrease the sugar, increase the amount of cranberries, and used half white whole wheat flour.
Thanks for the tips, Irma! We’re so glad you enjoyed this recipe!
I was looking for a recipe with less oil and am considering substituting apple sauce for part of the oil.
Hi Marion! 1/2 cup pumpkin puree. You can add 1/2 cup applesauce if you want to see if it helps boost moisture. Keep me posted on how it turns out!
I used my all purpose GF flour.
I remember doing this about 50 years ago when my kids were young. Now that I’m kid free again, I want to give it a try. Just sent two grandsons (17 & 18) that were living with me off to college. Sure is quiet around here.
Trying this!
https://www.friendshipbreadkitchen.com/zucchini-chocolate-chip-afb/
this zucchini chocolate chip afb is great but high fat and sugar, what can be don to make less fat and sugar but still taste great?
I would like healthier Chocolate Chip Pancakes https://www.friendshipbreadkitchen.com/chocolate-chip-pancakes/
I would love to make healthier Amish Friendship Bread cinnamon rolls!
https://www.friendshipbreadkitchen.com/cinnamon-rolls/
https://www.friendshipbreadkitchen.com/afb-sticky-buns/
The sticky buns look amazing, but use a lot of sugar. Wondering for there are any alternatives. Thanks!!
I would love the Amish Friendship Bread Popovers.
I would like to know how to make the Banana Vanilla Chai Coffee Cake healthier, thanks!
https://www.friendshipbreadkitchen.com/afb-ban-vanilla-chai-coffee/
https://www.friendshipbreadkitchen.com/white-chocolate-raspberry-afb/
I would love to see this recipe made healthy
I’d like to see what you could do for this recipe.
https://www.friendshipbreadkitchen.com/amish-friendship-bread-buttery-buns/
I already reduce sugar by half, use half white whole wheat, and substitute pumpkin for half of the oil.
Love!
Cannot wait to try!
Always looking for ways to bake in a more heart healthy way!
I used 1/3 cup of oil instead of 1 cup.
Inspired to make the banana nut bread healthier!
I would like the chocolate chip cookies healthier
Will try this!
Can we do this with the Rum Raisin Bread?
I take a few of the recipes as more of a base and change up the ingredients – maybe the fruit, use Lily’s sugar free chocolate chips, switching out flavors (I LOVE lavender). Possibilities are endless.
This was FANTASTIC!
Yum! I’m going to try with the Amish Friendship Bread Chocolate Chip Cookies so they’re healthier! 🙂
This sounds so good! I’d make this for my parents and for my housemate 🙂
My loaf is just going in now.
Cranberry pumpkin is in the oven!!!
My first batch of friendship bread is ready and this is going to be the first recipe I’ll make. Looks delicious!
This is super yummy!