When I first started sharing Amish Friendship Bread recipes in 2009, I had no idea I would still be doing it 11 years later, or that in 2019 the Friendship Bread Kitchen would have 350,000 visitors from 210 countries and all 50 U.S. states, all in search of what to do with their 1 cup of Amish Friendship Bread starter.
It was a fun thing to do, a way to share the growing list of recipes I’d come up with or found. I created tutorials, an extensive FAQ library, and personally replied to countless emails from people who had questions about thee starter or the bread (I still do this today). I’ve created tons of free printables to help people give the bread to others, to help organize their pantry, or have quick resource guides and calendars.
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The Friendship Bread Kitchen is about sharing the bread with others. Literally and figuratively.
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The original Amish Friendship Bread recipe yields two loaves, which always made perfect sense to me. A loaf for you, and a loaf to share with someone else.
Let me begin with this: THANK YOU. Thank you for supporting one another and for being a part of a community where all people are welcomed, valued, and kept safe. Community is the heart of Amish Friendship Bread — it’s why the Friendship Bread Kitchen exists.
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Amish Friendship Bread has always been more than just a recipe — it’s a way of life. It’s how we share and care for one another.
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The Friendship Bread Kitchen supports acts of kindness, generosity, and compassion. By being a part of the Friendship Bread Kitchen, you are joining me in my quest to make the world a better place by sharing recipes and community, by helping one another out in ways both big and small.
Tell me: what does Amish Friendship Bread mean to you?
I grew up with the German version and am so thrilled to have found your website. Afb is the best.
I have had my dry potato starter for the last 35 years! My children grew up with that bread and still now they ask for it for their children! I love it!
I was given my starter and keep making breads and cookies. I can keep my starter in the
freezer and when I get ready to bake, take it out in the morning and it’s ready for baking
in the afternoon. It’s wonderful!
Made another batch of oatmeal raisin cookies this morning for my dentist, her family and staff! Her son doesn’t like this sort of dessert but said they could not keep him away – he was hogging them! 😋
I remember Amish Friendship Bread from many years ago. It came to my mom and I with a story of why we care for the bread (and each other) and intentionally pass the bread (and our love) on to be cared for, made and shared by others. The growth of the yeast signifies the friendships we have with one another and how we should invest time in the friendships, like the bread, and they will continue to grow. It’s a loving thing that is Biblically based. If I could find the story I’d love to share it.
I am a nurse who was trying to find a way to deal with the daily stress this pandemic has created in our lives. I have missed seeing my children and grandchildren and I miss my friends. I was looking for a way to leave a small token of love for these people to let them know I was thinking of them. I truly believe there is no greater gift than to give of oneself so Friendship Bread seemed to be the answer. Wrapping the loaves with a bright ribbon and a small note has helped me realize just what is really important. Happy Baking everyone and Be Safe.
A friend gave me starter and the original recipe years ago. Just after quarantine I started making AFB (including starter from your recipe) and it is now a must have in our house! Your emails and recipes are wonderful. So positive and upbeat!
A friend gave me the starter, and I have made many loaves of bread. Everyone loves them!
I use AFB to give away. Quarantine gave me that chance, and now I’m closer to all my neighbors. Thanks!
When I was little, we loved to help in the kitchen. My mom was given AFB, and my siblings, foster siblings and I would help mash the bag and bake yummy bread. Now that my wife and I are foster parents with our own house, I looked up how to start the fun back up. During quarantine I keep making new recipes to keep myself busy while working from home.
I’m in my 50’s and it has been 20 years since I’ve had a starter to work with. I never knew a person could freeze the starter! During this pandemic, yeast was hard to find, so I was delighted that a friend gave me a cup of starter! Love the savory recipes, since I’m trying to live a more low-sugar lifestyle now. Thanks for your recipe development, curation, and SHARING!!
I love making AFB and giving it away. We use it for new visitors at church. My husband takes it to the golf course to bless friends. And of course we like eating it too.
It’s fun, a little different, and yummy
Started with AFB when my book club read “Friendship Bread: a Novel” several years ago. I keep starter in my freezer at all times so I can bake whenever the mood hits. Use it a lot at Christmas time because everyone loves the treats!
Hi, I just rediscovered baking Potato Bread after taking a long hiatus. My boyfriend’s mother introduced me to Potato Bread at Auburn University many years ago. When I graduated, I took the starter with me on the long toad trip back to Texas making sure it was in a safe place. It felt great to be able to make something from scratch and pass on to others. Now I am excited to bake again and look forward to trying the different recipes on your site. It feels good to share homemade goodies with my family and friends. My 17 yr old son is excited about the cinnamon rolls! Thank you!
I’m so glad I found your website & follow you. Years ago a friend gifted me with a starter bag with instructions but moving 4 x & out of State, I lost the recipe so I’m thankful for you, your recipes & kindness to share with your followers. I LOVE AFB & I want to show & share how to make the starter & loafs with my 2 Grand Gems!
A Loaf for me and a Loaf to Share
a friend gave me this recipe more than 30 years ago,still have the hand written recipe,have past it on to others ,still like it best but have tried others and found them to be good also.there is something about making homemade bread that just makes me feel good.
My dear husband used to make it. He’s in heaven now, and making this bread reminds me of him.
I used to make AFB back in the eighties, and then life got in the way. I recently went searching for the recipe again online and discovered this site. I’m amazed at how the whole thing has evolved over the years and am looking forward to trying some new recipes!
I had put my starter in the freezer while I’m having chem for my Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma, Darien! But I’m running low on bread, so I got it out again and am going to bake today before the fatigue hits again! I had my 4th chemo yesterday, so the first 2 weeks after is couch time!! I haven’t decided what to make yet but I’m leaning toward triple chocolate coconut!! I’ve had a starter for years and even after it was in the freezer for a long time it was still good!! It’s indestructible!!!😄👏💜💚
I was given a starter in 2010. Since then I have made thousands of loaves of bread and given them away. Now I have friends who look forward to “every 10 days” because they know that they will get a loaf of bread.
My college roommate introduced me to Friendship Bread as something to pass the time once quarantine started. Since that time, I’ve made it about a dozen more times and it’s come to mean tasty treats baked with close friends or family – always a good time, in other words 🙂
I started baking during the shutdown. I have been baking different breads and sharing them with family, friends and neighbors. I like that there are so many different recipes to make with the starter. It’s keeping me busy.
AFB means so many things to me…friendship and love and sharing that with people I love. I hadn’t had a starter in years and my friend and I were talking and she stated she wished she had one, so I went searching. I found this group made the starter for her and myself and we’ve been going since March! Thank you.
In these tough times of isolation, health concerns, government, and economic concerns I have found baking is my therapy. I have always called myself a closet baker. 6 months before quarantine began we had just moved to a new house with new neighbors. In the past, I did holiday baking for neighbors. I have found AFB to be the perfect way to go out and meet my new neighbors. I have expanded my confections to include biscotti, scones, and new cookies to my sharable treats. As one of my jobs readies for a virtual staff meeting I have made AFB treats to share with all these people to help them enjoy this breakfast meeting.
I am so thankful my friend shared this with me and I’m enjoying sharing the joy with others. I’m even reading the book now and enjoying that.
After reading your book in our book club, I started making AFB. My family was hooked. I love having some frozen to pull out as needed and it’s a little bit of comfort baking a fresh loaf and eating it warm.
I began my friendship bread journey about a month ago, when I received my starter from a friend. Since then, I’ve been finding new recipes and things to make, and been able to give away many breads and muffins to family and friends. I’m so glad I found this group, as I’m pretty new to this, and looking forward to finding new ideas!
AFB means sharing food and love with friends and family! During the pandemic, I’ve been baking and delivering goodies to everyone and they’re always delighted by it. I love how versatile it is – you can make so many things with it!
I love sharing AFB starter with family & friends the best part is knowing I have a starter tucked away in the freezer in case of emergency 💕
My first experience with Amish Friendship Bread was in 1988 as a new mom. Friendship Bread has been a family activity off and on ever since!
Where before I used baking time to teach my children, I now enjoy sharing this simple pleasure with my grandson. Some traditions are really worth keeping.
I love the feel of sharing and making things at home! It is so rewarding to share with others- to help out and just be very down to earth country with others! You can use the Amish Friendship Bread in so many different ways- it is so very useful and tastes fabulous. Thanks for the warm friendship that goes along with the bread!!!
I am a newbie to this site. Have been following for a couple months now. Your recipes all look delicious and easy and I can’t wait to get started with the process.
Amish Friendship Bread means joy to my family. My father-in-law is in a VA nursing home. Until recently we would visit him every Sunday afternoon and bring him bread and ice cream. We’d share the rest with his friends and caregivers. Now with Covid 19 we only get an hour with him and can’t share with his friends, but he still gets his Amish Friendship Bread and ice cream. We also give loaves to our friends and relatives. I’ve tried dozens of recipes and haven’t found a bad one yet!
My niece gave me my first AFB starter years ago and I loved it. She just had her 4th baby(a little girl). Every time I make my loaves, I think of her and the fun we had. I make loaves for Christmas presents. All good memories.
It’s family time. My little girl loves to help feed and cook with our AFB it’s part of our family, we keep an eye out but can also let it have some freedom. It is community. I work in an ER. We all love to eat and share recipes. With your site the choices are endless
I first found it by reading all the wonderful novels that featured Amish Friendship bread. I wanted to know those women and be like them! Since then, I’ve shared countless loaves of AFB and starter, and I continue to do do every week. Love the new cinnamon rolls and monkey bread!!! Thanks for the inspiration to do good, through the gift of bread. ♥️😢
Love the Amish starter…been making them for at least 25 years! My family loves them and I could easily eat a small cake! I’ve made all kind of flavors and have turned a lot of my friends onto them! Love Amish bread!!!❤️❤️❤️
I’ve been making Amish Friendship Bread on & off for over 10 years. I love baking and sharing the bread with my neighbors & co-workers. Thanks so much for the recipe variations!
I used an AFB starter when my children were younger. I passed one to my dad who baked every 10 days and always had muffins and loaves to share. Now my granddaughter helps me bake (although time and circumstances separate us from those early years). It is just as fun to share a starter with teacher colleagues. This website has given me so many recipes and tips. But my favorite is still the basic cinnamon deliciouness!
Amish Friendship bread reminds me of my mom, who passed almost 8years ago. She discovered it years ago, and I remember her baking the yummy cinnamon bread…it’s pure comfort!
My daughter made the starter a couple years ago, and shared with me. I love that we are keeping it going and all the variations there are now!
So all in all, the bread to me, is simply comfort.
I started using this in the 80’s and just came back to it in 2018. I enjoy having so many more recipes to choose from. I really like the lemon poppy seed muffins and the cinnamon rolls.
I loved it as a teen, and as an adult found how to make the starter. I love being able to share the same delicious bread I had as a kid with my own kids.
I have used these recipes for YEARS!!! Love to discover something new…but even baking the original is great for everyone! Each of my kids always had a favorite…and now so do my grandkids! All I have to do is send a picture of it out of the oven…..and guess who comes to visit!!?? Nothing like it for Christmas or Christmas Eve brunch too!! My favorite??? Any of the chocolate recipes!!…… and I bake in a Bundt pan…yum yum yum!! These recipes mean both comfort and love to my family and friends 💕
Amish Friendship Bread has been a part of my household for many, many years! I got a bag from a friend at work, one of my favorite jobs in my career history. We used to have potlucks, and she would bring all sorts of yummy flavored loaves. It was a special gift, one that I have locked in my special memories…
I just love the tangy flavor of AFB. It’s easy to make, store and especially eat!
I love making homemade items. It reminds me of being a child and baking with my grandmother.
I confess, I’ve yet to make my first loaf of your bread. Life is so busy, and the gardens are so productive, I crash inside every night. BUT, your pictures and videos look so AMAZING, that this might be the time to START BAKING! If I hang out here long enough, I will eventually dive in— and I can’t wait— because everything looks SO GOOD. Here we go…… THANKS
I’ve been making AFB for more than 10 years now. I love sharing with people because everything is so tasty.
I love baking bread, so this naturally fits my nature. Also, I’ve been trying different recipes which I also enjoy! Sharing a loaf with a neighbor has been a real connecting point during this time of isolation.
AFB means love to me. Sharing baking is a form of love I can give to strangers and well loved ones alike.
I love trying new Amish Friendship Bread recipes and then sharing the starter with friends, along with a variety of recipes. My friends love receiving the “gifts” and we all get together and share each other’s breads. Such a wonderful way to enjoy our friendships.
I was given my first AFB starter about 30 years ago. My son was allergic to….well the world. We kept Viola Swamp going for a bit over 4 years. I made all the bread for my family during that time. Just made basic white bread.
His allergies began to abate, our lives got busy and I let it go.
About 4 years a friend mentioned hers and I asked if she would share. She actually gave it to me on my birthday (she didn’t know that). One caveat, I wasn’t to sell it or any bread. Use It for good.
Now, I donate bread to people going through tough times, part of fundraisers, neighbors and friends.
Throughout the quarantine, I have walked through my neighborhood and left loaves on porches.
Bread is joyful, welcoming, calming and soothing, in the making and the giving.
I am so glad to have it part of my life.
Amish Friendship bread reminds me of my childhood and a simpler time. I remember my mom following the directions every day and then making the delicious bread. She always would complain when a friend dropped off a new starter for her, but she secretly loved it. Today I love sharing the many different breads that you can make with friends and family. I have alsi turned it into a business during these pandemic times that helps keep my family afloat.
I love baking and have always wanted to try Amish friendship bread… I just now have been gifted my first cup of starter and I’m pumped to get trying some of these recipes out! Thank you for such an extensive list! When I have figured out my favourites I’ll gift starter on, until then I look forward to sharing the baked goods with others. The perfect motivation to bake weekly!
My mother was given an Amish friendship bread recipe from an Amish author when we were children. The author had compiled some of the curriculum that she used to homeschool us. My mom is an athlete and is not what one might describe as a “homemaker” but has the biggest southern heart. The Amish bread became her go to recipe for sweet treats to give to others.
I was diagnosed with celiac disease at 25. While gluten free baking has come a LONG way, there were some things that were just not able to be replicated (here’s looking at you, brown sugar cinnamon pop tarts!). After trying and failing numerous times to replicate the friendship bread from my childhood, I discovered this recipe! I wish I could give you the biggest hug! While my thighs despise you, my heart is SO happy and grateful for this recipe! Thank you thank you!
Years ago I welcomed a new neighbor to our street with a loaf of friendship bread and the starter. In April this year – after the pandemic started as we were socially distancing on our street – she reminded me of that time and how much she enjoyed it. I had forgotten all about it because I of course had stopped maintaining the starter. I was so happy to come upon your site to learn not only how to start all over again but how to manage it going forward. I shared again with that neighbor and we are both enjoying friendship bread (in all its variations) because of your site!
I received a starter a few months ago. I shared the next starters with friends and relatives. I love trying new versions whether from a recipe or just making one up with ingredients from my pantry. I am the librarian for our elementary school and shared the starter with some of my student’s parents. With the kids home during the COVID-19 school shutdown, the parents are posting pictures of their kids keeping the starter fed and new treats made. Your site was recommended by one of the moms. I am making peanut butter cookies today. Yum yum.
We start AFB the first week of the pandemic shut down and we’ve kept it going since. It has been a great way to stay connected from a distance- and we’ve been able to share it with a lot of people! My kids get excited for it to be day 10, knowing that there will be some sort of treat that day. It has helped us pass the time and I’m excited to continue it.
Last year a coworker bought AFB to share as part of a potluck. It instantly too me back to growing up when my mom and I would Baker the bread and pass on the starters to friends and family.
I knew I needed a starter to share with my family. I asked her if there next time she had any bags to share if I might have one. About 3 months ago she shared a bag with me. I’ve then turned and shared with several neighbors and coworkers. A few of us have continued baking and discovered FBK.
My children and my husband are always so excited when I bake. The original bread is a favorite.
I usually have my kids help in some way. I hope this is something they remember as I do with my mom.
I view it as almost a religious experience. Breaking bread, sharing communion (and therefore community) with my loved ones. It is the ultimate way to connect. And it’s also freakin’ delicious 🙂
For me, Amish Friendship Bread is enabling me to reconnect to my memories of my grandmother who has since passed away. She used to make muffins with this as the base. They were the most amazing muffins and I used to look forward to when she would bring them over for my kids, husband, and me. My kids do not remember this as she stopped baking them when they were still fairly young. Recently, something sparked the memory of these muffins and after a little searching I found this amazing website. I am so excited to reintroduce the friendship concept to my teen children now that was such an everyday part of not only time with my grandmother, but also my teen years back in the eighties.
My first experience with Friendship bread was about 20 years ago in NJ, it made its way around the neighborhood and my mothers group. I loved it then, but being a busy mom, the work to keep it going and the novelty wore off. After reading Friendship Bread, A Novel- many years later, I loved the book! I shared it with many as a gift. And when I moved to NC 5 years ago I recommended the book to my neighborhood book club, and made the bread for our discussion day, as well as shared the starter. It was a hit. This past year, a new friend shared her family’s starter with me. It has been around for generations! It is a “southern style” starter, no flour, but uses potato flakes instead. I am loving this Friendship Bread Kitchen site and i am now adapting the recipes to use with my new starter. I am sharing food and starter, too. Yay, makes me so happy!!!!!!!!
I had baked Amish Friendship Bread years ago, and loved it, but hadn’t thought about it in years. Then my new daughter-in-law gave me a starter…and I realized this could help build our relationship by sharing new breads with each other. What a TRUE blessing it has been…both to bake and to SHARE with her and others…especially my church family as we – during this heartbreaking time of Covid-19 – are NOT able to fellowship with others as we used to. As the Pastor’s wife, it is such a BLESSING to deliver these to the doorsteps of our members…especially the elderly!! So a big thank you my new daughter-in-law!! I’ll always love you for thinking of me to share your starter with. And thank you Friendship Bread Kitchen for giving us LOTS of new recipes to try!!! I am forever grateful!!!!
I have found a new joy of making breads!!
I found this site looking for more instructions after my husband’s coworker passed on a starter. It bright me back to my childhood, when a starter was being passed around at our church. I remember all of us kids fighting for the sugary heel of the loaf; now I won’t have to share!!! It brought back so many forgotten memories and happy times! Looking forward to learning new ways to use and share the starter and to continue making more memories!!!
Two years ago I moved to an area for my husbands family where I knew no one. One of my coworkers gifted my husband and I some chickens and I met his wife when I went to pick up the chickens. What a wonderful lady and how lucky I was to meet her. She gifted me a friendship bread starter two weeks ago after sending some baked goods made from the starter to work for us to try. The small acts of kindness she has shown have helped me adjust to a new place and I could not be more thankful! Amish Friendship bread has done exactly what it was intended to do in this situation. Thank you!
I separated my first batch of starter today and can’t wait to pass on the gesture tomorrow!
I run my own company with my wife and we’ve had people here in Urbana Illinois ask us about “Friendship Bread” Now I must admit that being Scottish by Birth I knew nothing of this bread so I had to search it out, and I found your site with all these wonderful recipes, I had to try at least one of them. So I tried the original recipe, which was fantastic.
My big thing is Brioche, I’ve found it one of the easiest things to make, although Technically difficult to perfect.
I even made the World’s most difficult pastry, Kouign-Amann (Queen-Ah-Man) using Brioche which made it even more difficult, but what’s life without a challenge?
I love the sweet and tangy taste of this friendship bread, I think it has now after I perfect it, been added to my repertoire, So a big thank you from me for having this fantastic website.
Please check out mine: https://thescotsmanskitchen.wixsite.com/chef
I’m a Classically French Trained Chef and Self-Taught Baker
Just trying to learn new things.
This Amish Friendship starter and recipes mean showing love and care for friends and family. For the last 4 years I pull out my starter from the freezer in late September to make at least 6 batches if Smoosh Cinnamon Bread for my kids bake sale. And they ste always the first thing to still out. Then I start again st ther beginning of December to name another large batch to give to friends and family for Christmas. I even ship to my family in Ohio (I’m in California). It’s a sweet and simple way to tell the people in my life I’m thinking if you.
I first tried Amish friendship bread as a child when my step mom’s coworker passed a starter to her. 25 years later and I decided to try starting my own! It’s so fun to bake different recipes using the starter and share them with friends and family. I currently have a version of your banana bread in my oven. Thanks for sharing your experience and recipes!
I have recently been given a friendship bread starter.I haven’t had one for twenty years! It has brought back memories of baking breads for my kids. I have also remembered sharing with dear friends and family! Ow today my kids are grown and live away….. My old friends have moved on. But I am blessed to have new friends and am sharing starter,recipes and memories with!
I made this bread many years ago. My daughter was telling my grand daughters how I used to bake bread weekly and how wonderful it was to eat fresh out of the oven. I want to start baking again and share with my grandchildren. I always just made the basic bread but am interested in making other varieties. Wish me luck!
Friendship bread has meant many things to me over the years, but today for me it means community.
I love making all kinds of bread, and the last few months, not been able to find yeast have been rough.
A couple weeks ago, on Father’s Day actually, my father-in-law surprised me with a few packs of yeast he found at the store. I knew right away I was going to start up some friendship bread! Not only would it make that yeast last a good long time, but it would allow me to share my tiny bounty with my neighbors.
Today my first batch was finished and I was able to hand out 4 bags of starter, keep one to start a second batch, and bake one! As I type this, I’m waiting on my banana nut bread to finish baking, a friendship bread kitchen recipe. I have three more neighbors waiting on the next batch, and they are all talking about starting a neighborhood friendship bread Facebook group!
In one afternoon, 8 strangers have bonded over the excitement and the nostalgia of friendship bread.
First of all it’s yummy and I love sharing it weekly with whoever I happen to see the day it’s baked. Since my starter has been handed down over several decades it connects me to the past and I love carrying on this tradition!
My friend who unexpectedly passed away introduced me to Amish Friendship Bread. I was hooked for good. Bought the recipe book and I can’t count the number of recipes I have made for bake sales, churches, friends, neighbors and of course myself.
I continually introduce others to this amazing bread and everyone loves it. Making anew starter ( usually use up all I have when baking) from start to finish is such a joy especially when you know the incredible finish.
Thank you for your recipes and ongoing help. No family should be without Amish Friendship Bread and your website.
I got a starter from my young sister-in-law several weeks ago and am ready to bake my second batch. I was so excited to find all these recipes that I can make with the starter! Banana bread and biscotti are top on my list. It’s also a lot of fun to share the starter with others.
Amish Friendship Bread sends me back to college life when our youth group would have someone randomly start a starter and then have it go all throughout the group to come back to the person who started it. Full circle. I miss those friends and I love the relationships we all built with love and blessings through the makings of the friendship bread.
I got my first taste of AFB about 20 yrs ago when a woman from church was sharing bags. I initially took one ‘to be nice’. I was hooked. Now I love sharing when I get to day 10… but not too many. Always love having a supply in the freezer when needed – and then get to start all over again. So many recipes one never gets bored with it. Thank You
Amish Frienship Bread is a magnificent tasting bread with so many possible flavor varieties. For me making Freindship Bread is my way of continuing to have a little something of my step mom around since I unfortunately don’t have her around. Additionally creating various flavor profiles feels like my birth mom is rigth there with me in the kitchen even though she too is no longer with us. Continuing family memories is what Freindship Bread means to me.
I love the moist of the bread, the different ways, tut o make the bread, my family can eat both loafs in one sitting,
Amish Friendship Bread has been one way of connecting and finding a sense of community while we are all physically distanced from one another. I got my starter from a friend (but no bread), followed the instructions, passed along my extra starters and DEVOURED our extra loaf with my family! After that, I asked one of said friends for some starter back. Not having learned my lesson, I did the same thing again. Ha! Today is baking day for round 4, though I finally kept my own starter last round. Today my kids and I will be trying two new recipes, one sweet and one savory. Since getting that first starter from my friend, I’ve passed along 13 starters, had 5 distanced play dates with friends during handoff, and received a homemade yogurt starter in return. My cup overflows. ❤️
As a thank you to the medical staff that provide cancer treatment to my husband once a month, I take them baked goods using the Amish Bread starter. They really enjoyed the Amish Biscotti! Having fun taking something different each time and getting their feedback – they have loved them all!
I am loving the endless possibilities of this fabulous bread!
I was a
Amazed to see all the yummy recipes. I only knew of the bread. My brother in law use to make it every Christmas. I can’t wait to try a lot of the great meal recipes.
I made AFB as part of a Christmas gift exchange with my DIL’s family. Today at a birthday party my DIL’s cousin told me she and her neighbor were dying for something sweet during the COVID-19 quarantine. She looked in her freezer and there was the loaf of AFB she received from me at Christmas. She said it saved their sanity during the statewide lockdown. I don’t know about that, but it makes for a good story and a good laugh.
Amish Friendship bread means love to me. I make it to share different recipes with others to show love and compassion.
It’s always been about friendship and giving with me and my starter (I call her Evie). I received her a little over four years ago when a friend brought three bags to a book club. After that, I always had a different friendship bread treat to bring every month to book club.
Until COVID, when my family and I sort of fled the state to our other property where we could isolate easier. The last thing I grabbed on my way out the door was a bag of frozen starter. I didn’t know why I wanted it, but I didn’t want to leave the house without it. I’m glad I brought it with me because yeast was nonexistent for a long time! I had plenty of yeast and I was the hero of housewives in our neighborhood for a good long while – giving little bags of yeasty starter to whoever needed it. They were all delighted and it jogged quite a few memories (Oh yeah, I had one of these once. Don’t you make it with pudding?) I directed them to this website where they could find all sorts of creative things to do with their starter.
So, yes, I got mine from a friend and I use it to make yummy things to give away all the time. Four years and counting.
I adore my starter. It’s fun to make new recipes with my kids – take care of the starter like a “pet” (Hey, it’s alive and we have to feed it, right?)
I have always loved to bake. And my favorite part if sharing what I have made with others. Amish friendship bread has fit in with my philosophy perfectly. I love trying new recipes and finding new ways to use this starter. My children love to mash the starter every day. I also LOVE that I can freeze extra starter and thaw it to use any time I want to bake, so I don’t have to wait 10 days. I am thankful that this bread was shared with me so that I can share more with others. Especial at this crazy COVID time I think my baking brings an extra smile to those I share with.
I have been baking different flavors of Amish Friendship bread and giving them away. My family & neighbors say that I can give them any flavor anytime! I have even mailed breads to family far away. The Snickerdoodle cookies are always a BIG hit.
I am excited to try these new recipes!
I started my Amish Friendship Bread to give my neighbor something to do with her 2 young girls while stuck at home during the pandemic. I’ve had fun making the different recipes and sharing them with my neighbors. I’m so glad I came across this website!
It means love and caring to me. Making something and giving part of it away shows that you care about that person. If every person would give away 1 starter to another person, we’d all be friends. The world would be a better place in no time.
Amish Friendship Bread is just a comforting, nice way of sharing and thinking of someone else , especially right now during such crazy pandemic times. It can be an activity/project to entertain kids or just be an act of kindness by giving either the starter or a freshly baked loader of delisious bread. This site is really awesome and there really isn’t a question you can ask that isn’t answered by Darien. What a great resource to have.
Amish Friendship Bread is just a comforting, nice way of sharing and thinking of someone else , especially right now during such crazy pandemic times. It can be an activity/project to entertain kids or just be an act of kindness by giving either the starter or a freshly baked loaf of delisious bread. This site is really awesome and there really isn’t a question you can ask that isn’t answered by Darien. What a great resource to have.
Friendship Bread is my relax and rejuvenate time. Baking it gives me joy for myself and joy in sharing it with friends who have never made it for themselves.
I have always loved baking Amish Friendship Bread but the best part is giving it away. I have found that most people would rather have the loaf of bread and not the starter because they tell me they just don’t have the time to bake. That’s fine with me because I do have the time to bake and still love giving my loaves away. It’s the smiles I get in return that make it all worth while.
My daughter’s and I started this during covid as a fun project. My 10&8 year old daughter’s have really enjoyed the fun of learning to bake. We’ve laughed, cried and sweat while baking for hours. We tend to spend all day using up 6-8 batches of the starter and give away sweet treats to family and friends. The bond and joy this has brought us reminds me of my grandmother and baking during the holidays.
Amish Friendship bread means being able to make something delicious that is easy and almost foolproof for people I care about. I make it because it gives me a little time out of the day to just slow down and enjoy my kitchen and the process of baking.
I love sharing the starter as well as the bread or goodies I make with it. If I can’t find anyone who wants the starter, I make the goodies and give it away (to nursing homes or the local food pantry before the days of Covid).
I also freeze the extra starter and donate that along with instructions And the link to your website.
Patchouli sound wonderful ☺️😉
I recently started making AFB when a friend posted on Facebook that she had a bag of starter to share. It reminds me of my husband, who passed away two years ago. He used to make AFB and would be so happy that I am making it now.
Growing up, I remember the starter laying in a ziplock bag on our counter and the delicious bread my mom would bake. I hadn’t thought about Amish Friendship Bread in yours, so when my neighbor asked if I wanted a starter I happily accepted. I now carry on the tradition of “feeding and mashing” my very own starter with my kiddos.
Just last night I had some girlfriends over to the house and for a snack we had the double chocolate AFB. One of them recalled her mother also having the bread on their counter during her childhood. I happened to have a starter in the freezer and sent it home with her so that the tradition could continue with her family as well. The other friend had never heard of AFB so I sent her home with a frozen loaf of the original recipe bread with a promise I would get her a starter next time I baked.
I love that AFB means bringing back old traditions for some, and sharing new traditions with others.
Amish friendship bread means knowing exactly what I’m feeding my family and I get to tell them the story .it’s something we can pass down for future generations.
I remember getting this when I was younger and wanted to have this again to share with my friends and family. It was so nice to get phone calsl about the Amish bread and how well it tasted and that they were looking forward to getting more.
I love the response from friends when I give them a loaf of Friendship bread. COVID has caused shopping for yeast a true challenge. I have friends and clients on the look out for me. When they find yeast, they share with me, in exchange for a loaf of Friendship Bread. All good, all the way around!
Growing up, my dad was the baker in our family. I remember making AFB with him. When my kids were growing up, I was working full time and did not have much time or energy for baking. When the pandemic brought my kids home from college and drove me to working from home, my thoughts returned to the delicious AFB treats I made with my father. With plenty of time on our hands, we made the starter and soon began enjoying some old favorites and new experiments!
I’ve just recently shared my first starter with neighbors and coworkers. The bread is a connection to my new home state of TN. I’ve just moved here from the west coast and jumped right in when offered my first starter.
My grandsons love my Chocolate Chip Friendship Bread, so it became a tradition that I kept them supplied so they could snack on it when studying. When the oldest left for college AFB went with him, and it became a joke that his excellent grades were helped by the AFB. He recently graduated with Highest Honor from a highly respected engineering school. As he packed to move away to start his new job, more AFB went with him. His younger brother will begin his college career this September, and obviously our Amish Friendship Bread tradition will continue. Such special and loving memories thanks to AFB.
Trying out new recipes and giving them away to friends is pure joy. Thank you for all the wonderful recipes to choose from. I have been making smaller loaves in order to share with more friends as well as not overload them. They love them!
I love the fun, tasty versatility; and of course the sharing.
Friendship bread was a great way to make sure we had fresh treats during quarantine.
I love, love, love everything about my Amish starter! I have made cookies, amish white bread, rolls, and all flavors of the sweet friendship breads. I love giving loaves of love to my Pastors and family! Thank you for all the wonderful recipes!!
Friendship bread means family. I love them and love to bake nutritious good tasting foods for them
Hi everyone! My mom is the one who started our journey into Amish Friendship Bread! She gave me one cup of her “mother” and I couldn’t wait to try out recipes with it! I have a baking and pastry background and this is so much fun for me! Since then, I’ve handed out many 1 cups of my “mother” to friends and family! It is also a distraction during these trying times that we’re all facing right now. I have made the butterscotch muffins and bread many times now and made delicious blueberry muffins as well! The strawberry muffins are by far my favorite how ever… I sugar the strawberries overnight in the fridge and then mash them and add then add to the batter. AMAZING! I use my recipe book from this site all the time <3 Thank you and wish everyone good health and happiness!
I never knew Amish Friendship Bread starter was so versatile! Since signing up at friendshipbreadkitchen.com, I have made a variety of breads like chocolate and banana. Even made biscotti. Thank you for all the great information and recipes!
My mom and I baked Amish friendship bread together more than 25 years ago and now I’ve revived that tradition, with a new starter, with my daughter. It’s a nice way to share a family tradition during this time when we can’t be with our extended family.
I rediscovered Amish friendship bread during the first weeks of Corona virus isolation when I wanted to connect with friends & family while we socially distanced. It gave us all something to do and share during this challenging time.
I need to get mine out of the freezer again!! Crackers sound good, Darien!! Chemo going well!! Masses in abdomen shrinking!! Praise the Lord!!💚💜
Amish friendship bread reminds me of my mom, she loved baking and passed that love on to me. The aroma of friendship bread baking is pure comfort!
I love making Amish bread. Especially when it’s my Church’s Taste of Christmas. 4 loaves they are the first to go.
AFB means time shared with my mother doing something we both love. None of us are getting any younger, so I truly value my time spent with her baking and trying new recipes.
I first discovered AFB many years ago from a co-worker. She made her first batch and I was one of the lucky recipients of her extra bags on day 10. I’ve loved it ever since!
So AFB reminds me of my friend at work, all the fun we had at that job and the loving spirit of sharing that comes from caring. Isn’t that what AFB is all about?!
I just love baking and giving away what I make. People really enjoy it, the baked goods as much as I enjoy baking.
Amish Friendship Bread has literally kept me sane during this Pandemic! I’m so glad I found this site and have shared starter with my daughter and my best friend.
Thank you for all your wonderful recipes, tutorials and advice. Tomorrow my starter will be fed and ready for another round of recipes. Cinnamon rolls tomorrow for brunch.
Yum!
Friendship bread gives me a reason to get in the kitchen and experiment! I have never baked more than since I had a starter!!
I gave a few loaves away during covid. It males me just happy. 😊
Amish friendship bread makes baking for yourself and others a shared experience. The labor of love making your starter to the final delicious product is all worth the time and effort when you can share with those you love. Thanks for all the amazing varieties of options for the starter; my personal favorite is the snickerdoodle cookies!
Amish friendship bread is just pure 😊 happiness!
Amish Friendship Bread reminds me of my grandmother’s homemade cakes when I was little and always in the kitchen with her.