Friendship Bread

Friendship Bread–sweet Amish cinnamon friendship bread that doesn’t need a starter and is cooked in your Instant Pot, slow cooker or oven.

Friendship Bread without a starter

Have you ever been gifted a starter for Amish Friendship Bread? If you’re diligent you can enjoy that bread in about 10 days. The starter is a sourdough starter mixture in a ziplock bag and it comes with a list of instructions of what to do and how to make the bread. At the end of the ten days, you divide it into four portions, bake with one, and give the other three away. It’s a nice gesture and it truly is the most delicious bread ever! However have you ever wanted to make the bread today…right now!? I know I have!

Today’s recipe is going to show you how you can make amish friendship bread right now without a starter! You can bake the bread in the oven, crockpot or Instant Pot. Greg said this is the best bread he’s ever eaten. It’s a sweet bread with cinnamon and a pudding mix. I don’t know exactly why but it really is so delicious! I think I will make it again today!

Ingredients/Substitution Ideas

• Eggs
• Canola or vegetable oil
• Buttermilk–this is essential since we aren’t using yeast or sourdough starter. The buttermilk is what gives the bread it’s oomph.
• White sugar
• Vanilla extract
• Cinnamon
• Baking powder
• Salt
• Baking soda
• All purpose flour
• Dry vanilla pudding mix–I used Jello brand

Steps

1. Mix the ingredients: In a mixing bowl add the egg, yolk, oil, buttermilk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, baking soda, flour and pudding mix. Stir until combined and smooth.
2. Prepare the dusting mixture: In a small bowl stir together 1 Tbsp of white sugar and ¼ tsp of cinnamon. 
3. For baking in the oven: Grease a loaf pan and then dust the pan with the cinnamon sugar mixture. Scrape the batter into the pan. Bake at 325 degrees for one hour. For baking in the slow cooker: Grease the slow cooker and then dust the slow cooker with the cinnamon sugar mixture. Scrape the batter into the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 2-3 hours or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Each slow cooker cooks differently. I find the new slow cookers cook much hotter. For baking in the Instant Pot: Grease a 6 cup bundt cake pan* and then dust the pan with the cinnamon sugar mixture. Scrape the batter into the pan. Cover the pan with foil. Pour 1 ½ cups water into bottom of Instant Pot. Place the pan on a sling/trivet. Lower the pan into the Instant Pot. Cover Instant Pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set the manual/pressure cook button to 40 minutes with a 10 minute natural pressure release. 
4. Serve and enjoy! Remove the bread from the pan and then let the bread rest for a few minutes before slicing and enjoying.

Notes/Tips

• The Instant Pot version of the bread will look light in color and be more moist and dense than the oven version. It doesn’t look like it is cooked through but it is. Remove it from the bundt cake pan immediately and let it sit on a cooling rack. I don’t suggest making this in another type of pan in the Instant Pot besides the bundt cake pan*. It won’t come out as well.
• Store leftovers in an airtight container* or a plastic bag in the pantry or refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
• Other recipes you can make with buttermilk are Cafe Rio Creamy Tomatillo Ranch Dressing, Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes and Keep A Man Chicken (Air Fryer Or Oven).

More Instant Pot Sweet Treats

Did you know you can filter the recipes on my website to search by meat type, IP or Crockpot, low carb, gluten free, etc.? Use the filter to find exactly what you are looking for. 

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*Karen Petersen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.