Amish Sourdough Bread Recipe

By
Carroll Pellegrinelli
Carroll Pellegrinelli
Expert baker and published author, Carroll Pellegrinelli shares her knowledge of bread baking and desserts.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 02/5/23
Tested by
Colleen Graham
Photo of Colleen Graham
Tested by Colleen Graham
Freelance writer and cocktail book author Colleen Graham is a seasoned mixologist who loves sharing her knowledge of spirits and passion for preparing drinks.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 40 mins
Rise: 2 hrs 40 mins
Total: 3 hrs 40 mins
Servings: 20 servings
Yield: 2 loaves

Amish sourdough bread, also known as friendship bread, is traditionally gifted. It uses a starter that can be used to make several kinds of yeast bread, including Amish cinnamon bread. As the baker, you would keep one cup of starter mix to create a new cycle of bread making, then give the remaining three cups of starter discard to friends so they can make their own.

The Amish friendship bread starter is sweeter than a regular sourdough starter and uses yeast to give it a jump start. It is then customary to feed the starter with flour, water or milk, and sugar or honey before removing a cup to use. A five-day baking cycle feeds the starter every day and uses the resulting mixture to bake a loaf or two of bread. The leftover mixture is then used to begin the next fermentation cycle.

Even if this is your first try at sourdough, don't be intimidated. Amish sourdough is one of the easiest sourdoughs to make, and the resulting bread is delicious as a side dish or for sandwiches.

Amish Sourdough Bread

The Spruce / Abbey Littlejohn

"This recipe is a great introduction to sourdough bread. Besides making the starter, the steps are just like any other yeast bread, so bakers should find it very familiar. The bread tastes great, with a nice crumb and balance of sweet and sour. It’s also filling, a nice side for dinner, and excellent sandwich bread." —Colleen Graham

Amish Sourdough Bread/Tester Image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 1 (1/4-ounce) package active dry yeast, or 2 1/4 teaspoons

  • 1 1/2 cups warm water (110 to 115 F)

  • 5 to 6 cups all-purpose flour, divided

  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt

  • 2 teaspoons granulated sugar

  • 1 cup friendship bread sourdough starter, at room temperature

  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

  • Cooking spray, for greasing

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Amish Sourdough Bread ingredients

    The Spruce / Abbey Littlejohn

  2. In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water.

    yeast and water in a bowl

    The Spruce / Abbey Littlejohn

  3. Stir in 2 1/2 cups of the flour, the salt, sugar, and sourdough starter.

    flour along with the salt, sugar, and sourdough starter in a bowl

    The Spruce / Abbey Littlejohn

  4. In another large bowl, combine 2 1/2 cups of the flour and the baking soda. Stir into the sourdough mixture. Keep adding as much of the remaining 1 cup of flour as possible, mixing with a spoon, until the dough is no longer wet, begins to follow the spoon around the bowl, and looks shaggy. 

    dough in a bowl

    The Spruce / Abbey Littlejohn

  5. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Continue to knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic, about 6 to 8 minutes total. Alternatively, knead the dough in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Shape the dough into a ball.

    dough on a floured surface

    The Spruce / Abbey Littlejohn

  6. Generously grease a large bowl with cooking spray. Place the dough in the bowl turning once to coat. Cover with a clean kitchen towel. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. 

    dough in a bowl, covered with a towel

    The Spruce / Abbey Littlejohn

  7. Punch down and divide the dough in half. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes. 

    dough in a bowl covered with a towel

    The Spruce / Abbey Littlejohn

  8. Generously spray two 9 x 5-inch loaf pans (or one large baking sheet for 6-inch round loaves) with cooking spray.

    greased baking sheet

    The Spruce / Abbey Littlejohn

  9. Shape the dough into the desired shape. Make shallow X-shaped slashes with a sharp knife over the surface. Cover and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour. 

    dough on a baking sheet, an X sliced into the dough

    The Spruce / Abbey Littlejohn

  10. Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 400 F.

    Bake loaves until golden, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool completely on wire racks before serving.

    Amish Sourdough Bread loaves on a cooling rack

    The Spruce / Abbey Littlejohn

Tip

  • Starter mix can be frozen and used later, with the new cycle beginning after the starter has thawed. Additionally, it can be slowed to about half the normal fermentation rate when it is stored in the refrigerator instead of at room temperature. 
  • Kitchen temperatures can fluctuate throughout the year, and this can affect the rising time. For the most consistent proofing, place the dough in the oven and turn on the light. Just make sure no one turns the oven heat on.

How to Store

Sourdough bread will stay fresh for a week, possibly a few days longer, and should be stored in a bread bin or paper bag. The bread can be frozen for several months as well.

Why is yeast added to sourdough bread that uses a starter?

Traditionally, sourdough bread uses a starter instead of commercial yeast, but some bread recipes (such as this one) add yeast as a supplement. Classic sourdough bread can take many hours to rise (often, two 6-hour proofing sessions), which helps the dough develop sourdough's signature tangy taste and chewy texture. By adding yeast, the rising time is significantly reduced, and, in turn, this softens the taste and texture.

Why did the Amish friendship bread sink in the middle?

As it cools, any bread may collapse, typically because the gluten structure is not strong enough to hold the bread up in the middle. Kneading the dough for too little time or letting it rise too long are two common causes. Another is a sudden change in temperature while baking; resist the urge to open the oven door, even for a quick peek.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
161 Calories
1g Fat
34g Carbs
5g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 20
Amount per serving
Calories 161
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 1g 1%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 245mg 11%
Total Carbohydrate 34g 12%
Dietary Fiber 2g 5%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 5g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 8mg 1%
Iron 2mg 11%
Potassium 58mg 1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)