Amish Friendship Bread With Cinnamon Sugar Crust

Name: Amish Friendship Bread with Cinnamon-Sugar Crust
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 2 h 20 min
Yield: 2 loaves, 20 servings total
Cuisine: International
Ingredients: 1 cup (240 g) bake-ready Amish friendship bread starter, stirred before measuring; 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour, spooned into the measuring cups and leveled; 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar; 3 large eggs, at room temperature; 3/4 cup (180 ml) canola or vegetable oil; 1/2 cup (120 ml) whole milk, at room temperature; 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon; 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder; 1/2 teaspoon baking soda; 1/2 teaspoon fine salt; 4 tablespoons (56 g) unsalted butter, melted and divided; 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar; 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Imperial October 12, 2026October 12, 2026

Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

Yield: 2 loaves, 20 servings total
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 60 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 20 minutes, including 1 hour of cooling; assumes a bake-ready starter

Quick Ingredients

1 cup (240 g) bake-ready Amish friendship bread starter
2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
3/4 cup (180 ml) neutral oil, such as canola or vegetable oil
1/2 cup (120 ml) whole milk, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
For the crust: 4 tablespoons (56 g) unsalted butter, melted; 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar; 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Do This

1. Heat the oven to 325°F (163°C). Stir together the crust sugar and cinnamon.
2. Brush two 8 1/2-by-4 1/2-inch loaf pans with 2 tablespoons of the melted butter total. Use half the cinnamon sugar to coat their bottoms and sides.
3. Whisk the starter, 1 cup sugar, eggs, oil, milk, and vanilla until smooth.
4. In another bowl, whisk the flour, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Fold into the wet ingredients just until combined.
5. Divide the batter between the pans. Drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons melted butter and sprinkle with the remaining cinnamon sugar.
6. Bake for about 60 minutes, checking at 55 minutes. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
7. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then carefully turn out and cool upright on a rack for at least 50 minutes before slicing.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

A sweet, gently tangy crumb: Fermented friendship bread starter adds depth to this soft, cinnamon-scented quick bread.
A delicate cinnamon-sugar crust: Butter and cinnamon sugar coat the pans and the tops, creating a lightly crisp finish around the tender bread.
No mixer or kneading needed: A whisk, a spatula, and two mixing bowls are all you need to make the batter.
Made for sharing: Keep one loaf for breakfast and give the other to a friend.

Grocery List

Produce: None required.
Dairy: Whole milk, unsalted butter, and large eggs.
Pantry: Bake-ready Amish friendship bread starter, all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, neutral oil, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and fine salt.

Full Ingredients

For the Bread

1 cup (240 g) bake-ready Amish friendship bread starter, stirred before measuring
2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour, spooned into the measuring cups and leveled
1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
3/4 cup (180 ml) canola or vegetable oil
1/2 cup (120 ml) whole milk, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine salt

For the Buttery Cinnamon-Sugar Crust

4 tablespoons (56 g) unsalted butter, melted and divided
1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Starter note: This recipe uses an established, bake-ready sweet Amish friendship bread starter, not a freshly mixed starter or plain flour-and-water sourdough discard. Maintain your starter according to a tested recipe and its food-safety instructions. The time listed here does not include making, feeding, or fermenting the starter.

Amish Friendship Bread With Cinnamon Sugar Crust – Closeup

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Heat the oven and mix the cinnamon sugar

Set an oven rack in the middle position and preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C). Set out two 8 1/2-by-4 1/2-inch loaf pans. In a small bowl, stir together the 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 2 teaspoons cinnamon for the crust until evenly blended. Melt the butter and let it cool slightly while you prepare the pans.

Step 2: Give the pans their buttery coating

Brush the bottom and sides of each pan with 1 tablespoon melted butter, using 2 tablespoons total. Divide half of the cinnamon-sugar mixture between the pans. Tilt and gently tap each pan so the mixture sticks to the butter on the bottom and sides. Leave any loose cinnamon sugar in the bottom of its pan. Reserve the remaining butter and cinnamon sugar for the tops.

Step 3: Whisk together the wet ingredients

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the stirred starter, 1 cup granulated sugar, eggs, oil, milk, and vanilla. Whisk for about 1 minute, until the eggs are fully incorporated and the mixture looks smooth. A little bubbling from the starter is normal.

Step 4: Add the dry ingredients gently

In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly distributed. Add this mixture to the wet ingredients. Fold with a flexible spatula just until no dry flour remains, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl as you go. The batter should be thick but pourable; a few small lumps are fine. Avoid vigorous beating, which can make the bread less tender.

Step 5: Fill the pans and finish the tops

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans and gently smooth the tops. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of the remaining melted butter over each loaf. Sprinkle the reserved cinnamon sugar evenly over both tops. Leave it on the surface rather than stirring it into the batter; this is what gives the loaves their delicate, buttery crust.

Step 6: Bake until the centers are set

Place the pans on the middle oven rack with a little space between them. Bake for approximately 60 minutes, beginning to check at 55 minutes. Most loaves will be ready within 55–65 minutes. The tops should be golden brown, the centers should feel set, and a toothpick inserted into the center of each loaf should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs, not wet batter.

If the tops are browning too quickly, loosely tent them with foil after about 45 minutes. Check both loaves individually, since one may finish a few minutes before the other.

Step 7: Cool carefully and slice

Let the loaves rest in their pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Run a thin silicone spatula or blunt knife around any uncoated upper edges. Carefully turn each loaf out, supporting it so the tender top does not break, then set it upright on the rack.

Cool for at least 50 additional minutes, or until no longer warm, before slicing. Use a serrated knife and a gentle sawing motion to preserve the crust. Cut each loaf into 10 slices. Serve plain, or with a little extra butter if you like.

Pro Tips

Measure flour lightly: Spoon it into the cup and level it, or use the 240 g weight. Scooping directly from the bag can add too much flour and dry out the bread.
Use the specified pan size: Larger 9-by-5-inch pans will produce shorter loaves and may finish baking sooner. Start checking those at 45 minutes.
Keep the batter moving toward the oven: Once the dry and wet ingredients meet, fill the pans and bake promptly so the baking powder and baking soda can do their work.
Let the crumb settle: Slicing while hot can compress the center and make a properly baked loaf look gummy.
Check your starter before baking: Discard any starter with mold, pink or orange discoloration, or a putrid smell. Do not taste a questionable starter or try to make it safe by baking.

Variations

Cinnamon-walnut: Fold 3/4 cup (85 g) chopped walnuts into the finished batter before dividing it between the pans.
Cinnamon-raisin: Fold 3/4 cup (110 g) raisins into the batter. For softer raisins, soak them in hot water for 10 minutes, then drain thoroughly and pat dry before adding.
Warm spice: Add 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg and 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom to the dry ingredients while keeping the cinnamon amounts unchanged.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Room temperature: Once completely cool, wrap the bread tightly or place it in an airtight container. Store in a cool, dry place for up to 3 days. The crust will soften somewhat as moisture moves outward from the crumb.

Freezing: Wrap a whole loaf or individual slices tightly, then place in a freezer-safe bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw a wrapped loaf at room temperature for about 3 hours; individual slices usually thaw in about 1 hour.

Make-ahead: Measure and combine the dry bread ingredients up to 2 days ahead, and keep the crust cinnamon sugar in a separate airtight container. Mix the wet ingredients and finish the batter on baking day. To lightly refresh the crust, warm unwrapped slices on a baking sheet at 300°F (149°C) for 8 minutes.

Nutrition (per serving)

Estimated for 1 of 20 slices, including the cinnamon-sugar coating and excluding optional additions. Values vary with the starter’s composition and the ingredients used.