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I often get asked, “Do I need to use pudding in my Amish Friendship Bread?” The short answer is no. The longer answer is in this FAQ here.
The following Amish Friendship Bread recipe is the same as the original recipe, minus the pudding. Consider this your official “it’s-okay-not-to-use-pudding” version, so if you’re uncertain about excluding it, you no longer have to worry!
The pudding/no pudding challenge
If you’re wondering if the pudding makes a difference, I recommend a test. Since each recipe yields two loaves, prepare the batter WITHOUT the pudding (use the recipe below). Pour half of the batter into one prepared pan. Then fold in HALF a packet of instant vanilla pudding (one small box, or the equivalent if using homemade pudding) into the remaining batter. Pour the second half of batter into the second prepared pan, and place a single raisin or walnut on the top. Remember: the loaf with the raisin or walnut on top is the one WITH the pudding. Then bake and then do a taste test once cooled. Let me know the results of your taste test in the comments below.
What about other AFB recipes that call for pudding?
As for other Amish Friendship Bread variations on this website, you’ll have to experiment with excluding flavored puddings (like this tart and tangy Triple Lemon Amish Friendship Bread recipe) in exchange for more natural ingredients. No fear, it can be done–you’ll just need to decide what your personal flavor profile is and make adjustments accordingly. The more frequently you bake the bread, the more confident you’ll become in what substitutions you can make.
Enjoy!
Learn how to make two loaves of cinnamon sweet Amish Friendship Bread, without the pudding.
- 1 cup Amish Friendship Bread Starter
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup oil
- ½ cup milk
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 cups flour
- 1 cup nuts chopped (optional)
- 1 cup raisins (optional)
- Preheat oven to 325° F (165° C).
- In a large mixing bowl, add ingredients as listed.
- Grease two large loaf pans.
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Dust the greased pans with a mixture of
cinnamon-sugar . -
Pour the batter evenly into loaf or cake pans and sprinkle the remaining cinnamon-sugar mixture on the top.
- Bake for one hour or until the bread loosens evenly from the sides and a toothpick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean.
- ENJOY!
An easy recipe for making Amish Friendship Bread without the pudding.
>> Have you tried this? Share your best pic with us or leave a comment below and let us know how it worked for you!
Can I halve this recipe so that it only makes one loaf?
Yes! Just be sure to keep your remaining starter properly fed if you plan to keep baking with AFB starter.
I tried both with and without the pudding. There wasn’t too much of an obvious taste difference at all between the two batches. The pudding batch was maybe a little more moist. My verdict: I’ll use the pudding when I have it, but if I run out or don’t have any, it’s not worth a special trip to the store to get some! You’d really not know the difference if you weren’t hunting for it. Thanks for both variations of the recipe!
Thank you for this! My starter is ready to bake, and I don’t have any pudding on hand. I was really wondering if I needed to venture out just for pudding ( especially during this pandemic) or if I could skip it. Glad to know it doesn’t make a huge difference!
Has anyone tried butterscotch pudding?
A lot of people love it, Niki! We actually have a recipe for homemade Butterscotch Pudding if you’d want to try: https://www.friendshipbreadkitchen.com/butterscotch-pudding-mix/ — as well as recipe for Butterscotch AFB here: https://www.friendshipbreadkitchen.com/butterscotch-afb/
I don’t have any pudding either. Like Malinda Larson I did not want to venture out just to get pudding. I make mine tomorrow. Thanks
We’re glad you found this recipe, Joanne! Sometimes it’s really not the worth the effort of going out to just get pudding. Happy baking!