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!
Amish Friendship Bread (No Pudding / Pudding Free)
Ingredients
- 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)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325° F (165° C).
- In a large mixing bowl, add ingredients as listed.
- Grease two large loaf pans.
- 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!
Notes
>> Have you tried this? Share your best pic with us or leave a comment below and let us know how it worked for you!
I was given a starter, and I’m ready to bake! I’m so thankful for this recipe because I never have instant pudding in the house. I’m also looking for ways to make this healthier. I read about subbing applesauce for half the oil. What can I do to reduce the sugar? If I use 1/2 cup, will it be sweet enough? Have you tried coconut sugar at all to see if it works? Thanks!
I used 1/2 cup of pure cane sugar and it was still sweet! Feeding the starter with sugar really makes a difference in the finished bread. I hope this helps!
My friends just loved this bread at our weekly ladies tee and fellowship. They immediately ordered a few loaves to freeze for their homes. Thanks for this tasty bread.
can you use the No starter (starter free )Amish Friendship bread recipe with this recipe
Hi Lana! We haven’t tried those two recipes together before, so you’ll have to experiment, but it should work fine. Let us know how it goes if you try!
Made my first bread with a starter given to me from 2020!
Nellie turned out great! Used the no pudding recipe but didn’t take the challenge because I don’t have any pudding lol
Next time!
Awesome, Jan! We’re so glad this recipe turned out for you.
This was so moist and yummy! I did not bake 2 loaves because loaves take more than an hour to bake and I wanted to go to bed 😉 , so I poured the batter into a 9X13 greased pan and baked for about 40 minutes. Turned out perfect.
Awesome! Thanks for sharing, Kristina!
I love the recipe without the pudding, I find the pudding makes it way too sweet.
We’re so glad you enjoy the pudding-free recipe! It’s definitely one of our favorites!
I have made this recipe several times now and my husband just loves it. Instead of baking it in 2 pans, I divide the batter into 4-5 small loaf pans. We eat one immediately out of the oven, of course, and freeze the rest. Today we were entertaining another couple and my husband told them this bread is one of his favorite things I make with sourdough. Our friends wanted to taste some and I offered to get a loaf from the freezer. But. ALL GONE. I will have to make more this afternoon. I can’t imagine a stronger testimony for this recipe.
Hi Leslye! Thank you so much for sharing this story! We really do love hearing these kind of stories. Glad you’re spreading the joy of Amish Friendship Bread to others! ❤️
I get to do !one Friday, a friend of mine have me a starter last week.
Let us know how it goes, Stacy!
I was given and starter and followed the instructions just now for adding a cup of sugar, flour and milk.
Then I looked up the recipe. What??? I don’t put a whole cup of oil in anything!!!!!!!!
This will have to be dumped. Sorry I accepted it. Not a friend, I guess:(
I’m sorry the recipe didn’t work out for you, Arleen. Most recipes do call for some source of fat (whether it’s unsaturated or saturated fat). However, there is some flexibility in choosing an oil that works best with your diet. Let us know if we can help with anything else!
You can substitute part or all of the oil with applesauce!
Yes! I do half oil and half applesauce. It turns out delicious!
Do you use sweetened or unsweetened applesauce?
Unsweetened. I keep the lunchbox size containers and use them so I’m not stuck with a half opened can of applesauce.
I use 1/2 cup of oil with a 1/2 cup of applesauce. Works great.
I have used applesauce for an oil substitute many times. Give it a try. And remember this makes 2 fill size bread pans full.
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!
Butterscotch pudding makes the bread taste like gingerbread.
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 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!
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.