Tasty Pumpkin Spice Amish Friendship Bread

Finding a way to use up that sourdough starter sitting in your fridge can feel like a puzzle, especially when you want something cozy and seasonal for fall. Between work deadlines and getting the kids to their after-school activities, who has time to figure out complicated baking projects that might not even turn out right?

That’s where this pumpkin spice Amish friendship bread comes to the rescue: it’s wonderfully spiced and moist, uses that starter you’ve been meaning to bake with, and fills your whole house with the smell of cinnamon and nutmeg while it bakes.

What Kind of Canned Pumpkin Should I Use?

For this pumpkin spice Amish friendship bread, you’ll want to use pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling – there’s a big difference! Pure pumpkin puree is just cooked and mashed pumpkin with no added spices or sugar, while pumpkin pie filling already has spices and sweeteners that could throw off your recipe. Most grocery stores carry both Libby’s and store-brand pure pumpkin puree, and either will work perfectly fine. Make sure to give the can a good stir before measuring, as the pumpkin can sometimes separate and you want an even consistency throughout your bread.

Options for Substitutions

This friendship bread is pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps, but there are a few key things to keep in mind:

• Amish Friendship Bread Starter: This is the heart of the recipe and really can’t be substituted – it’s what makes it friendship bread! If you don’t have starter, you’ll need to get some from a friend or make your own, which takes about 10 days.
• Pumpkin pie spice: Don’t have pumpkin pie spice? Mix together ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, ⅛ teaspoon ginger, and a pinch of cloves. You can also just use extra cinnamon if that’s all you have.
• Pumpkin spice instant pudding: Regular vanilla pudding mix works fine here, or you can skip it entirely and add an extra ¼ cup flour to make up for the missing dry ingredients.
• Canned pumpkin: You can substitute with mashed sweet potato, applesauce, or even mashed banana for different flavors. The texture will be slightly different but still tasty.
• Brown sugar: White sugar works in a pinch, though you’ll lose some of that rich molasses flavor. You could also try coconut sugar or maple sugar for a different twist.
• Oil: Melted butter, applesauce, or even mashed banana can replace the oil. If using butter, let the batter cool slightly before adding it.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest mistake when making Amish friendship bread is using starter that’s too cold or hasn’t been properly fed, which can result in dense, heavy loaves – make sure your starter is at room temperature and bubbly before mixing.

Don’t overmix the batter once you add the flour, as this develops too much gluten and creates a tough texture instead of the tender crumb you want.

Since this recipe contains both pumpkin and pudding mix, it’s extra moist and needs longer baking time than regular bread, so test with a toothpick in the center and don’t be surprised if it takes 10-15 minutes longer than expected.

For the best results, let the bread cool completely in the pan for at least 10 minutes before turning out, as the extra moisture means it needs time to set up properly.

What to Serve With Pumpkin Spice Amish Friendship Bread?

This sweet, spiced bread is perfect on its own, but I love serving it with a hot cup of coffee or chai tea for the coziest fall morning. You can also slice it thick and toast it lightly, then spread on some cream cheese or butter for an extra treat. If you want to make it more dessert-like, try serving warm slices with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream. For breakfast or brunch, it pairs beautifully with scrambled eggs and crispy bacon to balance out all that sweet pumpkin goodness.

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: This pumpkin spice bread stays moist and delicious when wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. The pudding mix really helps keep it from drying out, so you’ll have soft, flavorful slices all week long.

Freeze: Friendship bread freezes like a dream! Wrap individual slices in plastic wrap and pop them in a freezer bag, or freeze the whole loaf wrapped well for up to 3 months. I love having slices ready to grab for breakfast or an afternoon snack.

Enjoy: Thaw frozen slices at room temperature for about 30 minutes, or give them a quick 20-second zap in the microwave if you’re in a hurry. Room temperature bread tastes amazing as-is, but you can also toast slices lightly and add a pat of butter for an extra treat.

Preparation Time	15-20 minutes
Cooking Time	60-70 minutes
Total Time	75-90 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Easy

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 2500-2700
• Protein: 35-40 g
• Fat: 80-90 g
• Carbohydrates: 410-440 g

Ingredients

For the batter:

• 1 cup Amish friendship bread starter (at room temperature)
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil (or canola oil)
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1 small box pumpkin spice instant pudding mix
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 2 cups all-purpose flour (I use King Arthur all-purpose flour)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 eggs (room temperature for better mixing)
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon (freshly ground preferred)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 cup pureed canned pumpkin (I use Libby’s pumpkin puree)

For the cinnamon-sugar topping:

• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (for sprinkling on top)
• 1/2 cup sugar

Step 1: Prepare the Pans and Cinnamon Sugar Topping

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Preheat your oven to 325°F.

While it heats, mix together the 1/2 cup sugar and 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon in a small bowl until evenly combined.

Grease two loaf pans thoroughly with butter or cooking spray, then dust the bottom and sides of each pan with half of the cinnamon sugar mixture (about 1 tablespoon per pan).

This creates a delicious caramelized crust on the outside of your bread.

Set the pans aside with the remaining cinnamon sugar nearby for topping.

Step 2: Combine Wet Ingredients and Starter

• 3 eggs
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 cup Amish friendship bread starter
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the room-temperature eggs, vegetable oil, milk, and Amish friendship bread starter until well combined.

Add the brown sugar and vanilla extract, whisking until the mixture is smooth and the sugar is beginning to dissolve.

This wet base is where your bread’s moisture and richness come from, so make sure everything is fully incorporated before moving to the next step.

Step 3: Mix Dry Ingredients and Fold Into Batter

• wet ingredient mixture from Step 2
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1 small box pumpkin spice instant pudding mix
• 1 cup pureed canned pumpkin

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, and 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice.

I like to whisk these dry ingredients thoroughly to distribute the leavening agents and spices evenly—this prevents any bitter pockets of baking soda.

Add the pumpkin spice instant pudding mix to the dry ingredients and stir to combine.

Now pour the wet ingredients from Step 2 into the dry mixture along with the pureed pumpkin.

Gently fold everything together with a spatula until just combined—don’t overmix, as this keeps the bread tender.

The batter will be thick and rustic-looking, which is exactly what you want.

Step 4: Fill Pans and Add Final Topping

• batter from Step 3
• remaining cinnamon sugar mixture from Step 1

Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared loaf pans from Step 1, filling each about three-quarters full.

Smooth the tops with a spatula so they bake evenly.

Sprinkle the remaining cinnamon sugar mixture generously over the top of each loaf.

This finishing touch adds a delightful sweet crunch and pumpkin spice flavor that contrasts beautifully with the moist cake inside.

Step 5: Bake and Cool

Place both loaves in the preheated 325°F oven and bake for 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.

The low, gentle temperature ensures the bread bakes through evenly without the top browning too quickly.

Remove from the oven and let the loaves cool in their pans for 10 minutes—this resting time allows the structure to set so the bread won’t fall apart when you turn it out.

After 10 minutes, you can turn them out onto a wire rack to cool completely, or leave them in the pans if you prefer.