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Amish Sourdough Starter

Amish sourdough starter, also known as Amish Friendship Bread starter, is a sweet, fermented mixture of flour, sugar, and milk used as the base for a variety of baked goods. Unlike traditional sourdough, it has a mild flavor and is especially well-suited for both sweet and savory recipes. This easy-to-maintain starter is often shared among friends and family—hence the name—and can be used in everything from classic friendship bread to artisan loaves and pancakes.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Initial Sourdough Cycle 10 days

Equipment

  • 1 Large glass jar I suggest using at least a 32-ounce jar.
  • 1 long wooden or plastic spoon
  • 1 Scale or Measuring cups
  • 1 Jar cover

Ingredients
  

Initial Starter

  • 7 grams (1 packet) instant yeast
  • 59 grams (¼ cup) warm water, approximately 110℉
  • 120 grams (1 cup) all-purpose or bread flour
  • 200 grams (1 cup) granulated sugar
  • 227 grams (1 cup) whole milk

Day 6 Feed

  • 120 grams (1 cup) all-purpose or bread flour
  • 200 grams (1 cup) granulated sugar
  • 227 grams (1 cup) whole milk

Day 10 & Maintenance Feed

  • 180 grams (1½ cups) all-purpose or bread flour
  • 300 grams (1½ cups) granulated sugar
  • 340.5 grams (1½ cups) whole milk

Instructions
 

Initial 10-day Cycle

  • Day 1: Mix yeast and warm water in large glass jar. Allow the yeast to bloom for 10 minutes.
    Mix remaining Initial Starter ingredients in glass jar with bloomed yeast. Stir well and cover loosely with plastic wrap or a cloth cover. Leave starter at room temperature.
  • Days 2 – Day 5: Mix starter each day.
  • Day 6: Feed starter with Day 6 Starter Feed ingredients.
  • Days 7-9: Mix starter each day.
  • Day 10: Feed starter with Day 10 & Maintenance Starter Feed ingredients.Bake with active starter on day 10, or use starter for discard recipes between day 10 and the next feed.

Starter Maintenace & Use

  • Choose a day (e.g., Monday) to feed the starter each week. Feed the starter with the Day 10 & Maintenance Starter Feed ingredients. The starter should be reduced by at least half, leaving 1 to 11/2 cups, before feeding.
    * See notes regarding reduced and excess starter.
  • For recipes that call for active starter, use the starter when it has approximately doubled and is bubbly with an almost frothy appearance. The active state usually occurs between 3 and 12 hours but may last up to 24 hours after feed. Activity of starter is dependent on its environment, so growth and appearance are key to determine active state.
  • For recipes that call for discard, use the starter after its active time period (usually after 24 hours) and up to the next feed.

Notes

  • Typically, all-purpose flour is used for Amish starter. However, I have found that bread flour can be substituted with success.
  • If you are not going to be able to feed the starter on a weekly cycle, refrigerate the starter between feeds. It’s best to not go over a month without feeding the starter.
  • If you bake a lot during the week and only have about 1 cup left, you need to do a second feed. At this point, you can either change your feed day, use your starter until you reduce it by at least half, or discard at least half of the starter before the next feed.
  • If you are not going to bake with your starter weekly, you will need to remove at least half of the starter before feeding. This excess can be stored in the refrigerator and used in discard recipes.
  • If your starter gets a really sour smell, you need to feed it, even if it’s off schedule. You will need to either reduce your starter so you have between 1 and 11/2 cups before feeding or double the amount you feed the starter. An extra feeding will not hurt your starter.
  • Active starter can be frozen in batches of 280 grams (1 cup) for later use. When ready to use it, thaw, feed, and bake.