No Bakery Trip, No Fancy Gadgets: 15 Amish Recipes Families Are Sharing by the Thousands This Fall

Amish recipes are having a big moment this fall, and it is easy to see why. One video of a simple Amish white bread drew more than 500,000 reactions on Facebook Reels, and home cooks keep passing these thrifty dishes along to friends and family. These meals come from kitchens that lean on pantry basics, cast iron and patience instead of pricey gadgets or bakery runs. Flour, eggs, milk, butter, potatoes and a little molasses go a very long way here. Below you will find 15 Amish recipes worth bookmarking, from soft sandwich bread and fresh farmer’s cheese to poor man’s steak, shoofly pie, whoopie pies, baked oatmeal and a sticky glazed ham loaf for Sunday supper. Every one of them is hearty, budget friendly and made to feed a full table..

Amish White Bread, the Loaf Behind Many Amish Recipes

If there is one loaf that keeps an Amish kitchen running, it is this soft, slightly sweet white bread. It bakes up tall and tender, slices cleanly for school sandwiches and toasts beautifully the next morning. The dough uses nothing fancier than flour, yeast, sugar, oil and warm water, and it is kneaded by hand instead of in a stand mixer. You can browse more ideas in this collection of Amish recipes, but this bread is the place to start, and it makes two loaves at once..

You will need: 2 cups warm water, 2/3 cup sugar, 1 1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 1/4 cup vegetable oil, 5 to 6 cups bread flour, soft butter for brushing.

How to make it: 1. Stir the sugar into the warm water, sprinkle in the yeast and let it foam for 10 minutes. 2. Mix in the salt, oil and flour one cup at a time until a soft dough forms. 3. Knead for 8 to 10 minutes, then let it rise in a greased bowl for about 1 hour. 4. Punch down, shape into two loaves and set them in greased loaf pans. 5. Let rise 30 minutes, bake at 350°F for 30 to 35 minutes and brush the tops with butter.

Quick Homemade Farmer’s Cheese

Families who keep a dairy cow rarely let milk go to waste, and farmer’s cheese is one of the fastest ways to use it up. Warm milk is soured with a splash of vinegar or lemon juice, the curds are drained in cheesecloth, and in under an hour you have a fresh, mild cheese. It crumbles over salads, spreads on warm bread with a pinch of salt and pepper, and stands in for ricotta in casseroles. Few kitchen projects give this much reward for so little effort.

You will need: 1 gallon whole milk (not ultra-pasteurized), 1/3 cup white vinegar or lemon juice, 1 teaspoon salt, cheesecloth, a large heavy pot and a strainer.

How to make it: 1. Heat the milk slowly to about 185°F, stirring so it does not scorch. 2. Turn off the heat and stir in the vinegar; the curds will separate from the yellowish whey. 3. Let it stand 10 minutes, then pour into a cheesecloth lined strainer. 4. Rinse the curds with cool water, stir in the salt and twist the cloth to squeeze out extra whey. 5. Press into a round, chill for 1 hour and use within 5 days.

Poor Man’s Steak, One of the Thriftiest Amish Recipes

Poor man’s steak turns ground beef into a meal that feels like Sunday dinner. The beef is stretched with crushed crackers and milk, pressed into a pan, chilled, sliced into patties, browned and then baked in creamy mushroom gravy until fork tender. It is the same make-do spirit behind the kitchen scraps grandma turned into dinner. Many Amish recipes like this one were built for big families and small budgets, and the leftovers taste even better the next day.

You will need: 2 pounds ground beef, 1 cup milk, 1 cup crushed saltine crackers, 1 small onion finely chopped, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, flour for dusting, 2 tablespoons oil, 2 cans cream of mushroom soup, 1 cup water, 8 ounces sliced mushrooms.

How to make it: 1. Mix the beef, milk, crackers, onion, salt and pepper. 2. Press into a loaf pan and chill overnight. 3. Slice into thick patties, dust with flour and brown in oil on both sides. 4. Layer in a baking dish, whisk the soup with the water, add the mushrooms and pour it over the patties. 5. Bake covered at 325°F for 1 hour, until the gravy bubbles.

Amish Chicken and Noodles Over Mashed Potatoes

Yes, it is noodles on top of potatoes, and nobody in Amish country blinks. This double comfort dish shows up at weddings, work frolics and family suppers because it feeds a crowd from one pot. Thick homemade egg noodles simmer in rich chicken broth until the liquid turns silky, then the whole mixture is ladled over a mound of buttery mashed potatoes. It is the kind of meal that warms a house on a cold evening, and it costs very little to make.

You will need: 1 whole chicken or 3 pounds bone-in pieces, 12 cups water, 1 onion, 2 celery stalks, 2 teaspoons salt, 1 pound wide egg noodles (homemade or frozen), 1/4 cup butter, black pepper, 6 cups mashed potatoes.

How to make it: 1. Simmer the chicken with the onion, celery and salt for about 1 1/2 hours. 2. Lift out the chicken, shred the meat and discard the bones and skin. 3. Strain the broth back into the pot and bring it to a boil with the butter. 4. Add the noodles and cook until tender and the broth thickens, about 20 minutes. 5. Stir in the chicken, season with pepper and spoon over hot mashed potatoes.

Amish Breakfast Casserole

This hearty bake is the reason Amish breakfasts are famous for keeping people full until noon. Sausage or bacon, shredded hash browns, eggs and two kinds of cheese go into one dish, and the whole thing can be stirred together the night before. Slide it into the oven while the coffee brews and breakfast for a crowd is handled. Of all the Amish recipes here, this is the one to make when guests are staying over or the holidays fill the house.

You will need: 1 pound breakfast sausage or bacon, 1 small onion chopped, 9 eggs, 4 cups frozen shredded hash browns thawed, 2 cups shredded cheddar, 1 1/2 cups small curd cottage cheese, 1 1/4 cups shredded Swiss cheese, salt and pepper.

How to make it: 1. Brown the sausage with the onion and drain the fat. 2. Beat the eggs in a large bowl and stir in the hash browns, cheeses and cooked sausage. 3. Season with salt and pepper and pour into a greased 9×13 inch dish. 4. Bake at 350°F for 45 to 50 minutes, until set in the center and golden on top. 5. Rest 10 minutes before cutting into squares.

Amish Friendship Bread

Friendship bread is as much a tradition as a recipe. A bag of sweet starter is fed and squeezed for ten days, then divided, with one part baked into cinnamon sugar loaves and the rest handed to friends along with the instructions. The result is a moist, cake-like quick bread with a crackly sugar crust. It is one of those Amish recipes that traveled from kitchen to kitchen long before anyone could share a video, and it still makes a lovely gift for neighbors.

You will need: 1 cup friendship bread starter, 3 eggs, 1 cup oil, 1/2 cup milk, 1 cup sugar, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, 2 cups flour, 1 small box instant vanilla pudding mix, extra cinnamon sugar for the pans.

How to make it: 1. Grease two loaf pans and dust them with cinnamon sugar. 2. Whisk the starter, eggs, oil, milk, sugar and vanilla. 3. Stir in the dry ingredients and pudding mix until just combined. 4. Pour into the pans and sprinkle more cinnamon sugar on top. 5. Bake at 325°F for about 1 hour, until a toothpick comes out clean.

Shoofly Pie, a Molasses Classic Among Amish Recipes

Shoofly pie is the Pennsylvania Dutch dessert people either fall for at first bite or politely pass on. A gooey molasses layer, often called the wet bottom, sits under a buttery brown sugar crumb. It began as a pantry pie for lean months, made from flour, molasses and shortening when fresh fruit was scarce. Serve a slice with a cup of strong coffee for breakfast, the way many Amish families still do, or warm it slightly and add a spoonful of whipped cream.

You will need: 1 unbaked 9 inch pie crust. Crumb: 1 cup flour, 2/3 cup brown sugar, 1 tablespoon butter or shortening. Filling: 1 cup dark molasses, 1 egg, 3/4 cup boiling water, 1 teaspoon baking soda.

How to make it: 1. Rub the flour, brown sugar and butter together into fine crumbs. 2. Dissolve the baking soda in the boiling water, then whisk it with the molasses and egg. 3. Pour the filling into the crust. 4. Scatter the crumbs evenly over the top. 5. Bake at 400°F for 10 minutes, then at 350°F for 30 to 35 minutes, until set at the edges. Cool completely before slicing.

Soft Amish Sugar Cookies

These are not crisp cutout cookies. Amish sugar cookies are thick, pale and pillowy, with a texture somewhere between a cookie and a little cake. The secret is a mix of butter and oil plus powdered sugar in the dough, which keeps them tender for days in the cookie jar. A roll in coarse sugar before baking gives just enough sparkle. They are a favorite for bake sales and lunch pails because one batch makes several dozen from the most basic ingredients.

You will need: 1 cup butter softened, 1 cup vegetable oil, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup powdered sugar, 2 eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 4 1/2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon cream of tartar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, coarse sugar for rolling.

How to make it: 1. Beat the butter, oil and both sugars until fluffy. 2. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. 3. Mix in the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt. 4. Roll tablespoons of dough into balls, roll them in coarse sugar and set them on lined sheets. 5. Bake at 375°F for 8 to 10 minutes, just until set but still pale.

Whoopie Pies

Whoopie pies are two soft, cake-like cookies sandwiched around a fluffy cream filling, and Pennsylvania Amish bakeries have sold them for generations. The classic version is chocolate, but oatmeal whoopie pies with a spiced cookie shell are just as loved at farm stands. A popular story says the name came from children cheering when they found one in their lunch pail. Wrap each one in plastic and they stay soft for days, which makes them one of the sweetest Amish recipes for picnics and potlucks.

You will need: Cookies: 1/2 cup butter, 1 cup brown sugar, 1 egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 2 cups flour, 1/2 cup cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 cup buttermilk. Filling: 1/2 cup butter, 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, 1 cup marshmallow creme, 1 teaspoon vanilla.

How to make it: 1. Cream the butter and brown sugar, then beat in the egg and vanilla. 2. Mix the dry ingredients and add them alternately with the buttermilk. 3. Drop rounded tablespoons onto lined sheets and bake at 350°F for 10 to 12 minutes. 4. Beat the filling ingredients until fluffy. 5. Sandwich a spoonful of filling between two cooled cookies.

Amish Macaroni Salad for Potlucks

Amish macaroni salad stands apart from the deli version thanks to a sweet and tangy dressing made with a little yellow mustard and vinegar, plus chopped hard boiled eggs folded right in. It is a fixture at summer picnics and church potlucks, but it earns a spot on fall tables too, right next to ham loaf or fried chicken. Make it a day ahead so the pasta soaks up the dressing. Crunchy celery and red pepper keep every bite fresh.

You will need: 1 pound elbow macaroni, 4 hard boiled eggs chopped, 1 small onion minced, 3 celery stalks diced, 1 small red bell pepper diced, 2 cups mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons yellow mustard, 3/4 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons white vinegar, 1 teaspoon salt, paprika.

How to make it: 1. Cook the macaroni until tender, rinse with cold water and drain well. 2. Whisk the mayonnaise, mustard, sugar, vinegar and salt until smooth. 3. Toss the pasta with the eggs, onion, celery and pepper. 4. Fold in the dressing until evenly coated. 5. Chill at least 4 hours or overnight and dust with paprika before serving.

Baked Oatmeal From Classic Amish Recipes

Baked oatmeal is what happens when a bowl of porridge turns into something closer to a soft breakfast cake. Old-fashioned oats are stirred with milk, eggs, brown sugar and butter, then baked until golden on top and creamy inside. It is one of those Amish recipes that bends to the season: add chopped apples, raisins, blueberries or nuts depending on what is in the pantry. Cut it into squares, pour a little warm milk over each serving, and reheat the leftovers all week.

You will need: 3 cups old-fashioned oats, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 cup milk, 2 eggs, 1/2 cup melted butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 cup chopped apples or raisins (optional).

How to make it: 1. Mix the oats, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. 2. Whisk the milk, eggs, butter and vanilla, then stir them into the oat mixture. 3. Fold in the fruit if using. 4. Spread in a greased 8 inch square pan. 5. Bake at 350°F for 30 to 35 minutes, until set and golden. Serve warm with milk.

Chicken Corn Soup With Rivels

Rivels are tiny, rag-shaped dumplings made by rubbing flour and egg together with your fingertips, and they turn a simple chicken and corn soup into something special. This golden soup is a fall favorite at Pennsylvania Dutch suppers and fundraiser dinners, where it is ladled out by the gallon. Sweet corn and chopped hard boiled egg add richness without any cream. It is filling, inexpensive and a smart way to use up a stewing hen and the last bags of frozen summer corn.

You will need: 8 cups chicken broth, 3 cups cooked shredded chicken, 3 cups corn kernels, 2 celery stalks chopped, 1 small onion chopped, a pinch of saffron or turmeric, salt and pepper, 2 hard boiled eggs chopped, parsley. Rivels: 1 cup flour, 1 egg, a pinch of salt.

How to make it: 1. Simmer the broth with the celery, onion and saffron for 15 minutes. 2. Add the chicken and corn and return to a simmer. 3. Rub the flour, egg and salt together until crumbly, pea-sized pieces form. 4. Drop the rivels into the simmering soup and cook 7 to 10 minutes. 5. Season, then top each bowl with chopped egg and parsley.

Amish Cinnamon Rolls

Amish bakeries and roadside stands are known for cinnamon rolls the size of a saucer, dripping with sweet glaze. The dough is enriched with milk, butter and eggs, and some family versions add a little mashed potato to keep the rolls extra soft. A generous layer of butter, brown sugar and cinnamon is rolled inside before the spirals bake snugly together in the pan. Glaze them while they are still warm, and they will disappear before the coffee is poured.

You will need: Dough: 1 cup warm milk, 2 1/4 teaspoons yeast, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/3 cup melted butter, 2 eggs, 1 teaspoon salt, 4 1/2 cups flour. Filling: 1/2 cup soft butter, 1 cup brown sugar, 2 tablespoons cinnamon. Glaze: 2 cups powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla.

How to make it: 1. Dissolve the yeast in the warm milk with the sugar, then mix in the butter, eggs, salt and flour. 2. Knead 5 minutes and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour. 3. Roll into a 16 by 21 inch rectangle, spread with butter and sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon. 4. Roll up, cut into 12 rolls and let rise 30 minutes in a greased pan. 5. Bake at 375°F for 20 to 25 minutes and drizzle with glaze.

Dutch Apple Dumplings From Old Amish Recipes

Whole apples wrapped in flaky pastry and baked in a buttery brown sugar syrup are an autumn ritual in Amish country. Each apple is peeled, cored, stuffed with cinnamon sugar and folded into a square of pie dough, then the syrup is poured over the top so the pastry turns golden and sticky. Serve them warm in a bowl with a splash of cold milk or cream, the farmhouse way. Firm baking apples such as Rome, Jonagold or Granny Smith hold their shape best.

You will need: 6 small baking apples peeled and cored, pastry for a double crust pie, 1/2 cup sugar mixed with 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 2 tablespoons butter. Syrup: 1 1/2 cups brown sugar, 1 1/2 cups water, 1/4 cup butter, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon.

How to make it: 1. Simmer the syrup ingredients for 5 minutes. 2. Roll out the pastry and cut it into six 7 inch squares. 3. Set an apple on each square and fill the center with cinnamon sugar and a dot of butter. 4. Bring the corners up, pinch to seal and place in a baking dish. 5. Pour the syrup over and bake at 375°F for 40 to 45 minutes, basting once or twice.

Ham Loaf With Brown Sugar Glaze

Ham loaf is a Sunday centerpiece in many Amish and Mennonite homes, especially after a holiday ham leaves extra meat behind. Ground ham is mixed with ground pork, cracker crumbs, milk and eggs, then baked under a shiny brown sugar, mustard and vinegar glaze. It slices beautifully, tastes like a cross between meatloaf and baked ham, and makes the best cold sandwiches the next day on homemade white bread. It is a fitting way to close out these Amish recipes.

You will need: 1 pound ground ham, 1 pound ground pork, 1 cup crushed crackers, 1 cup milk, 2 eggs, 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Glaze: 1 cup brown sugar, 1/3 cup vinegar, 1/3 cup water, 1 tablespoon yellow mustard.

How to make it: 1. Mix the ham, pork, crackers, milk, eggs and pepper just until combined. 2. Shape into a loaf in a greased baking dish. 3. Simmer the glaze ingredients for 3 minutes. 4. Pour half the glaze over the loaf and bake at 350°F for 1 1/2 hours. 5. Baste with the rest of the glaze during the last 30 minutes and rest 10 minutes before slicing.