Perfect for dunking with soups and chilis, toasting and smearing with butter, or using up that last can of beer in your refrigerator, a warm slice of this easy Beer Bread Recipe will be welcomed at your table. It has a buttery, pleasantly yeasty flavor.
Why You’ll Love This Quick Bread
- Simple Ingredients. Beer bread is a savory quick bread that uses the carbonation in beer for leavening. Like other quick bread recipes, you make beer bread without yeast, a shortcut that makes it especially easy to prepare.
- Top-Notch Texture. This beer bread recipe is buttery and moist. The inside crumb is sturdy but tender, similar to Irish soda bread. The outside is lightly craggy. One of my favorite parts about eating beer bread is picking off that textured top!
- Dangerously Easy. The easy beer bread batter comes together in ONE bowl and takes fewer than 10 minutes to stir together. It requires no kneading and no rising time. You won’t believe how little effort it takes to make something so incredibly delicious!
5 Star Review
“Made it! So good!”
— Sally —
Does Beer Bread Taste Like Beer?
The short answer is yes, beer bread tastes like beer.
How strong that beer flavor is will depend upon the type of beer you use.
The stronger the beer, the more intense the bread.
How to Make the Best Beer Bread Recipe
The Ingredients
- Flour. Making this beer bread with all-purpose flour and white whole wheat flour adds a nutritional boost.
- Beer. The star of the show! Beer reacts with the flour and leavening agent (baking powder) during the baking process to help the bread rise. I recommend using a beer you like drinking for the most enjoyable flavor.
- Garlic Powder. An optional but truly delicious mix-in. It gives the bread a savory touch.
- Honey. For a hint of sweetness that pairs wonderfully with the beer flavor. While it adds a touch of natural sweetness, it will not make this a sweet beer bread recipe.
- Butter. A drizzle of melted butter over the top of the bread batter results in an exceptionally scrumptious crust and gives it a beautiful color.
The Directions
- Add the Dry Ingredients to a Bowl. This is a one-bowl recipe, so use a large bowl.
- Stir in the Wet Ingredients. Now is the time to add those mix-ins!
- Bake the Bread. Top the bread with the melted butter, then bake beer bread at 350 degrees F for 38 to 42 minutes.
- Let Cool. It’s time to dig in!
Recipe Variations
The point of beer bread is having fun with it.
Try one of these additions, or make a combination. For example, I have a Rosemary Cheddar Cornbread in my cookbook that is heavenly.
- Cheese Beer Bread. Fold in 2/3 cup shredded cheese. Cheddar beer bread is classic, pepper jack will make the beer bread a little spicy, and fontina or gouda is fun for an Italian twist.
- Herb. Fold in 2 teaspoons dried herbs or 1 tablespoon fresh. Try rosemary, basil, or thyme.
- Parmesan Beer Bread. Fold in 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese (great combined with herbs and garlic).
- Garlic Beer Bread. Stir 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder in with the dry ingredients. (Spread a clove of Roasted Garlic on your slice to really take things over the top.)
- Spicy Beer Bread. Fold in 1 diced jalapeno and 2/3 cup pepper jack cheese. Drizzle with hot honey.
Storage Tips
- To Store. Store bread in a paper towel-lined airtight storage container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- To Reheat. If you enjoy serving your bread warm, you can gently reheat leftovers in the microwave.
- To Freeze. Freeze bread in an airtight freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
Storage Tip
I like to individually wrap my bread slices in plastic wrap or aluminum foil before freezing so that I can easily thaw them as needed.
Leftover Ideas
Turn beer bread into toast by topping it with a fried egg, cheese, and Oven Baked Bacon for a delicious open-faced breakfast sandwich. Instead of cornbread, pile Pumpkin Chili on top of a slice of beer bread. Or, dunk your leftovers into some Cheese Fondue.
What to Serve with Beer Bread
What you eat beer bread with is totally up to you! From breakfast to dinner, there are endless ways to enjoy it.
- Soup. From Healthy Turkey Chili to Potato Cheese Soup, this beer bread recipe is the perfect soup companion.
- Salad. Beer bread is a delicious side for a big salad like Cobb Salad, Harvest Salad, or Steak Salad.
- Meat. Pair this bread with Instant Pot Ribs, Air Fryer Steak, Crockpot BBQ Chicken, or Grilled Pork Chops.
- Comfort Food. This comforting bread is a perfect match for a big bowl of comfort food! Try Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese or Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings.
Recommended Tools to Make this Recipe
- Loaf Pan. Perfect for making this quick bread recipe!
- Instant Read Thermometer. The easiest way to check your bread for doneness.
- Mixing Bowls. Ideal for mixing the beer bread recipe ingredients.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Don’t Overmix. Overmixing the batter can cause the bread to turn out tough or crumbly. Stir gently and stop as soon as the flour disappears (and any mix-ins are incorporated).
- Customize Your Bread. This isn’t a beer bread mix, so you can have fun with it! Utilize some of the mix-in suggestions in the “Recipe Variations” section above, and make this bread your own.
- Use an Instant Read Thermometer. Thermometers aren’t just for meats! A thermometer is an excellent way to check your bread for doneness without having to guess or cut into it. When the bread reaches 200°F, it’s done.
Beer Bread
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour or additional all-purpose flour or regular whole wheat flour*
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour*
- 1 tablespoon baking powder*
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt*
- 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder optional
- 1 (12-ounce) bottle of beer any kind you like! Amber or IPA are my go-tos
- 3 tablespoons honey
- Optional mix-ins: 2/3 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese diced jalapeno, minced fresh herbs (see blog post above for more ideas)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat a 9×5-inch loaf pan with nonstick spray.
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together the whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, and garlic powder (if using).
- Slowly pour in the beer, then add the honey. With a rubber spatula, stir gently, until the foaming subsides and you no longer see dry bits of flour. The batter will be very stiff. Gently fold in any desired mix-ins. Don’t over mix; as soon as the flour disappears it is good to go.
- Spread the batter into an even layer in the prepared loaf pan, then drizzle the melted butter on top and brush to spread it evenly over the batter. Bake for 38 to 42 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean (I like to use an instant read thermometer. When the bread reaches 200°F in the center, it is done).
- Place the pan on a wire rack and let cool for 10 minutes. Gently remove from the pan. Let cool completely or with a serrated knife, slice, and enjoy immediately.
Video
Notes
- *You can swap the flours, baking powder, and salt for 3 cups of self-rising flour.
- TO STORE: Store beer bread in a paper towel-lined airtight storage container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- TO FREEZE: Freeze bread in an airtight freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Thaw and enjoy slices as desired.
Nutrition
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Sign Me UpFrequently Asked Questions
No, beer bread is fine to serve for kids and those who can’t have alcohol. The alcohol does cook off when you bake the bread, making it safe. If you’d feel better not using alcohol at all or want to omit it for religious reasons, you can certainly swap it for an alcohol-free beer.
I have not tried making this beer bread recipe with gluten free flour, but you could experiment with it. Swap the flours for a 1:1 GF baking flour. Note that you will also need to find a gluten free beer.
– Why Is My Beer Bread so Dense? Overmixing is why your bread is tough and chewy. Make sure you stop mixing the dough as soon as the flour disappears.
– Why Is My Beer Bread so Crumbly? Crumbly beer bread could be caused by overmixing the dough or mismeasuring the ingredients.
– Why Is My Beer Bread Doughy? If your beer bread is doughy, it may not be cooked through yet. Check the internal temperature to see if it needs to bake longer. If it is done, the beer you used may not have reacted properly with the baking powder, which means it didn’t rise properly.
If you’d like your beer bread to have a kick, you can use hot honey instead of regular honey.
While room-temperature beer is ideal for making beer bread, beer does not need to be warm for beer bread. You can still make the bread even if your beer is cold.
Beer and bread have been around from Egypt to Mesopotamia and beyond since the discovery of yeast 7,000 years ago, a happy accident thanks to wild yeast in the air (think sourdough).
Beer breads like this recipe are thought to have resulted when a baker used Guinness (which is acidic) in place of the buttermilk (also acidic) to activate the baking soda in Irish soda bread.
I’ve been making beer bread for a long time but this recipe is a little different than what I know, and I like the idea of the add-ins and the garlic powder. I am looking forward to making this recipe. I have a feeling your recipe will be a bit more delightful than what I’ve been making for years. Onward! Thanks for posting!
I hope you love this bread recipe, JoLayne!
Recipe looks delicious! Can’t wait to make it! I have one question: Do you have to use the all purpose flour or can you use all whole sprouted spelt flour?
Hi Randee! Since the two flours have different properties, unfortunately, I wouldn’t recommend this swap. I hope you enjoy the bread if you try it!
Made it! So good! Used this beer: Paulaner Münchner Lager Beer and cheddar cheese
I’m SO happy that you enjoyed it, Sally! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
Hi, Erin. I tried to make your beer bread but I didn’t make it because I have some problem converting the amount of flour and beer. I’m from Spain and I am used to follow recipes in grams and liters. I made the conversion with 1 cup of flour = 150 grams (so 3 cups = 450 grams) and 12 ounces of beer = 0,354 liters.
I thought that there are too much flour for the amount of liquid. Maybe I am wrong and these amounts are correct.
Could you confirm this amounts?
Thank you
Hi Ana! Unfortunately, I don’t have the exact information for this recipe in grams. Based on what I can find online, your beer amount sounds correct. However, the chart I found online shows that you should only use 384 grams of flour. I hope this is helpful!
Thank you Erin!
I made it and I think that the amounts of the ingredients were correct. As cans of beer in Spain contains 0,33 liters, I reduced also the amount of flour to 375 grams (225 grs of whole wheat and 150 grams of self raising flour).
Let me ask you to help me in other delicious recipes you have, when you refer to “cup” what volume in liquid are you talking about? I have search in the Internet and there are cups of different amount of liquid (250 ml, 236 ml,.. ).
Thanks for reporting back, Ana!
Horrible. You never state the amount of each ingredient !
Hi Jean! I’m so confused! The recipe is right above where you commented, in fact you would have to scroll right past it to leave comment. Could you please check again for me?