This Beer Bread recipe is ultra easy and packed with mouthwatering flavor. It features Guinness beer, cheddar cheese, and crispy bacon. Whip it up in one bowl with just 8 ingredients. Besides, this is one of the quick bread recipes you will ever make.
If you like this Beer Bread recipe, I have lots of other quick and easy bread recipes, like cheesy Garlic Bread and fluffy Cornbread Muffins. For low-carb options, try my Gluten-Free Cornbread, Low-Carb Bacon and Cheese Scones, or Easy Low-Carb Dinner Rolls.
I LOVE fresh-baked bread but don’t always have the time to make it. That’s what I like about this Beer Bread recipe – you just mix everything together, pour it into a loaf pan, and bake! It’s hearty, crunchy, and stuffed with bacon and cheese – what’s not to love?! This is the perfect recipe to pair with your St. Patrick’s Day spread, but of course, you can enjoy it anytime!
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour — For one loaf of beer bread, you’ll need 3 cups of all-purpose flour.
- Baking powder — The baking powder will give the bread a nice light texture.
- Salt — Just a teaspoon of salt will really enhance the flavors.
- Sugar — The sugar helps the yeast in the beer flourish. Feel free to use honey as an alternative. It’s also a hint of sweetness that complements the beer flavor beautifully.
- Cheese — Shredded cheddar cheese is mixed into the dough and sprinkled on top.
- Guinness beer — The yeast in the can of beer is what helps the dough to rise. For this recipe, I use a 12oz can of Guinness beer.
- Bacon — I use about 4 sliced of bacon, cooked and chopped. Feel free to add more to your liking!
- Butter — Melted butter on top gives the bread so much flavor and texture.
Instructions to make this homemade beer bread recipe
- Before you begin, preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Grease the bread pan with butter and set it aside.
Mix the batter:
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar.
- Then, create a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the bacon, about ¾ of the cheese, and the Guinness beer into the well.
- Stir the dough with a wooden spoon or a spatula until it’s well combined.
Fill the loaf pan:
- Pour the mixture into the greased bread pan.
Top with cheese, bake, and cool:
- Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top, and then drizzle with 1 tablespoon of melted butter.
- Place it in the preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes. Then, take it out and drizzle the remaining butter over the top.
- Bake for an additional 25-30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the loaf sounds hollow when you tap it.
- Once it’s done, transfer to a wire rack and let it cool for 5 minutes. Then, remove it from the pan and let it cool further on the wire rack.
Cool and slice:
- Feel free to brush it with more butter while it’s on the cooling rack.
- Once it’s cooled, you can cut it into slices and enjoy!
Expert Tips
- I recommend bringing the beer to room temperature before mixing it in. This will help the dough rise much better than cold beer.
- Be careful not to overmix the dough, as it can make the bread too dense. I mix it just enough to incorporate everything, then stop.
- To get an accurate flour measurement, avoid scooping the flour directly into the cup, as this can pack it down. Instead, fluff the flour and spoon it into your measuring cup, then level the top.
- I highly recommend shredding your own cheese. It gives a much better flavor and texture than store-bought cheese, which has a powder coating to prevent it from clumping.
- To Store: Fresh bread doesn’t last long in my house! If you do have leftovers, you can store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- To Freeze: You can also freeze beer bread for up to 3 months. I recommend wrapping it tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, and then placing it inside a freezer-safe bag. You can slice the loaf before freezing it or leave it whole.
- To Reheat: Let the bread thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Reheat beer bread in the toaster oven. Bread doesn’t take long to heat through, so be sure to keep a close eye on it.
- Soups, stews, and chilis: Hearty beer bread is perfect for dipping, so of course I like to pair it with a cozy soup of some kind. Some of my favorites are this Dutch oven beef stew, Guinness Beef Stew, sweet potato chili, cabbage and sausage stew, and classic chicken noodle soup.
- Your favorite mains: This recipe truly goes with anything. It’s delicious with baked chicken breasts, roasted pork tenderloin, pan-seared steak, or even air fryer lamb chops. The pairing options are endless!
- A cheese or charcuterie board: What pairs better with cheese, than cheesy bread?! For inspiration and expert tips, check out my How to Make a Cheese Platter tutorial.
- Fresh herbs: For even more flavor, I recommend adding your favorite fresh or dried herbs, like rosemary or thyme. Or, you can make your own herb and garlic butter to spread on top.
- Roasted garlic: I would add garlic to everything if I could! This recipe is also amazing with rich, roasted garlic mixed in.
- Savory and spicy: If you like a little heat, I highly recommend mixing in some fresh jalapeno slices. The flavor goes so well with the bacon and cheese.
- Use whole wheat flour: You can make this bread with whole wheat flour, but it will be a bit denser.
While any kind of beer will work, I recommend using a rich dark beer like Guinness for the best depth of flavor. Just don’t skip the beer because it’s the star of this soda bread recipe. As the beer interacts with the flour and leavening (baking powder) in the baking process, it plays a crucial role in helping the bread rise.
Keep in mind that this is a dense bread, so it may crumble a bit when you cut it. But, if it’s too crumbly, that’s likely because the dough was too dry.
Nope! The alcohol content will cook off while the bread is in the oven.
It’s a blend of flour, baking powder, and salt. The baking powder and salt team up to serve as a leavening agent, much like they do in this soda bread recipe.
This recipe creates a robust bread with a crispy, buttery, and cheesy crust. If you like a softer crust similar to traditional bread, you can omit pouring butter over the top
More Cheesy Favorites
Beer Bread
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1 1/4 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 12 ounces Guinness beer
- 4 slices bacon cooked and chopped, it’s about ¼ cup
- 2 tablespoons butter melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease the bread pan with butter and set it aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Create a well in the center and add bacon, approximately 3/4 of the cheese, and beer into the well. Stir the mixture with a spoon until well combined.
- Pour the mixture into the greased bread pan, sprinkle the remaining cheese on top, and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of butter.
- Bake for 30 minutes, then take it out of the oven and drizzle the remaining butter over the top.
- Bake for an extra 25-30 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped.
- Transfer to a wire rack and let it cool for 5 minutes. Take it out of the pan and let it cool further on the wire rack. Optional: brush with more butter if desired.
Notes
- This recipe was adapted from Food.com.
- Bring the beer to room temperature before mixing it in, so the dough rises better.
- Be careful not to overmix the dough, as it can make the bread too dense.
- When measuring flour, fluff it first, then spoon it into the measuring cup, and level the top.
- Shred your own cheese for the best flavor and texture.
- To Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- To Freeze: Wrap the bread tightly with plastic wrap, then place it in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months.
- To Reheat: Reheat beer bread in the microwave, oven, or toaster oven until warmed through. Be sure to keep a close eye on it.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did You Make This?
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Cant wait to try this next weekend for a speci birthday dinner i am making for a friend. Its not much work so its perfect for me to make 2 loaves for this dinner. Making stuffed porks chops as main item
That sounds like a wonderful plan! I’m sure your friend will appreciate the effort, and this recipe will be a great addition to your special birthday dinner. Enjoy making it, and I hope it turns out fantastic alongside your stuffed pork chops. Cheers to a memorable celebration!