By Erin Jeanne McDowell
- Total Time
- 1½ hours
- Rating
- 4(366)
- Notes
- Read community notes
This easy bread recipe uses beer and baking powder to leaven instead of yeast, producing a loaf with a lightly crisp crust and a beautifully soft interior. A strongly flavored cheese, like sharp Cheddar or Gruyère, complements the flavors of the beer. The brown sugar isn’t absolutely necessary, but it extends the bread’s shelf life, keeping the interior soft even after it’s been sliced. This bread is especially lovely served warm, but is also delicious at room temperature.
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Ingredients
Yield:One 9-by-5-inch loaf
- Nonstick spray
- 3cups/385 grams all-purpose flour
- 3tablespoons light or dark brown sugar
- 1tablespoon baking powder
- 1teaspoon kosher salt
- ½teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 5tablespoons/70 grams cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes, plus ¼ cup/55 grams melted unsalted butter, for finishing
- 1(12-ounce/355-milliliter) bottle beer (1½ cups), preferably a lager or ale
- 1¼cups/140 grams shredded firm or semi-firm cheese, such as sharp Cheddar, Gruyère or fontina
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Preparation
Step
1
Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with nonstick spray.
Step
2
In a large bowl, whisk the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, salt and pepper to combine. Add the cubed butter and use your hands or a pastry cutter to work the butter into the flour until you have fine crumbs.
Step
3
Add the beer and mix until thoroughly combined. Fold in the shredded cheese. Transfer the batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread into an even layer.
Step
4
Brush about ⅓ of the melted butter over the surface of the loaf and transfer to the oven. Bake for 20 minutes, brush with more butter, then return to the oven for another 20 minutes. Brush with the remaining butter, and return to the oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, another 20 to 30 minutes. (The internal temperature should read at least 200 degrees on a thermometer.)
Step
5
Cool the bread in the pan for 10 minutes, then run a small offset spatula around the edges and unmold. Cool at least 15 minutes before slicing and serving.
Ratings
4
out of 5
366
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Cooking Notes
buzzy bee
Baked exactly as directed, using Guinness stout. It is exceptional - super crusty outer layer with an extremely moist interior. I used a box grater large holes to grate the butter directly into the dry mixture which simplified the mixing process.
Brett
If all your offset spatulas are at the cleaners, your finest butter knife will also work in Step 5.
Sarina
I've used apple butter and it works well regarding consistency of the dough, but the flavor its decidedly different, and I suspect will not keep as long. I don't know this empirically, since the loaf I made disappeared in one sitting of my family's dinner.
AA
Rich and delicious. But bread sticks to the bottom of a Pyrex loaf pan, even one that’s well-oiled. Avoid frustration and line the loaf pan lengthwise with a 16 by 4 inch strip of parchment. It will serve as a sling to make unmolding easier. Also, set the loaf pan on a sheet pan for baking; the melted butter drips during baking, setting off the fire alarm.
Jamie Alonzo
Made with a Porter (it's what I had) and Gruyere. Really tender, with a delicious crust. Would be a nice addition to a charcuterie platter.
Brenda
Made it with half whole wheat and half all purpose flour & added 2 T of water. Also mixed fontina and gruyere. Came out delicious.
Emilie
I doubt it. My guess is that the yeast in the beer is acting as the yeast you would usually put into the bread as a rising agent.
Scheleen
I just made this using King Aurtur gluten free flour with the following changes:I added two beaten eggs when I mixed in the gf beer; I added 1/4 cup of unsweetened whey powder to the dry ingredients; and I added 1 tsp active dry yeast to the dry ingredients. I also made faint furrow like rows on the top with fork tines to contain the melted butter during cooking. It made a beautiful loaf, but of course. Could have used more salt. This will be a staple bread in my GF kitchen from now on.
Jen
Delicious. I used Michelob lager (I don't really drink, and I was able to buy just one of these at the store instead of a six-pack) and Colby cheese, which is what I had on hand. Will probably use a sharp cheddar next time for more flavor. I didn't bother to grate the butter like many here suggest, I just cut it up into small squares and used a pastry cutter and that worked just fine and was fast. I also added a bunch of scallions, thinly sliced, as I'm an onion fan.
yee
Delicious! Loved this bread. After the final butter basting, found that the bread needed 30-35 mins to be fully done.
sarah
I’ve made this a few times and we make it into rolls using a muffin/cupcake tin instead of the bread. Cooks faster and everyone loves it!
Jessica
Made 1/2/23. Followed the recipe exactly, using Tillamook extra sharp cheddar and an IPA. Turned out excellent, as anything basted in butter 3 x should!
Colleen
Should the beer be cold or room temp?
Meemo C.
Fantastic recipe. I use a scotch ale and it adds a really nice malty sweetness that goes beautifully with a sharp cheddar. So so good and SO easy.
Elizabeth W
I used a bottle of Red Stripe beer and it turned out great. Excellent recipe!
beth
Holy cow! This bread is divine. I added some dried herbs (rosemary, thyme, dill). Will make again.
dsully
Used 1/2 crumbled blue cheese and 1/2 parm, because that’s what I had, with a can of Flying Dog Pool Hopping pale ale. Also cut the melted butter to 3 tbsp to use one stick total; seemed like plenty of melted butter on top to me. Ended up baking for 50 minutes total; never got as brown as the photo but turned out great. Would definitely make again.
susan
Read reviews. Used parchment. Grated butter. Added extra cheddar. Absolutely perfect. Will definitely use this as my go to beer bread recipe!
Valentina
Mont d’or which is basically a self contained fondue type of cheese is very popular in my household. We surprisingly had some left overs, so I grated that in which was ~300 gms of cheese, put in a Golden Carolus (Belgian triple ale) & otherwise followed the recipe exactly except for using a silicone mold which helped to get the bread out perfectly. Thanks to the reviewer who suggested grating in the butter - makes everything super easy. The crumb is a bit cake like but is delicious.
AA
Rich and delicious. But bread sticks to the bottom of a Pyrex loaf pan, even one that’s well-oiled. Avoid frustration and line the loaf pan lengthwise with a 16 by 4 inch strip of parchment. It will serve as a sling to make unmolding easier. Also, set the loaf pan on a sheet pan for baking; the melted butter drips during baking, setting off the fire alarm.
hollys notes
SO good! And easy, as someone who’s never made bread before. Crunchy outside with a soft and delicious inside.
Casey M
Tasty, overly dense. Added garlic, onion powder, and rosemary
Saffy
I made this other day using a Kolsch and the Cheddar with Caramelized Onions from Trader Joe's. I used the suggestion about grating the butter into the dried ingredients. The dough was a lot stickier than I anticipated (novice bread baker here and no one had mentioned sticky dough) but it baked up a dream. Lovely crusty & crunchy exterior, really delicious sweet, beer-y (yeasty) interior. We couldn't believe how good it was & and how easy it was to make. Will make it again! Thanks EJ McDowell!
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