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This classic beer bread recipe is a savory quick bread, perfect for sandwiches or toast and easy to make. No baking skills are needed for this baked treat!
Love savory quick breads? Try my easy cornbread from scratch next!
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Lightly sweetened with a buttery crust and flavored with beer, this easy bread is a keeper! I love it served warm with a pat of butter, but it’s also great as toast with jam or as the bread for your favorite sandwich. It’ll take on the flavor of whatever beer you use in the recipe, so make sure you choose a beer you like!
Quick bread recipes like this are fun to make. They bake up golden brown, moist, and delicious. You can also switch up this recipe - be sure to see my variations below.
What's the best beer for beer bread?
My rule for using beer is: the beer I love makes the best beer bread, and I recommend the same rule for you. Stronger beer, regardless of style, will give this tasty bread a stronger flavor, so keep that in mind! You can make a great bread with bold flavors by using a dark beer like Guinness Stout; or for a lighter and brighter flavor, opt for a pilsner or similar beer.
I created this easy beer bread recipe with a delicious, light lager and I love using a local craft beer!
Ingredients you'll need
You don't need much to make this beer bread recipe, and you may already have everything in your fridge and pantry!
- All-purpose flour - Yes, plain flour is all you need, so grab your favorite brand of all-purpose flour for this recipe!
- Sugar - You can use white or brown sugar.
- Baking powder - This helps the bread rise, along with the beer.
- Sea salt - No need to get fancy here. Any brand of sea salt will do the job.
- Beer - Lager, stout, or your favorite brew.
- Butter - I use unsalted butter. If using salted butter, cut the added salt in half.
How to make beer bread
This homemade beer bread recipe couldn’t be any easier! Grab a large bowl, a whisk, a baking pan, and a stirring utensil, and you’ll be all set! I think this is the best beer bread recipe, especially for inexperienced bakers. It's so easy, even the kids can help!
- Whisk the dry ingredients together in a large bowl.
- Add the beer and half of the melted butter. Stir to incorporate the flour.
- Pour the batter into a greased loaf pan and drizzle the remaining butter over the top.
- Bake for 50-60 minutes. The surface will be golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean.
- Cool for 10 minutes, remove it from the pan, and serve warm.
How does beer make bread rise?
Actually, the baking soda in beer bread does most of the heavy lifting. But, beer is made with yeast, which reacts with the baking powder and the flour's starch, so it contributes to a nice rise. It has little to do with the beer's carbonation.
What happens to the alcohol in beer bread?
You won't detect alcohol in the beer bread because it evaporates during baking. However, you will detect nuances of beer flavor in every delicious bite.
Recipe variations
- You can use self-rising flour and omit the baking powder.
- Add chopped, crispy bacon to the batter of this no-knead beer bread.
- Add a cup of shredded cheese (sharp cheddar cheese is my favorite) to make cheese beer bread. Save some shredded cheddar cheese for the top of the batter, too.
- To make garlic beer bread, add a clove of minced garlic or a teaspoon of granulated garlic to the batter.
- Add chopped jalapenos (fresh or pickled) to the batter.
- Use dark beer or light beer for this recipe!
- Pour the batter into muffin tins for muffin-style beer bread. Reduce the baking time by half for standard-sized muffins.
Storage tips
Beer bread will stay fresh for a day or two on the counter in an airtight container. After that, wrap and refrigerate for another 2-4 days. Reheat before serving. I like to freeze slices in a freezer-safe bag and thaw a slice or two whenever I crave it. It'll keep in the freezer for up to three months.
Serving ideas
Quick bread recipes like this one pair so well with so many dishes! I love this bread as a dipping tool for spinach artichoke dip or hummus. It's a convenient alternative to French bread, but you can still make croutons with it. Want a game day treat? Dip chunks of it into this cheesy jalapeno dip.
Or, serve sliced beer bread with corned beef, sausage orzo soup, stew, pot roast, or bowl of ground turkey chili. It just doesn’t get much tastier than this! I hope you enjoy it!!
📖 Recipe
Easy Beer Bread Recipe
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Note about scaling
When scaling, the light gray ingredient notes after the comma don’t change. Adjust as needed.
Ingredients
- 3 cups All Purpose Flour
- 3 tablespoons Sugar
- 1 tablespoon Baking Powder
- 1 teaspoon Sea Salt
- 1 (12-ounce) Beer, any style
- 4 tablespoons Unsalted Butter, melted and divided
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F and coat baking loaf pan with cooking spray.
- Whisk together FLOUR, SUGAR, BAKING POWDER, and SALT.
- Add the BEER and half of the BUTTER.
- Stir ingredients together until the flour is incorporated and foaming subsides.
- Pour batter into loaf pan and use a utensil to spread it out evenly.
- Drizzle the remaining BUTTER over the surface.
- Bake for 50-60 minutes until the surface is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. You want the internal temperature to be around 190°F.
- Place the pan on a wire rack and cool for 10 minutes.
- Remove the bread from the pan and continue cooling on the rack. Slice and serve warm or continue cooling.
- To store, cool to room temperature and store in an airtight container for 2 days or refrigerate for up to 5 days.
Recipe Notes
- You can use self-rising flour and omit the baking powder.
- Add chopped, crispy bacon to this no-knead beer bread.
- Add a cup of shredded cheese (sharp cheddar cheese is my favorite) to make cheese beer bread. Save some shredded cheddar cheese for the top of the batter, too.
- To make garlic beer bread, add a clove of minced garlic or a teaspoon of granulated garlic to the batter.
- Add chopped jalapenos (fresh or pickled) to the batter.
- Use dark beer or light beer for this recipe!
- Pour the batter into muffin tins for muffin-style beer bread (reduce the baking time by half for full-sized muffins).
Equipment
- 7.75 x 3.75 loaf pan aka Fat Daddio's BP-5642
Nutrition
Nutrition facts are estimates and may vary based on brands, ingredients, and portions.
Brenda says
Easy to make and tasted great! I will try adding maybe some cheese or other ingredients just for fun.
Traci says
Ahh thanks for sharing and so glad you enjoyed it! Beer bread is a great base for add-ins, and cheese is always a good idea. Have fun experimenting and enjoy!
CrafterJAB says
Used white soda instead of beer and tasted great! Loved that buttery top and the texture was great for buttered bread with dinner, fresh out of the oven. Had heard could substitute soda for the beer in breads/baking and might not even need baking powder.
Traci says
I'm glad you enjoyed it with the substitute, however that substitution in beer bread won't eliminate the need for baking powder unless you use self-rising flour. Hope that clarifies the information you heard. Thanks and enjoy!!
JB says
Ok this beer bread is happening! You’re right about how easy it is for a non-baker like me. I love the buttery top and that I can bake a day ahead too. Thanks Kitchen Girl!
Traci says
Woohoo!! I'm so glad you're enjoying this recipe. It really is great for inexperienced bakers. Thanks for the feedback!