Beer Bread

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This fluffy Homemade Beer Bread is incredibly easy to make with only 6 ingredients and no yeast involved in the recipe! This classic quick bread is perfect for summer potlucks and BBQs.

Soft & Buttery Beer Bread Recipe

There’s a reason why so many restaurants give out free bread. It’s the ultimate appetizer or side dish! It pairs well with just about any meal and is usually hard to resist.

This recipe is so easy and affordable, you’ll want to make it weekly! The fluffy, buttery goodness will have you addicted – before you know it, you’ll have eaten half the loaf! I speak from experience…

The beer flavor isn’t crazy intense, but it’s very clearly there. As long as you use a beer that you enjoy drinking, you’ll be more in love with every bite you take. Especially if you enjoy the bread warm with a bit of butter!

What You’ll Need

This versatile bread comes together with a handful of kitchen staples. For the specific amount of each item you’ll need, refer to the recipe card toward the bottom of this post.

• All-Purpose Flour: Be sure to fluff your flour and use the spoon and level method of filling your measuring cup (or a food scale if you have one!) to ensure accuracy.
• Sugar
• Baking Powder: This works with the beer to help your bread rise and get fluffy.
• Salt: Absolutely needed for best flavor.
• Beer: Be sure to use beer from a fresh can or bottle – the carbonation is key.
• Unsalted Butter: Melted.

What is the Best Beer for Beer Bread?

The answer to this question depends on your personal tastes. When in doubt, go with your favorite kind of beer and you’ll be golden. If you’re not the biggest fan of beer in the first place, don’t let that stop you from trying this bread! A light beer such as Coors Light or Miller Light will produce a milder flavor. You might discover that you enjoy the taste of beer a little more than you thought – I’ve seen it happen firsthand!

How to Make Homemade Beer Bread

The dough for this bread comes together in just 10 minutes. You don’t even have to wait for it to rise!

1. Heat Oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Combine Dry Ingredients: Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.
3. Gently Fold in Beer: Add the beer and gently fold it into the dry ingredients until it’s just combined. It’s okay if there’s a touch of flour that still isn’t totally incorporated – you don’t want to over-mix the dough.
4. Grease Pan: Pour half of the melted butter into the bottom of a 9×5-inch loaf pan and spread it around the bottom and onto the sides of the pan to grease it.
5. Add Dough & Remaining Butter: Spoon the dough evenly into the prepared pan and pour the rest of the butter evenly on top of the dough.
6. Bake: Place the loaf pan onto a cookie sheet to catch any butter that spills over as the bread bakes. Bake your beer bread for 50-60 minutes, or until it’s golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
7. Let Cool: Allow the bread to cool in the loaf pan for 15 minutes, then transfer it to a cooling rack to finish cooling. You can serve it warm or wait until it reaches room temperature.

Tips for Success

Make this easy recipe even simpler by familiarizing yourself with my beer bread tips and tricks. Let’s make a flawless loaf!

• Measure the Flour Accurately: If you have access to a food scale, I highly recommend using it to weigh your flour. If you don’t have access to one, simply fluff the flour and spoon the flour into your measuring cup bit by bit, and using a butter knife to level it off at the top.
• Do Not Over-Mix the Dough! Make sure you fold in the beer extremely gently so as not to over-mix the dough. If you do over-mix it, your beer bread will turn out tough.
• Make Use of That Cookie Sheet: If you put your loaf pan into the oven without a cookie sheet underneath it, you’ll likely end up with a buttery mess to clean up. Save yourself the trouble and don’t skip that step.

Add-In Ideas

Looking to get creative with your beer bread? Be my guest! Here are some yummy things you can (gently!) fold into the dough.

• Fresh Herbs
• Shredded Cheddar Cheese
• Sliced Jalapeños
• Minced Garlic
• Shredded Pepper Jack Cheese
• Crumbled Bacon
• Pesto Sauce
• Sun-Dried Tomatoes
• Grated Parmesan Cheese

Serving Suggestions

Beer bread is a crave-worthy snack on its own or with some butter on top, and it also tastes great with pretty much any main course! I absolutely love serving it alongside a steaming bowl of Chili or stew. If you’re looking for an entree that everyone will go crazy for, pair it with this Sausage Tortellini Alfredo. I can see the line forming in your kitchen already!

Storage Instructions

It’s best to store this bread in an airtight container. Let it cool completely before you store it, keep it at room temperature and enjoy it within 3 days. You can transfer it to the fridge for an extra day or two if needed, but I doubt you’ll have any left by then! If you’d like to warm up your bread before enjoying it, pop individual slices into the microwave for 15-20 seconds.

Can I Freeze This?

Sure thing! Place the cooled bread into a freezer-safe container and freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw it out in the fridge overnight or on the counter for a few hours before digging in.

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More Simple Side Dishes to Try

Want some other no-fail side dish recipes? Let me guide you in a delicious direction.

• Creamy Cornbread Casserole
• Crockpot Grape Jelly Meatballs
• Crunchy Cucumber Salad
• Stick of Butter Rice