Baking homemade bread may be the epitome of cozy domesticity, but it can also be intimidating when you’re dealing with yeast, multiple rises, and long resting times. Quick bread, as the name suggests, is much easier, but no less deliciously comforting—and beer bread is especially hearty and easy to make.
A basic beer bread only requires four ingredients and one bowl, and it comes together in a flash, although it does take about an hour to bake, then some more time to cool. As a blank canvas, it’s lovely in its own right: tender inside, crunchy outside, with a yeasty complexity thanks to the beer.
But you can add in whatever other flavor enhancers you fancy, and you can use different kinds of beer to change the base notes too. Light pilsners are ideal for a mild loaf that works with most anything, but you can try swapping in an IPA or brown ale, stout or porter to take it in a darker direction, or even pumpkin beer in season.
Here’s what you need to make a basic loaf:
- 3 cups self-rising flour*
- 12 ounces (1 bottle or can) beer, preferably at room temperature
- 4 tablespoons melted (unsalted) butter, cooled slightly
- 1 to 3 tablespoons granulated sugar (you can increase this to 1/4 or even 1/2 cup if you like things sweeter)
*If you don’t have self-rising flour, you can use 3 cups of all-purpose flour and add 1 tablespoon of baking powder and 1 teaspoon salt; whisk these together in the bowl before adding the other ingredients. If you do have self-rising flour, make sure it’s not expired, or your bread might be too dense.
Here’s what to do:
1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (if yours runs hot, you can drop it down to 350). Grease a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with butter, shortening, or cooking spray.
2. In a medium bowl, mix the flour, sugar, beer, and 3 tablespoons of the melted butter until just combined. The batter will be thick, sticky, and somewhat lumpy. (Using room temperature beer and slightly cooled melted butter lessens the chances of butter bits forming, but don’t worry too much about it, and don’t overmix.) Pour the batter into the prepared pan, gently smoothing it out with a spatula if need be, and pour or brush the remaining tablespoon of melted butter over the top.
3. Bake on a rack in the middle of the oven for anywhere from 40 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the top is golden brown. (If the top browns too fast, tent a piece of foil over the pan while it continues baking.)
4. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edges of the pan to loosen the loaf, turn it out and cool on the rack for another 30 minutes before slicing. If you try to slice while it’s still too hot, it’s liable to crumble apart. You can store it at room temperature, well wrapped, for a few days, or freeze it for up a few months.
Variations
Add-ins: Mix in whatever add-ins you like—grated cheese (up to 1 cup), fresh or dried herbs, diced jalapeños and corn, crumbled cooked bacon. These additions may increase the cooking time a bit.
Muffins: Pour the batter into lined muffin tins or cupcake pans if you prefer, filling each cup about 2/3 full, brush the top of each one with a little melted butter, and start checking for doneness after 20 minutes.
Gluten-free: Gluten-free beer breads are generally a bit more complicated (and often contain eggs), so your best bet is to search for specific recipes for them. Still, you can try substituting gluten-free flour (plus 2 teaspoons of xanthan gum if your flour doesn’t already include it to help with the structure), 1 tablespoon baking powder, and 1 teaspoon salt for the self-rising flour above—and a gluten-free beer, of course.
Vegan: Replace the butter with melted Earth Balance or other vegan spread, coconut oil, or another plant-based fat of your choice.
Refined Sugar-Free: Simply omit the white sugar entirely, or replace it with honey, agave, or liquid stevia.
How to Eat Beer Bread
Sliced, still warm, and spread with butter (salted beer honey butter, perhaps), maybe alongside a bowl of beer chili for good measure; cubed and toasted to use as croutons on salads and soups (the creamier the better, like pumpkin beer cheese soup); or cooled, thickly sliced, and used for sandwiches, especially if they’re toasted too (hello, beer bread grilled cheese sandwiches!).
Check out a few twists on the basic recipe below, including some sweet spins, and follow one as-is, or use it as inspiration for your own creation.
Loaded Jalapeño Popper Beer Bread
Wine and Glue
Cream cheese, pickled jalapeños, and plenty of bacon make this beer bread extra-rich. A pilsner will work well in the batter, but you could try a not-too-bitter pale ale or IPA as well. Get the recipe.
Platings and Pairings
A darker stout makes for a nuttier, fuller-flavored loaf, and the addition of oats is another good one. Serve this with beef stew or any hearty soup. Get the recipe.
Rosemary Cheddar Pumpkin Beer Bread
Spices in My DNA
Pumpkin bread is often sweet (and sweet pumpkin beer bread is a fantastic autumnal treat), but this one skews savory thanks to cheddar cheese, rosemary, and pumpkin seeds. The sugar is swapped out for maple syrup for just a touch of sweetness and even more fall flavor, and the pumpkin puree adds color and moisture in addition to an earthy-sweet taste. Get the recipe.
The Beeroness
If you’re a fan of beer desserts, this sticky caramel-apple beer bread is just the thing for cooler evenings (and even chilly weekend mornings). The walnuts, cinnamon, and fresh apples in the batter would be great with a hard apple cider in place of the wheat beer too. Get the recipe.
Maui Chocolate Coconut Porter Beer Bread
Baking Brew
Any chocolatey stout or porter would work well in this sweet beer bread, but if you can find Maui Brewing Company’s CoCoNut Porter (or any other coconut-enhanced beer), it’s especially great with the cocoa powder, dark chocolate chips, Kona coffee, and coconut flakes in the decadent batter. Get the recipe.
Related Video: All Beer is Ale or Lager
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