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This simple, but oh so buttery, Beer Bread recipe is a delicious way to make bread without yeast. It bakes up with a perfect buttery crust and soft, tender inside!
If you like this quick bread recipe, you will also want to try out my recipe for Easy Irish Soda Bread, or the other version of this Beer Bread with bacon in it — Bacon Beer Bread!
Easy Homemade Beer Bread
Quick breads are already beyond easy to make and bake up super – wait for it – quick (I’m here all week folks!). So, you might be wondering what can make them better? How about BUTTER and BEER!?! There is a full bottle of beer and a full stick of butter in this Beer Bread recipe, but who’s counting, right?
This is a recipe I’ve been making and perfecting for over 10-years now. You can trust me when I say, you’re going to love it.
One of the best things about this recipe is that it takes no more than 5 minutes of work from you. Then, you pop it in the oven and in about an hour, you are devouring your buttery Beer Bread – smeared with even more butter (if you can handle it!).
What is Beer Bread?
Beer bread is a quick bread recipe that incorporates an entire bottle of, you guessed it, BEER! The beer acts in place of yeast as the leavening agent, along with baking powder. The alcohol evaporates in the baking process, so it is safe for the kids to enjoy as well.
If you don’t like the taste of beer, don’t go running. It does not taste like you are drinking a bottle of beer. I promise. Instead the beer adds a great flavor to the finished bread!
Recipe Ingredients
The recipe ingredients here are so simple you are sure to have them in your pantry. Seriously, there are only 6 ingredients! You may just need to run out for your favorite lager.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- all-purpose flour
- sugar
- baking powder
- salt
- beer
- unsalted butter
How to Make Beer Bread
1. Prep: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan. Line the loaf pan with parchment paper for easy removal (optional).
2. Mix: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Using a wooden spoon, stir the beer into the dry ingredients until just mixed.
3. Pour: Pour half of the melted butter into the bottom of the loaf pan. Then spoon the batter into the pan, and pour the rest of the butter on top of the batter.
4. Bake: Bake your beer bread for 50 to 60 minutes, until it’s golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve your beer bread immediately with a smear of more butter.
Tips for the Best Beer Bread
You’re going to love this beer bread, but keep these tips in mind to make sure it is as good as possible:
- My favorite beer to use in this recipe is Shiner Bock. If you can’t find that, I suggest using a darker beer because it gives the bread better flavor, but a light beer will work in a pinch!
- You can replace your sugar with honey.
- Use a sharp serrated knife to slice your bread.
- For an interesting savory variation, you can mix in herbs and garlic, or green chilies and cheddar cheese.
Serving Ideas
This buttery Beer Bread is perfect sliced and served with a dab of butter, but here are some additional serving ideas:
- Topped with butter and honey
- Topped with butter and jam
- With chili or any soup – particularly a chili, veggie or bean soup
- Along with a stew or pot roast
How to Store
Store this bread at room temperature for about 2-3 days. Make sure you keep it in an airtight container to keep it moist. Resist the urge to put it in the refrigerator. That will actually make your bread go stale more quickly.
Can I Freeze this Bread?
Yes! Simply double wrap it in saran wrap and aluminum foil. You can freeze it for up to 6 months. Let it come to room temp in your fridge before slicing it. Reheat each slice in the microwave for 20 seconds.
You can freeze loaves of this buttery Beer Bread and then use them as holiday gifts!
This Beer Bread recipe has been a favorite of ours for over a decade. It’s something we make so often, I don’t even have to look back at the recipe anymore! It’s a recipe that I always have the ingredients on hand for and my family is sure to eat every single bite.
Please leave a review or comment below letting me know how it turns out for you!
Buttery Beer Bread
This Buttery Beer Bread is an fun, easy twist on a classic quick bread recipe. It's made using just a few ingredients and comes out soft and oh so buttery!
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 bottle (12 ounces) beer
- 1 stick unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan. Line with parchment paper for easy removal (optional).
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Using a wooden spoon, stir the beer into the dry ingredients until just mixed.
Pour half the melted butter into the bottom of the loaf pan. Then spoon the batter into the pan, and pour the rest of the butter on top of the batter.
Place loaf pan on cookie sheet in case there is any butter that spills over as it bakes.
Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve immediately with a smear of more butter, or reheat in the microwave for 20 seconds.
Notes
I used Yuengling (original) this time. I prefer to use Shiner Bock, but the store was out. I would suggest using a darker beer because it gives the bread better flavor, but a light beer will work in a pinch!
Repost from 2009
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
10 slicesServing Size:
1 sliceAmount Per Serving: Calories: 238Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 24mgSodium: 360mgCarbohydrates: 34gFiber: 1gSugar: 5gProtein: 4g
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Hi, has anyone tried making these in muffintop pans or traditional muffin tins to make dinner rolls? Looks delicious, but I would really like the option of being able to portion the bread out and freeze as well. Thanks in advance for any replies. 🙂
I often make them in muffin tins! Just watch them closely, because they will bake faster! Enjoy!
Just tried this recipe and it turned out great. A little sweet, but that’s probably because I used a Coors Light. We don’t drink beer yet we always somehow have a random bottle or two of it in the house so it will be interesting to see what the other more unusual beer varieties turn out like! My dough was definitely a drop biscuit texture which worked out just fine. Will probably use half the butter amount next time and sub in honey to tweak it to our personal tastes, but this recipe is a great jumping off point.
Made this tonight and WOW…delicious. It came out nicely crispy on the outside and soft and yummy on the inside. I followed the directions exactly except I reduced the amount of butter a bit. Can’t wait to make it again. I plan on making the mix and putting it in jars and giving it as gifts this Christmas along with a bottle of beer and the instructions.
[…] This recipe was adapted from Ezra Pound Cake via The Novice Chef […]
Mines came out as a dough rather then a batter. Tried twice n both times it came out as as dough. First batch made it into a drop biscuit n second batch I baked it in a loaf pan. Both ways it came out fine n tasted really ono as they say it here in Hawaii! Mahalo Nui Loa (thank you very much) for sharing…….
This is so good and simple to make. I highly recommend it to anyone who loves fresh bread. So far I have made 3 loaves and now I’m making a gluten free loaf for my daughter. Will let you know how it turns out.
Side note:I made cinnamon honey butter to put on it when I sliced some to eat. I recommend a thick slice to really enjoy
This has become a favorite amongst our friends. I am not a good baker nor a good cook for that matter but your recipe is fantastic. We love it.
Hi can this be made in a bread maker? If so would you mind giving me what needs to be changed up. Or I can just throw it all in and let it make?
Hi Suzanne, I do not have a bread maker and have not tested it. I’d love to hear your results if you try it! Good luck!
I was wondering the same thing – did you try it?
So simple and it tastes great! I’ll be making this again!
Wonderful recipe! Family loved it! Very easy and no kneading..doesn’t take much time at all. Excellent hearty bread for soups..chili..cabbage rolls…
I’m making it again but adding 1 tablespoon if baking soda along with baking powder…we will see how it comes out!?
You can modify the ingredients too – I have Celiac’s Disease and used King Arthur’s Gluten Free Flour and a Gluten Free Beer! My family and I have LOVE it!
So glad it turned out well for you Kerri!
Hi, I can’t wait to make this bread! I have one problem, I only have salted butter. Can I still make this and leave the tsp of salt out? Love your blog and recipes. Thanks
Perfect with salted butter! That’s what I used…I reduced the sugar..we didnt care for it to be sweet
1. When adding chili’s and cheddar cheese, what is the amount for one loaf of Beer Bread?
2. what is the amount of honey? Same as Sugar?
Yes, equal parts of honey per sugar – so if you substitute the 1/4 cup of sugar for honey, use 1/4 cup of honey! And I would recommend adding 1/4 cup of diced chilis and 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese.
There is nothing about this recipe I don’t love…I made it & felt like it was very gummy? I put the toothpick in & it did come out clean… it that the way it is supposed to be? My son loved it my husband & myself not so much…just wondering what I could have done wrong ? I cooked for 50 minutes instead of an hour. Could that be it?
Awesome, my family enjoyed this recipe. It had a better consistency and texture than other basic beer breads that I have made.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Does the beer need to be warm or can you use cold beer. Thanks!
Can use a cold beer!
Made this on Easter Sunday. Sooooo good! Due to knowing my 7yo would want to try & my husband not being a fan of alcohol I used Blue Moon Belgian White beer. Nice like flavor, not too “hops” tasting so it have it the texture and flavor without it tasting like beer. HUGE hit in my house today. This recipe is a keeper.
Can you use a Guinness beer in this recipe? Or will it be too strong of a flavor?
It’s worth a try! I haven’t tried it myself, but I think it will tasty.
Can I use a glass loaf pan?
Yes!
Made this bread tonight…it was absolutely FANTASTIC!!!
I’m new to your blog & am a 78 yr. old that loves Cajun food. looking for a good Crawfish or Shrimp etouffee, but sadly, up here in Pennsylvania, I can only find cooked -seasoned Crawfish & may have to try catching my own ! just wrote down your Dirty Rice recipe & can’t wait to make it. I also are a firm believer in my Dutch Oven & Slap ya Momma ! Keep those Cajun & Creole recipes coming !
I’ve made this for years, but I use self-rising flour. It eliminates the need for baking powder and salt.
I discovered this recipe and immediately made it because it sounded interesting and I wanted to try it. A few things I took note of, while it definitely does not taste like beer as you mention, however, my loaf smelled like beer, really quite strongly actually. It looks exactly like the photos you share, lovely and moist and when slathered in butter and homemade strawberry jam, it is a delicious treat. Another thing, I would recommend placing your loaf pan on top of a cookie sheet in the oven as my butter bubbled over and dripped in my oven making quite a mess. I will certainly be making this bread again, it is a huge hit for my husband and I. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Can I use salted butter? I don’t have unsalted!
Yes!
Would you need to cut the amount of salt used if using salted butter?
Yes!
My sisters gave me a different version, they are good bakers. I just happened on your version and shared it with them and they agree with me. This is so simple, so easy, and oh so delicious. Works for me.
Delish! Love the coarse crumb of the bread.
I used half the amount of butter, pouring over top only. Also added shredded jack/colby cheese. And for the piece de resistance I sprinkle coarse Kosher salt over the top. Mmm mmmm.
Thanks.
Normally I am not a fan of soda breads….this one is a 11…absolutely delicious…the crust is addicting…had with chili….Will never have crackers with soup or chili again…thank you thank you thank you
So glad to hear you enjoyed it so much!!
WOW. This bread was AMAZING. I just made it because we couldn’t find bread today at the store and let me repeat, this was WOW good. My husband and son asked if it wasn’t too much work if I’d make it again tomorrow since we have none left. Little do they know, it took me 5 minutes.
I am not sure what went wrong ,but my batter was not batter it was just a dry lump. I put the exact ingredients together. Wondering if the beer bottle was smaller ? it was 341ml which is almost 12 ounces. It is in the oven we will see what happens . if it doesn’t work I will try to measure the beer first maybe I need a cup and a bit.
How did it turn out? I had the exact same problem. I ended up with a dough, not a batter. I measured my beer and used exactly 12oz. I’m wondering if American bottles of beer are actually bigger than 12oz? (I’m in Canada ). I think I’ll try it again but try using an extra 1/2bottle…
This is really strange. I made it again trying to figure out why this happened for you. It should definitely be a batter! My beer is exactly 12 oz, I even poured it out and measured! Wish I knew what is happening!
I too ended up with dough, not batter. I followed the measurements exactly, using a bottle of Bud Light left over from guests. It was fizzing A LOT — like a dry fizz unlike your video — when poured (slowly) into the dry ingredients. Maybe the type of beer affects the consistency? It still baked up nicely though!
There are no measurements for ingredients. And if it would print better would be great. Thank you
Hi Shirley! Make sure you scroll all the way to the bottom of the post. The full recipe is there with measurements and full directions. It also has an easy print button! Thanks!
I loved this. I tried it today. My only issue was to advise to put a pan under the baking pan because the butter overflowed to the bottom of the oven. I had a house full of smoke.
This was crunchy and had a great taste.
Loved it!
Thank you.
I put the melted butter in mine. This bread was delicious!! Very crumbly. What’s your thoughts on that?
I just made your recipe. My beer is an Abita The Boot Louisiana Beer. Awe.. wonderful bread. I made two small round loafs.
So glad you enjoyed it Pamela!
I’m a homebrewer, and have never made beer bread. How lame is that? This looks perfect, and I can’t wait to make it!
I’ve made this recipie several times and it’s always turned out wonderful! This time I used a bottle of jalepeno ale, added just a hint of spice!
Delicious.. Thanks for sharing..<3
the taste is wonderful, this is the 2nd time I’ve made it but I’m doing something wrong. I’m using a 9×5 pan but both times the butter spills all over the oven?
Hmm. My baking pan might have a little higher sides than yours. You can bake it in a slightly larger pan or just bake it on a baking sheet covered in foil for easy clean up! 🙂
I’ve made this a few times, exactly as written and some variations. Always good. You have to be careful not to overmix. I liked it best with 1/2 cup whole wheat flour substituted for some of the regular flour and cherry cider (from Whole Foods). I also put half the butter inside the batter, some on the bottom from melting it in the oven, and the rest on top. Having the butter inside seems to make it stay fresh longer (not that it sticks around!)
Super delicious! I’m going to try it with Guinness next time though.
I made this recipe yesterday using a 8×4 in. pan (as it is all I had), and used a porter as my beer. It is fantastic! I have already eaten some for breakfast and am thinking about having another slice now. I live at ~6,000 ft. and had no issue with high altitude issues.
Made this bread tonight to go with spaghetti. IT WAS AMAZING! The crust is golden, crispy, buttery, slightly salty, crunchy and the inside was moist and delicious. My 3 year old son can’t get enough and honestly, I can’t either. LOLOLOL! I used a lager aged in tequila barrels, it’s a slightly sweet beer. It made no difference. Will make again, again and again. Thank you!
Made this bread tonight to go with spaghetti. IT WAS AMAZING! The crust is golden, crispy, buttery, slightly salty, crunchy and the inside was moist and delicious. My 3 year old son can’t get enough and honestly, I can’t either. LOLOLOL! I used a lager aged in tequila barrels, it’s a slightly sweet beer. It made no difference. Will make again, again and again. Thank you!
Oh I have been using your recipe now for three weeks. I love it and I have been playing with different flours and types of beers they all are great. I find myself going into the beerstore and finding different beers to use. Thank you for this I am having fun and everyone around here is enjoying this. Off to make some with Guinness and Spelt flour wish me luck. Sounds yummy. Thanks again for pushing me to try this. B
I usually neve leave comments on blogs, but I absolutely had to to tell you how amazing your bread is. I’ve never made bread before (I’m usually a dessert girl) but I stared at this recipe on my computer screen all day at work yesterday. I bought a loaf pan on my lunch break and made it when I got home at around 9pm. I used Honey Brown Lager. It literally took less than 5 minutes to throw together and at about 10pm I pulled the most delicious smelling bread out of the oven. I made honey butter to go with it. I used 1/4 of Alton Brown’s recipe (http://foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/honey-butter-recipe/index.html).
My husband and I were skeptical about how good the bread could be with so few ingredients, but it is one of the yummiest breads I’ve ever had. We ate half the loaf last night, and could easily have eaten all of it but were trying to exercise some self control. I had a piece this morning with breakfast and it heated up nicely in the microwave. I can’t wait to try different varieties! Next time I’ll also try using salted butter. I can’t wait to make it for friends and family. Thank you so much for this crazy-easy and crazy-delicious recipe! Love it!
I made this with a light beer, but used a 19 oz bottle and made it more flavorful. I also used a whole wheat flour instead to make it a little bit healthier, and heartier. A great recipe all together!!
I tried this bread awhile back and I added a tbsp of dried basil to the flour mixture before adding the beer (bud light was all I had on hand) and the end result was a new family favorite. It tasted a-mazing! My husband said it made him think of the bread you would dip in the olive oil and herbs at an Italian restaurant. More family members told me I need to make it more often. 🙂
Oh yum – I love the idea of adding rosemary!!
I am a terrible baker but this recipe was so easy. I cut the butter in half and it still had that great buttery taste. It turned out amazing! I think I will serve it with some chive compound butter. Thanks!
OMG! Made this tonite and it’s amazing. I wanted to test it before bringing it to a St. Patrick’s Day dinner. Now I wanna try it with cheese, maybe jalapeño jack. Or maybe try it in muffin tins. Yummy.
I have this just about ready to go in the oven. I used a home brew stout and added two handfuls of spent grain. I’ll let you know the results.
I made this a few days ago with raspberry wheat beer and it was so good! We ate it all before the hubby got any, so I made it again with a cherry wheat beer. Sooooo good!
I made this tonight and will probably dream about it. 🙂
It was so delicious!
I made the chili and the bread today and both were awesome. I used parchment paper in the bread pan and seems like some of the butter did not absorb into the bread. Can i cut down on the butter or was it the paper?
Yup, you can cut the butter in half if you want! It always absorbs all the butter for me, but some people like to cut it in half. 🙂
Awesome! I’m eating some right now and it is so good there may not be any left for the hubby. 😉
Thanks so much for this post! I’ve been looking for a great recipe for beer bread. I had a friend who used to make beer bread a couple times a year, but she passed away (very early) a couple years ago. I’d kinda forgotten about it, if you want to know the truth. Your post reminded me of her and her famous beer bread! I’ll be making some this weekend for sure!
I hope it lives up to the memory of your friend’s famous beer bread.
I have my second batch in the oven as we speak. I cannot get enough of this bread! Thank you!
As I noted elsewhere on your blog, I make lots of small freezable meals for my mother as part of her Christmas present (that lasts all year). I give her a “coupon” with a list of what I could make for her – and white chicken chili is one of the recipes. I found your recipe for white chicken chili…BUT….I saw the link to the Buttery Beer Bread on the chili post, and went running to my fridge to see if I had a stray bottle of beer. Eureka! A bottle of Harp Lager in the bottle shelf of my fridge drawer. And so I made this bread.
Oh. Em. Gee. The house smelled SO good! I had to sneak a piece before the chili was done – I am singing hosannas to this bread! It’s as dangerous as being in the open ocean while the charter boat captain chums the water around you – and you’re not in a shark cage.
Resistance is futile.
So easy and it looks so good!
It was yummy, easy, and looked just like yours when it came out of the oven! Great texture and we decided it would be fabulous made in a dutch oven camping. Only bad thing? It’s SO filling so you can’t eat much! 🙂 Thanks for the recipe!
OK, I have this baking RIGHT NOW in the oven. Cross your fingers!! 🙂
How did I miss this the first time around in 2009?? Maybe you thought you were a nobody back then, but you were a somebody to me! awwww!! sappy sap! haha!! I love that even though I’m pregnant I can still have this beer bread and it’s EASY?? What a great life!
Oh yuuuum! I need to make this soon. It looks delicious.
Cute blog, by the way! Glad I stumbled upon it.
This bread is totally spot-on! Beer and butter for the win!
Absolutely nothing better than butter beer bread!
SOLD! I’ll be trying this in the next day or so! It was so much fun to read, I had to read it out loud to my hubby….and he’s sold, too!
Looks delish! I’ll definitely have to try this…
Looks yummy!
I bet this ships well. Just sayin’.
PS: I love Shiner Bock. Man…I could really go for one right about now!
Thats brilliant thanks
Wondering could you tell me what a stick of butter is in weight? Im in the Uk so I dont know what weight it is. Thanks
1 stick = 1/2 a cup = 8 tablespoons!
And since a pound of butter has 4 sticks in it here in the US, I would go with 1 stick being 4 ozs.
Hope this helps!
That looks like the most incredible beer bread ever. And I LOVE beer bread! Definitely making this when we have people over. I know I won’t be able to behave myself around it.
I just made this using a raspberry wheat beer and it is sensational! I’ve already had 3 slices…don’t judge.
Awesome! Could you taste raspberry in the bread??
I’ve wanted to make beer bread for ages – yours looks so buttery and delish!
Awesome and pretty! What a great looking snack!
oh my! this sounds incredible! Im making chile for monday night football this coming week…Pats vs Texans! 😉 This bread will definitely be an accompaniment!