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This Beer Bread Recipe is a yeast-free quick bread leavened with baking powder and beer or any other carbonated beverage like clear soda, ginger ale, or sparkling water. It’s soft and delicious, perfect with butter or creamy dips and spreads.
Like other quick bread recipes, Beer Bread rises through a reaction that leavens the batter ingredients. Some recipes rely on just baking powder or baking soda, while others pair one of those leavening agents with an acidic ingredient like buttermilk or lemon juice.
In this easy beer bread recipe, the carbonation in beer (or soda, sparkling water, or alcoholic beer) reacts with baking powder to create carbon dioxide. This leavens the dough without yeast.
Table of Contents
Recipe ingredients
At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.
Ingredient notes
- Flour: If you prefer to use self-rising flour instead of all-purpose in this homemade beer bread recipe, substitute 3 cups self-rising flour for the all-purpose, and omit the baking powder and salt (the self-rising already contains a leavening agent).
- Sugar: For less sweet bread, decrease sugar to 2 tablespoons. This recipe was created to be similar to Tastefully Simple’s Bountiful Beer Bread Mix which is sweet.
- Beer: For a lighter bread color and mild taste, choose a lighter beer such as a lager, ale, or pilsner. For a darker-colored loaf, choose a stout or porter beer with a stronger flavor. Avoid Hoppy beers such as IPAs which have a bitter taste. For a non-alcoholic option, choose sparkling water, ginger ale, or another clear soda.
Step-by-step instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9-inch by 5-inch loaf pan with butter. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and sugar. Open the beer and add to the mixture all at once (it will foam up).
- Stir 20 to 30 seconds until just combined and the batter is slightly lumpy (do not overmix).
- Pour batter into prepared loaf pan. Drizzle with melted butter.
- Place loaf into oven and bake until top is crusty and a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean, about 40 to 45 minutes.
- Remove from oven and allow to rest in the pan for 5 minutes. Turn the loaf out of the pan onto a cooling rack.
- Serve in thick slices warm or at room temperature, with butter.
Recipe tips and variations
- Yield: This Beer Bread Recipe makes 8 thick, generous slices.
- Storage: Store cooled, leftover Beer Bread wrapped in plastic wrap or a zip-top bag at room temperature up to 4 days.
- Freezer: Wrap the loaf in a double layer of foil or plastic wrap. Label, date, and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight at room temperature and reheat on the stove, in a toaster oven, or microwave.
- Customize your loaf for the best beer bread: Add a handful of shredded cheddar cheese, a teaspoon of dried herbs (or 2 teaspoons fresh minced) such as sage, rosemary, or thyme, or mince a clove or two of garlic to your batter for even more added flavor.
- Irish Soda Bread: The secret to Irish Soda Bread lies in baking soda and buttermilk. When combined, they release carbon dioxide which makes the bread rise without yeast.
Frequently Asked Questions
For a lighter bread color and mild taste, choose a lighter beer such as a lager, ale, or pilsner. For a darker-colored loaf, choose a stout or porter beer with a stronger flavor. Avoid Hoppy beers such as IPAs which have a bitter taste.
You can also choose your beer based on what the bread will be served with. Stouts and other dark beers compliment stews and roasts. IPAs compliment soups, chicken, and pork dishes. Ales and hard ciders complement the taste of lighter dishes and salads.
Yes, beer bread contains alcohol (unless you make it with something besides beer like sparkling water, ginger ale, or a non-alcoholic beer). Baking the bread does not “cook off” 100% the alcohol, but it does remove the majority of it. If you are abstaining from alcohol for health, religious, or any other reasons, make beer bread with clear soda, ginger ale, sparkling water, or non-alcoholic beer.
Because the majority of alcohol in the beer bakes off while baking beer bread, it is fine to serve beer bread to children. If you have any concerns about it, though, just use a clear soda or sparkling water to make beer bread.
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Beer Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour (see note 1)
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar (see note 2)
- 1 (12-ounce) bottle beer unopened and at room temperature (see note 3)
- 3 tablespoons butter melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9-inch by 5-inch loaf pan with butter. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and sugar. Open the beer and add to the mixture all at once (it will foam up).
- Stir 20 to 30 seconds until just combined and the batter is slightly lumpy (do not overmix). Pour batter into prepared loaf pan. Drizzle with melted butter.
- Place loaf into oven and bake until top is crusty and a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean, about 40 to 45 minutes.
- Remove from oven and allow to rest in the pan for 5 minutes. Turn the loaf out of the pan onto a cooling rack. Serve in thick slices warm or at room temperature, with butter.
Notes
- Flour: If you prefer to use self-rising flour instead of all-purpose in this homemade beer bread recipe, substitute 3 cups self-rising flour for the all-purpose, and omit the baking powder and salt (the self-rising already contains a leavening agent).
- Sugar: For a less sweet bread, decrease sugar to 2 tablespoons. This recipe was created to be similar to Tastefully Simple’s Bountiful Beer Bread Mix which is sweet.
- Beer: For a lighter bread color and mild taste, choose a lighter beer such as a lager, ale, or pilsner. For a darker-colored loaf, choose a stout or porter beer with a stronger flavor. Avoid Hoppy beers such as IPAs which have a bitter taste. For a non-alcoholic option, choose sparkling water, ginger ale, or another clear soda.
- Yield: This Beer Bread Recipe makes 8 thick, generous slices.
- Storage: Store cooled, leftover Beer Bread wrapped in plastic wrap or a zip-top bag at room temperature up to 4 days.
Nutrition
Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.
Thank you! This should go well with Guinness stew.
You’re welcome, Diane! They would be a perfect combination for a cold night! – Meggan