Beer Bread – super easy beer bread recipe using baking staple ingredients with NO kneading involved. It’s as easy as mix, dump and bake! Buttery with a slight crust on top and just the right amount of sweetness.
Although I’m not a huge drinker myself (I got a low-alcohol tolerance), I must admit that I love adding alcohol in my baked treats. They certainly has the nice special kick that elevates the flavor and quality of any baked goods like this Rum Cake and Jamaican Easter Spice Bun. But like everything else, there will always be those people who are skeptic on adding alcohol to their recipes.
I was even called out multiple times on how I used beer as a spin-off on a popular and traditional West African snack Puff Puff (see my No Yeast Puff Puff HERE). But hey, if it saves me time and improves the texture of my food, then I’m definitely ON BOARD.
What Does Beer Bread Taste Like?
Beer Bread is one of those bread that you can easily customize the taste to suit your mood. You can have salty, mildly sweet or flavor it according to your favorite seasonal fruits (apple, pumpkin, etc.). For this recipe though, I ended up adding 1/4 cup of sugar for a mildly sweet-flavored beer bread or to simply balance out the bitterness from the beer. It’s also chewy with a thick buttery crust!
The kind of beer that you’ll use will also affect the taste of your bread. If you use the fruity kind of beer, it will lend to a loaf of sweeter, fruity beer bread, whereas if you use the dark ale ones, you’ll have a robust-flavored beer, too. So, I recommend that you use the type of beer that you know and love.
Does Beer Bread Need to Rise?
Beers don’t just amplify the taste of your bread, but it also affects the look of a bread. Technically, adding beer to bread is a substitution for water and yeast. It interacts with the baking powder to give that extra lift and tender textures into your bread and cakes.
Science explains that the addition of beer on sourdoughs or yeasted bread can give more food for the yeast culture to feed on which explains the faster proving time (letting the dough rise) This combination would often result in loaves with an open crumb and large irregular bubbles.
In conclusion, Beer Bread doesn’t need to wait for hours to rise. It’s sort mix, dump and bake kind of bread!
Can Beer Bread Get You Drunk?
You’re going to be fine! A great percentage of the alcohol present in the batter evaporates during the baking process. And if you would like to dig in further on why bread isn’t alcoholic, you can read a “science-y” explanation HERE. But if you really don’t want to consume any traces of alcohol, you can substitute with non-alcoholic beer, however, it could also affect the texture and rise of your bread.
What Goes with Beer Bread?
Soups, stews and chilis go well with Beer Bread which is perfect during this kind of season. It could also be served with meats and barbecues, or anything that usually has cornbread on the side. Or simply slather it with some butter for breakfast or other spreads and dips as a snack or appetizer. See how versatile it is?
For added flavor in this super easy Beer Bread, you may add some shredded cheese, fresh herbs, pickled jalapenos or a few tablespoons of pesto. And don’t forget to use the kind of beer that you really do love!
Want another quick and easy bread recipes? Check out this Coconut Bread and Banana Pineapple Bread.
Enjoy!
Watch How To Make It
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Beer Bread
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Ingredients
- 3 cups (360g) all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup (50g) sugar
- 2½ teaspoons (12g) baking powder
- 1 teaspoon (5g) salt
- 1 teaspoon (5ml) vanilla extract
- 1 12-ounce bottle beer
- ⅓ cup (75g) butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉ (175℃) and grease a 9"x5" loaf pan.
- In a large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- Make a deep well in the middle of the mixture and slowly pour in the beer. Stir until combined. The dough should be a little sticky. Then add vanilla extract and combine again.
- Pour half of the melted butter into the bottom of the loaf pan and spread it out evenly, making sure the surface is coated.
- Then add the batter to the loaf pan and spread it out evenly. Pour the remaining half of the melted butter over the top of the batter.
- Bake it in the preheated 350℉ (175℃) oven for 40-50 minutes or until the bread is golden brown on the outside and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the middle.
- Let rest for 5-10 minutes, slice, and serve.
Tips & Notes:
- Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on products used.
Nutrition Information:
How to Make Beer Bread
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease 9x5x3-inch loaf/bread pan. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
Make a sort of deep well in the middle of the mixture
And slowly pour in the beer. Stir until combined. Dough should be a little bit sticky.
Then add vanilla extract and combine again.
Pour half of the melted butter into the bottom of the loaf pan and spread it out evenly; making sure every surface is covered. Then add the batter to the loaf pan and spread it out evenly.
Pour the remaining half of the melted butter on top of the batter. Bake it in the 350°F preheated oven for 40-50 minutes or until the bread is golden brown on the outside and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the middle. Serve immediately
Karen says
Can it be frozen
ImmaculateBites says
You can definitely make the dough ahead and freeze it till you need it. The dough can stay frozen up until 4 weeks.
Laureen says
Can I use non-alcoholic beer in beer bread
ImmaculateBites says
Yes, you can, Laureen :).
James says
Nice recipe, but why the vanilla extract?
ImmaculateBites says
Hi James! The vanilla extract is for added flavor :).
James says
Ok, will try it, thanx!!
Bev says
Can’t do the carbs, although looks delicious. Has anybody tried to ketoify it? Wonder how almond flour would work…..
Henrietta Dixon says
Hi Imma, I love your web site and I follow you faithfully. Your recipes truly inspire me to cook. I love the African recipes, thank you for sharing your culture with us. The food is delicious and being able to follow your step by step directions enables me to (what I hope) is get it right. I can’t wait to try the jambalaya, it really looks so delicious
Jenny Ming says
Your recipe says “serve immediaty”. Can the bread not last longer if refrigerated?
ImmaculateBites says
Yes it can. You can keep it in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Ima says
I really want to try this for easter. Why do you pour melted directly into the pan? What is the difference with mixing it in? Thanks.
imma africanbites says
Hi, Ima. It moistens that bottom part so you can easily remove it off the pan without sticking.
Jillian Morland-Duff says
Can I make this with alcohol free beer?
Love and stuff
Jillie xx
Tamar says
Just used NA beer to make today and it turned out fabulous!!
Ana Pritchard says
You are the best you show recipe step by step the picture’s are direct I am so impressed with your website I follow the recipes excellent Thank you
ImmaculateBites says
Aww, Thanks for your kind words Ana. So happy to hear the recipes are working out well for you.
Esther says
Hi Imma. I love love your recipe!
Why do we need to grease the pan when we are still going to pour the melted butter in it?
Keep up your good recipes sis.
ImmaculateBites says
Good point. The melted butter is not going to thoroughly cover the loaf pan. Just in case it misses an inch.
Thanks Esther and do let me know how it works out for you.