Beer Bread Recipe

Why this Beer Bread Recipe Works

This beer bread recipe starts with self-rising flour. Self-rising flour is a combination of flour, baking powder, and salt. The combination of the baking powder and the salt work together to act as a leavening agent.

In my Pizza Dough recipe, you can see how we add yeast (the leavening agent) to warm water and wait for it to proof before adding it to the flour mixture and letting that dough rise. By using self rising flour, we skip that step in this recipe.

How to Make Beer Bread

This is just a brief overview of this delicious and easy bread recipe. For the full recipe with all of the measurements, please see the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

1. Prepare the bread pan. Spray a 9 by 5 inch bread pan with cooking spray. Be sure to see my bread pan recommendation below, as pans can make a huge difference.
2. Whisk together the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the self rising flour and the sugar.
3. Stir in the beer. Read below for my recommendations on beer and alternatives.
4. Bake the bread. After adding the dough to the prepared bread pan bake the bread. In the last three minutes of baking, add melted butter if desired.

How to Make Self Rising Flour

There are a few differences when it comes to all-purpose flour and self-rising flour. Self-rising flour contains baking powder and salt, all-purpose flour does not. Additionally, self-rising flour is made with wheat and is lower in protein than all-purpose flour.

It is possible to make a substitute for self-rising flour with all-purpose flour, but keep in mind it won’t be exactly the same because you are changing the protein level.

For every one cup of flour you use, you need one teaspoon fresh baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon table salt. So for this recipe, you can replace the self-rising flour with:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon table salt

Best Bread Pan

The first question I ask people when they tell me a bread recipe didn’t work was what kind of pan they used. Metal, ceramic, and glass all conduct heat differently and will have a different impact on your baking recipe. I opt for metal for all my baked goods because it conducts heat the best.

The bread pan you see here is this one from USA Pans. It is my favorite and cooks bread perfectly every single time.

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Best Bread Pan

This pan is such a favorite that I own two of them so I can double my bread recipes!

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Best Beer for Beer Bread

I get that question a lot with this recipe. The answer is: Whatever type of beer you like. It is important to use a beer that you would drink on it’s own because it can be a strong flavor in this bread.

I use a pilsner because it is light and doesn’t have an intense flavor. Though I have only made this recipe with pilsner beers, this bread will work with any type of beer. It also works with soda (read more on that below). This is a great recipe to play around with and figure out what you like.

Making Beer Bread Gluten Free

This recipe can be made gluten-free if you make your own self-rising flour with gluten-free flour. As you can see, it doesn’t have quite the same rise as when you use flour with gluten, but it absolutely does work.

I suggest using a gluten-free flour that is meant to replace all-purpose flour one-for-one. I used King Arthur’s brand in this test. You will want to use:

• 3 cups gluten-free one-for-one flour substitute
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon table salt

Butter on Top

A lot of recipes call for a few tablespoons of melted butter on top of the bread. I call this a three ingredient beer bread because my family loves this recipe without the butter on top. If you want the butter, have at it. I recommend using three tablespoons of melted butter and pouring it over the bread in the last three to five minutes of baking to prevent it from browning or burning.

Storing and Freezing

Store this bread in an airtight container, once it has fully cooled, for up to a week. It can be stored at room temperature. As with all recipes, use your best discretion when it comes to leftovers.

This bread freezes great. Store in an airtight container (a gallon ziplock bag works great), and keep in the freezer for up to three months. It will also work great to cut it into slices, freeze them in a single layer for a few hours, and then transfer them to an airtight container.

Beer Bread Mix as a Gift

This would be a fantastic gift for a new neighbor or around the holidays.

• Combine the flour and sugar together in a mason jar.
• Add the mason jar, a bottle of beer, and a bread pan to a basket.

Beer Bread Recipes

Because this recipe is so simple, there are a lot of variations that can be done. Really the sky is the limit when it comes to mix-ins.

• My Bacon Cheese Beer Bread is the simplest of all the variations, but so delicious.
• This Jalapeño Popper Beer Bread is probably my favorite. It really does taste like a Jalapeño Popper as beer bread.
• If you want to try something really different and delicious, then this Buffalo Beer Bread is for you.
• Finally, this Beer Bread Bowl is so fun. Use it as a bowl for my Spinach Dip, and then use the inside of the bowl cut up for dipping.

What to Serve with Beer Bread

Honestly, I want to answer this question with nothing. Just eat it, it’s so good. But! I really do love it as a simple bread to make with my soup recipes. Here are a few of my favorites to serve it with:

• Crockpot Chili
• Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup
• Corn Chowder

If you make any of these recipes, please leave me a comment and let me know. I love hearing from you!