This Three Ingredient Beer Bread could not be more simple to make, or delicious! This beer bread recipe is the easiest way to make homemade bread.
Three Ingredient Beer Bread is so much better than what you get using a mix, and it is just as easy to make! It doesn’t require you to proof yeast and it’s only 3 ingredients! Plus it’s so easy to add in other mix ins, like honey or cheese! As an added bonus, you don’t even need a bread machine.
“Was looking for a simple bread recipe, and it cant be any simpler. Love it, love it, love it.” – Arlene
Why this Three Ingredient 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.
High fives all around for great easy recipes.
How to Make Self Rising Flour
To make your own Self Rising Flour, combine 1 cup all purpose flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
What the of Beer to use in 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 that is the primary 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, it is true that your beer bread will rise differently with different types of beers because of the different amount of yeast in the different beers.
This is a great recipe to play around with and figure out what you like.
Butter on Top
A lot of recipes call for a few tablespoons of melted butter on top of the bread. I didn’t include that because I think the beer bread is great without it. But if you are looking for something richer, add that!
Beer Bread Variations
Because this recipe is so simple there are a lot of variations that can be done.
I’ve turned it into Monkey Bread.
It is also absolutely delicious when you toss in some cream cheese and make it Jalapeño Popper Beer Bread.
This beer bread recipe is amazing when you add just a little cheese and bacon, like I did in this Bacon and Cheese Beer Bread.
What to serve with Three Ingredient Beer Bread
This bread would be a great addition to any of my soup recipes!
I also love it best when cut into cubes and served with my Spinach Dip. I mean, I loved it so much, I even turned this recipe into a bread bowl to serve with the dip.
If you make any of these recipes, please leave me a comment and let me know. I love hearing from you!
Three Ingredient Beer Bread
Ingredients
- 3 cups self-rising flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 12 oz beer
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- Spray a 9 by 5 inch bread pan with cooking spray.
- Gently mix together the flour, sugar, and beer until it is throughly combined. The batter will be thick.
- Pour the batter into the bread pan and bake for 40 minutes.
- Take out of the oven and let sit for five minutes in the pan, remove and let cool completely before slicing.
Video
Renae says
What would happen if you omitted the sugar? I made a loaf this morning with Bud Light, but it was more sweet than I’d like
Instead of omitting the sugar all together, I would try just cutting the sugar in half to start.
Judy says
I have a 10 oz beer can I add water to make up the difference or do I need to open another can of beer
Yes, that should be fine.
Jane says
I just made this bread and it was nice, however, I found it very sweet… Am I able to leave the sugar out of it?
Hi Jane! So you do need sugar. It helps the bread rise and balances the acidity that is in the beer and the self-rising flour. You can’t cut it out completely but you can experiment with cutting it back.
paula rudd says
Is the beer room temperature or cold?
It works as room temperature or cold.
David Z says
Great bread, I hadn’t made a loaf of beer bread for more than 30 years, and baked yours to go with ham and split pea soup two nights ago, breakfast with boiled egg, cheese and cucumber sandwich yesterday lunch and finished it off for breakfast this am toasted with butter and honey from a neighbour’s hive. YUM!!!!!!
Can my friend substitute self-raising gluten free flour in this recipe?
I’m so glad you liked it David! I’m not sure about the gluten free flour. I have done only limited research and I am by no means an expert in gluten free baking, but I know that it is not a one for one situation in a lot of recipes. That being said, given the simplicity of this particular recipe and the fact that there is no yeast involved, it might work.
Deb says
Can I make this with bread flour?
Sorry Deb, it wouldn’t work with bread flour.
Dawn Jensen says
Hi, I have been making beer bread for at least 15 years and my recipe is slightly different:
3 C self rising flour
3 T sugar
1 Can of beer
1/4 C melted butter
OPTIONAL:
shredded cheddar
chopped jalepenos
bacon bits
Preheat oven to 350. Butter the insides of a 9×5 in loaf pan. Add the sugar to the flour mix. At this time, add whatever optional ingredient you have. Add the can or bottle of beer and do not over mix it because you don’t want it to get flat. I blend it and just mix it until everything is incorporated. I do let it sit in the pan and let it rise for about 3-5 minutes before putting it in the oven. You don’t have to… I just have made this enough to figure out how to make it the best version for me.
Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Take out and brush the top with melted butter letting it run down the sides. Put back in for an additional 10 minutes. Let it sit for a few minutes. Run a knife arounds the sides and this will pop right out.
I found that if you don’t want it too cheesy but want a little, you can just sprinkle some cheese over the top and even put some chopped or slices of jalepeno just on the top so it’s not on the inside. But, do it however you like.
ENJOY
Renee Mcknight says
So easy and delicious!
I’m so glad to hear you liked it, Renee!
Carl Pirro says
Thanks Lisa for the recipe. Plan on baking tomorrow.
I hope you love it!
Mary Sigrist says
can you use almond flour
Sorry, Mary you really need to use self rising flour for this to work. You can make your own self rising flour starting with all purpose flour. I’m not sure if you could try that with almond flour, but it might be fun to try.
Mary says
WILL LET YOU KNOW IF I TRY WITH ALMOND FLOUR. THANKS LISA
Hi Mary, you really need to use self rising flour in order for this recipe to work. Now, you might be able to make self rising flour using almond flour, but I haven’t tried that.