Wheat Beer Bread

5 from 2 votes
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With only 6 ingredients, you can make this malty, soft and chewy beer bread as a side dish or appetizer that is sure to elevate any meal!

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Homemade bread made in an hour without even needing a packet of yeast? Yes, please! I love the flexibility of this beer bread because I always have the ingredients on hand. There’s no panicked grocery store run before a last-minute gathering with friends, and it’s always a hit! The texture is doughy and pleasingly dense with a chewy crust combined with malty flavor. I’m obsessed! 


Plus, beer bread goes with virtually any meal or event. Need to bring an appetizer? Dip this beer bread in an easy Beer Cheese or an olive oil and balsamic vinegar combo. Looking for a warm and delicious side dish? Serve with homemade Butter!

Why You’ll Love This Beer Bread Recipe

This beer bread recipe doesn’t need time to rise, requires only 6 ingredients, and is wickedly delicious! Do you love making homemade bread, yet you don’t always have the time to let it rise before needing to head out the door? This is exactly why I love beer bread. Beer bread checks all the boxes of homemade, delicious bread without the hours of planning and preparation.

Better yet, try some experiments with different beers to see how the flavor profile subtly changes with IPAs to lighter beers. So fun! The yeast in the beer interacts with the honey in this recipe to cause the bread to rise quickly, with the help of some baking powder. Try it for yourself and thank me later! 

  • Just 6 ingredients
  • Only 1 hour to make
  • Crazy delicious and versatile
  • Make it ahead

Beer Bread Ingredients

  • Wheat flour – wheat flour has a higher fiber content and a nuttier flavor compared to refined flours like all-purpose flour. 
  • 12 ounces beer of choice – use your favorite beer! Light beers will yield a more delicate flavor whereas IPAs and darker beers will yield more assertive flavor. 
  • Honey – honey adds a subtle sweetness and interacts with the beer to help the bread rise. 
  • Baking powder – baking powder helps the bread rise. 
  • Salt – salt enhances the flavor. 
  • Salted butter (optional) – melted butter is used to brush on the bread before baking to help lock in the moisture and flavor and create a beautiful crust.

How to Make Beer Bread

Full instructions in the recipe card; this is just an outline!

  1. Whisk.

    Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together. Add honey and beer, then mix with a spoon until well combined but don’t overmix.

  2. Add.

    Add dough to a greased 8×4” loaf pan, ensuring dough is spread evenly.

  3. Stand.

    Let dough stand in the loaf pan for 15 minutes. 

  4. Brush.

    Optional but recommended: brush melted butter on top of the dough.

  5. Bake.

    Bake for 35-40 minutes. Turn the loaf out of the pan onto a cooling rack immediately.

Beer Bread Variations

Want to mix up this beer bread recipe? Consider any of the following!

  • All-purpose flour: substitute the wheat flour with all-purpose flour. The loaf will turn out a little less dense, but equally as yummy. 
  • Cheese: add in a cup of your favorite shredded cheese to introduce extra flavor, moisture and overall deliciousness. My favorites are cheddar and parmesan!
  • Herbs: consider adding fresh or dried herbs into the dough before baking like rosemary, thyme, or chives. 
  • Garlic: make garlic beer bread by adding a minced clove of garlic to the dough before baking or brush on garlic oil or butter to the top of the loaf after it’s baked like in this Garlic Bread recipe!
  • Bacon: when has adding bacon ever been a bad thing? Consider adding bacon bits to the dough before baking for a delicious twist on this beer bread recipe. 
  • Experiment with different beers: see how different beers like the boldness of a stout, to the fruitiness of a pale ale, can subtly change the overall flavor profile of the bread.

Tips & Tricks

  • Mix the ingredients to form the dough just until everything is combined. Overmixing can make the bread more dense. 
  • Measure flour by scooping into the measuring cup with a spoon and then leveling off for most accurate results. 
  • Bake until an inserted toothpick placed in the center of the bread comes with loose crumbs. I always check a little earlier within the time range so I avoid overbaking. 
  • If you’re using a 9×5” loaf pan, you may need to decrease the cooking time by 5-10 minutes.

Storing & Freezing

  • Storing: store beer bread in an airtight container or a resealable plastic bag with as much air removed as possible for up to 3 days at room temperature. 
  • Freezing: after the beer bread has cooled completely, wrap it tightly with plastic wrap and then place in a freezer-safe airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months.
  • Thawing: thaw at room temperature for a few hours before serving. 
  • Reheating: You can warm the bread in a toaster, in a 350℉ oven, or by very gently microwaving a slice for 5-7 seconds.

More Bread Recipes You’ll Love!

5 from 2 votes

Wheat Beer Bread

With only 6 ingredients, you can make this malty, soft and chewy beer bread as a side dish or appetizer that is sure to elevate any meal!
Prep: 25 minutes
Cook: 35 minutes
Total: 1 hour
Servings: 8 slices
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Equipment

  • 1 8×4" baking dish recommended, but not required

Ingredients 

  • 3 cups whole wheat flour
  • 12 ounces beer of choice, an 11.2 ounce bottle/can works too!
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon salted butter, melted (optional but recommended)

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 350℉. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Add honey and beer, and mix together until well combined but don’t overmix.
  • Add dough to a greased 8×4" loaf pan, spreading dough evenly in the pan.
  • Let dough stand in pan for 15 minutes.
  • Brush melted butter on top of dough, (optional but recommended). Bake for 35-40 minutes, until tester comes with loose crumbs.
  • Turn loaf out of the pan, onto a wire rack right away. Enjoy!

Video

YouTube video

Notes

  • If you’re using a 9×5” loaf pan, you may need to decrease the cooking time by 5-10 minutes.

Nutrition

Serving: 1loaf | Calories: 201kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 464mg | Potassium: 178mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 48IU | Vitamin C: 0.03mg | Calcium: 106mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine: American
Calories: 201
Keyword: any season, fall, summer
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About Grace Vallo

Hi, I’m Grace Vallo! Welcome to my kitchen! Here you’ll find kitchen-tested recipes and step-by-step tutorials with videos, giving home cooks the knowledge and confidence to cook and bake the most flavorful recipes for every season. Featured on the Food Network, Food & Wine, Taste of Home and more.

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2 Comments

    1. Hi Dave,

      Unfortunately I can’t answer your question confidently because I’ve never used almond flour. After doing some research, some forums say you can swap almond for wheat flour, while others say to use 1/2 cup almond for every 1 cup of wheat flour. Others say almond flour doesn’t bind as well as regular flour so you’ll need to add an egg. My best guess would be to just swap the wheat for almond flour and see what happens, but I can’t be confident this will work. Ugh!! I wish I had a better answer for you. Let me know if you try the swap!

      Grace