Easy Beer Bread Recipe - Don't Waste the Crumbs (2024)

By Tiffany Published February 4, 2021 • Last Updated: February 4, 2021 31 Comments

Easy Homemade Beer Bread! Savory, sweet & flavorful, this recipe uses stout or ale, and brown sugar or honey! Plus, it’s freezer-friendly! Perfect for sandwiches, toast & jam, soups & more!

Have you ever been to a steakhouse that offered beer bread with your meals? I’m thinking of one specifically that offered large mini loaves with your own cutting knife and whipped cinnamon butter… Mmmm…

Ever since Mr. Crumbs and I had to cut back our budget (and I mean REALLY cut back), we stopped going out to eat as often. We treat ourselves now and then, but it’s usually on anniversaries or to share our favorite place with out-of-town guests.

Wanting to know exactly what is in our food also makes us cautious to dine out. There are a few places that we feel comfortable going to, but to be completely honest, cooking at home has grown my skills over the years, and now we eat at home 98% of the time.

There’s also a sense of satisfaction of knowing exactly what you eat, and knowing exactly how it was prepared. Mr. Crumbs and I can taste the difference, even if I’ve followed someone else’s recipe.

Beer bread is no different. I’ve also made potato buttermilk bread, maple oatmeal bread, homemade pita bread, no-knead artisan bread, whole wheat Einkorn sourdough bread and more, but this recipe is BY FAR the simplest bread recipe I’ve made so far.

Truly, it is. If you’re new to using yeast, try this recipe first. You’ll love the results and feel empowered by the success to try another new bread recipe!

Easy Beer Bread Recipe

Not only is this homemade beer bread recipe the simplest bread I’ve made, it’s also:

• Delicious! Rich and savory, the whole family will enjoy it!
• Versatile. Perfect for sandwiches, as toast with jam, or even for dipping with your favorite soups!
• Freezer-friendly! Make it ahead for your monthly meal plan, and freeze for when you need it. Here is how to freeze your favorite breads!

What are the ingredients in homemade beer bread?

• bread flour (or all purpose flour)
• cooked brown or white rice
• brown sugar (or coconut sugar, or honey)
• active dry yeast
• wheat bran
• salt
• strong beer (ale or stout preferably)
• milk or buttermilk

Notes:

• If you don’t have bread flour, substitute all-purpose flour by adding 1 tablespoon of vital wheat gluten for each cup of all-purpose flour used.
• I’ve made this using both buttermilk and a milk/vinegar buttermilk substitute and both have come out delicious.
• Some people make beer bread recipe variations with self rising flour and melted butter for a super buttery crust. I haven’t used these ingredients myself, because this recipe is SO good as it is written. But let me know if you try these recipe variations.

Which Beer is Best for Beer Bread?

It’s best to use a strong beer, like an ale or a stout, rather than a light beer (such as a lager). Ale and stout have more robust flavors, lending to a very flavorful bread.

Can I Make a Honey Beer Bread Recipe?

Yes! It is super simple to replace the brown sugar with honey. Keep in mind that you may need to use a little less honey, as it tends to be a bit sweeter than brown sugar. Your bread will have a slightly different flavor, without the molasses flavor of brown sugar.

How do you make beer bread from scratch?

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a mixer or large bowl, combine the dry ingredients.
2. Add 12 oz beer + ¼ cup plus 2 Tbsp milk and mix until the dough comes together. Add additional milk or flour as needed and knead.
3. Transfer dough to a large oiled bowl and cover with a towel. Let rise in a warm spot until doubled.
4. Grease two loaf pans with cooking spray. Punch down dough and shape into loaves.
5. Place each loaf in a greased pan and cover with a towel. Let rise in a warm spot.
6. Bake the loaves until the crust is golden brown. Remove from pans and let cool completely on a cooling rack before slicing.

What does beer bread taste like?

This delicious beer bread recipe is rich, savory, slightly sweet tasting, golden and crusty. Trust me, you will love it!

What to serve with this quick and easy beer bread recipe:

In addition to being perfectly sliced for sandwiches, or toasted & slathered with garlic butter, enjoy this easy & quick bread recipe with:

• Easy Instant Pot Vegetarian Chili
• White Chicken Chili
• Instant Pot White Bean Soup with Sausage and Kale
• Garlic White Bean Soup
• Easy Minestrone Soup
• Meaty Spaghetti

OR cube it and serve as an appetizer to dip into homemade hummus! YUM!

You can also make a yummy cinnamon butter to spread on beer bread!Just start with 1/2 cup of butter and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon in a large bowl. Gradually beat in 1 tablespoon of honey at a time until you’ve reached the desired sweetness and consistency!

Baking bread in the summer? Don’t want to, or can’t use an oven?Try baking bread in a slow cooker instead! It comes out delicious and extra soft – perfect for sandwiches with homemade lunch meat. 🙂

More Quick and Easy Bread Recipes

• Pumpkin Bread
• 90 Minute Man Bread
• No Yeast Bread
• Maple Oatmeal Bread
• Potato Buttermilk Bread

Homemade Beer Bread

Print Recipe

★★★★★5 from 1 review

Easy Homemade Beer Bread! Savory, sweet & flavorful, this recipe uses stout or ale, and brown sugar or honey! Plus, it’s freezer-friendly! Perfect for sandwiches, toast & jam, soups & more!

• Author: Tiffany
• Prep Time: 3 hours 30 mins
• Cook Time: 35 mins
• Total Time: 4 hours, 5 mins
• Yield: 2 loaves 1x
• Category: Breads
• Method: Oven
• Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale

• 5 1/4 cups bread flour*
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons cooked brown or white rice
• 3 Tbsp packed light or dark brown sugar (or coconut sugar, or honey)
• 2 Tbsp active dry yeast
• 1 1/2 Tbsp wheat bran
• 2 1/4 tsp salt
• 12 oz strong beer (ale or stout preferably), at room temperature
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk or buttermilk, at room temperature*

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Instructions

1. In a mixer or large bowl, combine the dry ingredients.
2. Add beer and milk and mix by hand or on low speed until the dough comes together. Add additional milk or flour as needed and knead until the down is smooth and elastic.
3. Transfer dough to a large oiled bowl and cover with a towel. Let rise in a warm spot until doubled in volume, about 1 1/2 hours.
4. Grease two loaf pans with cooking spray.
5. Punch down dough and shape into loaves.
6. Place each loaf in a greased pan and cover with a towel. Let rise in a warm spot until doubled in volume, about 1 1/2 hours. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
7. Bake the loaves until the crust is golden brown and the bottom sounds hollow when tapped, about 35-45 minutes. Remove loaf from pan immediately and let cool completely on a cooling rack before slicing.

Notes

** If you don’t have bread flour, substitute all-purpose flour by adding 1 tablespoon of vital wheat gluten for each cup of all-purpose flour used.
** I’ve made this using both buttermilk and a milk/vinegar buttermilk substitute and both have come out delicious.