The beauty of beer bread is its simplicity. Mix, bake, and enjoy! In this version, we combine stout beer with cheddar and scallions. Serve this savory bread as a side for homemade chili or creamy soups like potato soup, or enjoy it with a bit of butter as a snack. This recipe only requires a bowl, a spoon, and a loaf pan. No mixer or fancy ingredients are required. It is also a great excuse to buy your favorite beer! If you have beer left over, make our Guinness Chocolate Cake or our Guinness Beef Stew.
How to Make Stout Beer Bread
Making beer bread couldn’t be any easier. Mix the dry ingredients together, then pour your beer and melted butter. This comes together as a wet dough — almost like a thick pancake batter. Spoon the beer bread dough into your loaf pan, then add some extra cheese and scallions. Drizzle over more melted butter for a golden-brown crust, then bake until a toothpick comes out clean.
Choosing Your Stout Beer
Use a stout beer you love. Guinness adds a classic richness and is used in our photos. Be bold and experiment with other options. Try chocolate, coffee, or even oatmeal stouts for a unique twist. If you don’t like stout beer, substitute for lagers, pilsners, or amber ales like in this easy beer bread recipe.
Variations
Sharp cheddar and scallions are our base, but the options are endless. Try crumbled bacon, roasted garlic, herbs like rosemary, or even crispy shallots. Try other beers, or for a non-alcoholic version, use a non-alcoholic beer or seltzer water. We recommend an 8 ½ x 4 ½-inch loaf pan. If you only have a 9 x 5 pan, no worries! Start checking your bread for doneness about 5 minutes before the minimum baking time listed in the recipe. Pro tip: For the most even baking, use an insulated baking sheet or stack two regular baking sheets together. This simple trick makes a big difference! 3 cups (390g) self-rising flour 3 ounces (85g) sharp cheddar cheese, cut into small cubes (about 3/4 cup) 2 scallions, ends trimmed and thinly sliced 2 tablespoons granulated sugar Pinch fine sea salt 1/8 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper 12 ounces stout beer or beer of your choice (1 ½ cups) 2Set about 10 pieces of cheese and a small handful of sliced scallions aside for the top of the bread. 3Mix the flour, the remaining cheese, green onion, sugar, salt, and black pepper in a large bowl until well blended. Make a well in the flour mixture and add the beer. Stir until relatively smooth. Stir in two-thirds of the butter, leaving the remaining third for the top of the loaf. 4Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Scatter with the reserved cheese and scallion, then drizzle with the remaining third of butter. 5Bake the bread until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with only a few crumbs attached, 45 to 50 minutes. 6Cool the loaf in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely.
