My easy beer bread recipe is almost too good to be true. You’ll need just five ingredients, one bowl, and a minute or two to make it! This no yeast beer bread is phenomenal.
easy no yeast beer bread is minimalist baking at its best!
Beer bread has been part of my recipe repertoire from as far back as I can remember. I’m sure I learned to make it in college. It’s got minimal ingredients and all you’ll need is a bowl, a spoon, and a loaf pan. The surprise is how lovely this loaf turns out. Fragrant, for sure, and soft and pillowy to the touch. The crust has the perfect not-too-crusty texture 🙂 It slices beautifully (nice and thick, of course) and has that wonderful yeasty flavor, even though this is a yeast free recipe.
At the 20 minute mark your kitchen will start to smell of beer and warm homemade bread, aka nirvana.
ingredients for a quick beer bread recipe
Five simple ingredients that you most likely have on hand. This recipe makes a beautifully moist loaf without any butter or oil. Some recipes call for melted butter to be poured over the batter before baking, but that’s not necessary with this recipe. Save your butter for spreading on your warm slice!
- ALL PURPOSE FLOUR ~ like most quick breads, this one uses plain all purpose flour. There’s no need for higher gluten bread flour in this recipe.
- BEER ~ use your favorite beer, all varieties will work. The carbonation in the beer helps rise the bread.
- BROWN SUGAR ~ provides a hint of sweetness, but not too much, this is definitely a savory bread.
- BAKING POWDER ~ provides extra lift to ensure that your beer bread is not dense or heavy.
- SALT
how to make beer bread (it literally takes 60 seconds!)
I’m willing to bet this is unlike any bread you’ve made before, and the crazy thing is, it bakes up into a beautiful loaf with the perfect crumb! It’s really quite miraculous.
- Whisk together flour, sugar, and salt in a mixing bowl.
- Pour in the beer and whisk until everything is incorporated, but be sure not to over mix, some lumps are fine. Over mixing results in tough bread.
- Turn into your loaf pan, spread the batter out evenly, and bake!
- Let the bread cool in the pan a few minutes and then turn out onto a rack. I love to slice mine while it is still warm!
beer bread faqs
What’s the best beer for beer bread?
Really any type of beer can be used, so you can let flavor be your guide. A darker, more robust beer like a stout will give a stronger ‘beer’ flavor than a pale ale. (Make an Irish beer bread with Guiness!) But be aware that if your beer is too strong you can get a bitter flavor in your bread, so my suggestion is to use a mild ale. I used a local (New Glarus) pale ale and it worked wonderfully.
Can I use non-alcoholic beer or light beer for beer bread?
Yes, you can. The flavor won’t be as rich, but non-alcoholic beer can be used. Light beer will work fine as well.
Can you get drunk on beer bread?
No! Much of the alcohol will cook off during the baking process, but not all. You will not get drunk, but there will be alcohol in this finished bread, up to 30% of the alcohol will remain in a bread like this*, so it is not for children or anyone else who should avoid alcohol entirely. *according to the USDA
Does beer bread taste like beer?
I think it does, yes, but the flavor is subtle. It tastes like a yeasty white bread.
Is there yeast in beer?
Beer is made with yeast, that’s what feeds the fermentation, but by the time you get yours in a can or bottle, the yeast has been filtered out. A faint flavor of the yeast remains, which I love.
Should the beer be warm or cold for beer bread?
I use room temperature beer for best rising!
Is beer bread savory or sweet?
This is a savory bread, meant to be served like you would cornbread or biscuits, alongside soups, stews chilis, and other meals. It does contain a bit of brown sugar, but not enough to make it a sweet bread.
Can you make beer bread without beer?
Yes, you can use just about any carbonated liquid to make a no-beer beer bread, but keep in mind that beer adds lots of flavor, and natural yeast to the batter, so it makes a wonderfully light, flavorful quick bread. If you use carbonated water you won’t get a delicious bread!
Can I make beer bread with self rising flour?
Yes, just omit the salt and the baking powder in this recipe. In this case you’ll have a 3-ingredient beer bread!
How to store beer bread?
I would not slice the bread until you are ready to serve, to keep it moist. Cover with foil and it will keep at room temperature for 3 days.
Can you freeze beer bread?
Yes, let the loaf cool completely, and then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap. Then wrap again in foil. It will be best within 3 months. Simply defrost the wrapped loaf at room temperature.
Can I use beer bread for sandwiches?
Yes! Slice it thinly for sandwiches, and it also makes a fabulous grilled cheese.
what we love to serve with beer bread
Soups are a no-brainer with beer bread. Just about any soup pairs well, but especially a German soup like German Potato Soup. I love to serve it with chowders, too, like my Corn and Cheddar Cheese Chowder or Broccoli and Cheddar Cheese Chowder.
Chili and beer bread is a classic combo! Try it with Slow Cooked Hatch Pepper Chili or Creamy White (leftover) Turkey Chili.
Beer bread also pairs well with pot roasts and stews ~ try it with Sauerbraten or Hard Cider Braised Pot Roast with Fresh Sage.
Enjoy the bread all by itself. We love it warm from the oven, with butter. Or how about some cheesy beer bread toast? Just top with your favorite cheese and slide it under the broiler until hot and bubbly.
optional additions and variations
- shredded sharp cheese (we like cheddar)
- chopped onions or green onions
- sliced olives
- minced jalapeños
- 1/2 cup melted butter, poured over top before baking
- chopped fresh herbs like chives, rosemary, thyme, or sage
more no yeast quick breads
Paleo Fruit and Nut Bread
Hatch Chile Cornbread
Date Nut Bread
Easy One Bowl Pumpkin Bread
Irish Oatmeal Soda Bread
Easy Beer Bread
5 from 10 votes
No yeast beer bread is one of those easy bread recipes that's almost too good to be true. Five ingredients, in one bowl, it takes about a minute to make!
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Prep Time:10 minutes minutes
Cook Time:45 minutes minutes
Total Time:55 minutes minutes
Servings: 12 slices
Equipment
standard 9×5 loaf pan
Ingredients
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 12 ounce bottle of beer
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375F. Spray a 9×5 loaf pan lightly and line with a piece of parchment paper.
When the oven has come to temperature, measure the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt into a mixing bowl and whisk well to combine. Break up any lumps in your brown sugar.
Add the beer to the bowl and whisk or stir to combine. Mix just enough to combine everything and there is no dry flour left. Don't worry about lumps.
Turn the batter into your loaf pan and spread out the top so the batter is even from end to end.
Bake for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out without wet batter on it (moist crumbs are fine.)
Let cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then remove to a rack to cool.
I like to slice the bread while it is still warm, but don't slice it until you are ready to eat.
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Course: bread
Cuisine: American
Author: Sue Moran
Keyword: beer, bread, no yeast, quick bread
Nutrition
Calories: 144 kcal · Carbohydrates: 30 g · Protein: 3 g · Fat: 1 g · Saturated Fat: 1 g · Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g · Monounsaturated Fat: 1 g · Sodium: 198 mg · Potassium: 148 mg · Fiber: 1 g · Sugar: 5 g · Calcium: 53 mg · Iron: 2 mg
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although The View from Great Island attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.
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