Cheddar Herb Beer Bread + Video

Alright. Alright alright alright. This beer bread. This Cheddar herb beer bread. It’s all my bread dreams (and bread dreams make up 87% of all my dreams, daydreams and night dreams included) in a single loaf. Not to be dramatic or anything.

No seriously. This is a NO KNEAD. NO RISE. NO EFFORT. QUICK AF bread recipe. That’s so damn delicious. And has beer in it. And cheese. And herbs. And does it get better. Yes.

Because I also have a video tutorial for this cheddar herb beer bread. Right here. Right now:

Or, watch it on YouTube.

I’ve had beer bread quite a few times in my life. But I was never the one that made it. I was just an enthusiastic eater of said bread. But then I decided to make my own. Potentially to be shared on this here blog. Which was when I discovered how friggin easy beer bread is to make.

Here’s how easy: Mix all your ingredients in a bowl, dump the dough (or batter, cuz it’s wet and sticky) into a loaf pan, and send that bread to the oven to bake up. Into the crustiest, crispiest loaf with the chewiest, doughiest crumb.

So yeah. Obvs I’m sharing a beer bread recipe with you. But not just “a” beer bread recipe. THE beer bread recipe. After batches of testing and tweaking and perfecting.

The classic beer bread consists of flour. And baking powder. And sugar. And beer. Das it.

And while I’m sure that’s great and all, today we ain’t bein classy, knowwhatI’msayin. Today we’re getting down and dirty.

This quick and easy beer bread has been dirtied up in so wonderful many ways.

It’s been debased (in a good way, of course) with spices. And herbs. And honey. And butter. And cheese.

I’ll expound. On all the additions.

Here are the dirty details:

• (generous) Salt and (a kick of ) black pepper.

• Dried basil, rosemary, and oregano.

• Honey, instead of sugar. Because the fruitiness of the honey pairs so nicely with the beer flavor. And adds even more dimension to the beer bread.

• Melted butter, brushed into the bottom and up the sides of the pan. And then brushed atop the dough. Butter all around, for an all around crispy, crunchy crust that’s buttery and blissful and did I mention so crispy and crunchy and the best thanks to that butter brushing?

• Cheddar cheese. Freshly grated. A whole cup. For that slightly sharp, amazingly rich Cheddar cheese flavor. Cheese. Inside the bread. But also eat the bread with cheese. DUH.

Use your favorite beer. For amazing beer flavor (that’s actually not overpowering, so even if you’re not a beer drinker, I’d surmise that you’d still worship this beer bread) in every bite. Guinness will give you a stronger, richer, sweeter result. A light beer, the opposite.

This Cheddar herb beer bread, as mentioned, comes together in one bowl. In minutes. Here’s how: the baking powder and beer replace the traditional yeast and water found in bread recipes.

So there’s no rising required. And no kneading to do.

And the result is a bread that’s just as soft and doughy and chewy on the inside and crispy and crunchy on the outside as any bread with yeast and minutes of kneading and hours of rising is. More so.

So quick and easy. So rich and flavorful. So herby and cheesy and buttery. So soft and chewy and crispy and crunchy.

I’ve literally included this Cheddar herb beer bread in all three of my meals yesterday. And in two so far today. Funny little feeling it’ll be included in my dinner tonight as well.

Cheddar Herb Beer Bread

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Yield: 9x5” loaf/8 servings

3 cups flour, sifted
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
1 1/4 teaspoons dried rosemary
1 teaspoon dried oregano
12 ounces (1 1/2 cups) favorite beer
3 tablespoons honey (can substitute sugar)
1 cup grated Cheddar cheese
3 tablespoons butter, melted (can be omitted for less buttery and less crunchy loaf)

1. Preheat oven to 375 F. If not using butter, grease 9x5” loaf pan.

2. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, spices, and herbs. Add in the beer, honey, and grated Cheddar cheese and mix until just combined.

3. Pour half of the melted butter into the bottom of a 9x5” loaf pan and brush butter all the way up the sides of the pan. Spread dough over butter (doesn’t need to be smooth). Pour/brush remaining butter over dough.

4. Bake beer bread for 40-55 minutes, until browned and crusty and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Adapted from Allrecipes