Easy Beer Bread (One Bowl + No Kneading!)

This Easy Beer Bread (One Bowl + No Kneading!) is so simple to make. It’s a quick bread recipe that uses beer instead of yeast to make bread rise and it’s delicious! The bread is hearty, with great texture and a slightly tangy, but full flavor.

In 2020 when the world was crazy and some staple groceries were hard to come by, bread one was of the things nowhere to be found. At first, it didn’t bother us much – we’re not huge bread-eaters. But eventually, we wanted/needed bread and I had to get creative. One thing I made a few times was Indian Fry Bread.

The other was when I first made beer bread. I had heard it was delicious, easy to make, and since beer was not hard to find, this became my go-to recipe.

Beer Bread with All-Purpose Flour

During the height of the pandemic, all-purpose flour (or any flour?) was also quite difficult to come by. Thankfully, I tend to buy in bulk most of the time so I had a pretty big supply of all-purpose flour on hand.

And even if I didn’t, I also keep whole wheat on hand that I can grind myself. Did you know if you buy whole wheat and store it properly that it will last up to 30 years? Yeah. So I keep a big pale of this on hand at all times and I have this amazing Nutrimill Harvest Grinder to grind my wheat into flour.

If you’re interested in grinding your own wheat, I highly recommend the Nutrimill Grain MIlls. This is not the grinder I have, but I have always been pleased with all of the Nutrimill products I own.

You can even get a Limited Edition Pink Harvest Grain Mill and 10% of the purchase will go to support the Dr. Susan Love Foundation to fight breast cancer! (Note – the Harvest Grain Mills are not included in the sale!)

Anyway, back to the bread.

Beer bread will not be “just like” your everyday sliced sandwich bread. You may not like it for a sandwich (or you might?!), but do not fear… it is delicious any way you cut it! It’s tender on the inside and the outside crust is to-die-for. That’s actually my favorite part… the somewhat crunchy, textured top! I love to eat it while it’s still warm, slathered in butter. Or better yet – homemade garlic butter!

Does Beer Bread taste like beer?

When I was researching beer bread recipes, one question I saw over and over again was, “Does Beer Bread taste like beer?”.

My answer is… yes and no. I know… oh so helpful. Let me explain.

I’ve only used one kind of beer (I told you – we’re not beer people), so I can’t speak to all the options, but I’ll tell you what I think. If you use a strong beer, then I imagine yes, it would noticeably taste more like beer.

But if you use a milder beer, then not so much. Bud Light is the beer I’ve used most often (maybe every time?!) and it gives the bread a slightly tangy flavor that is beer-ish, but not like, “Ooof, I’m eating BEER bread.”

If I didn’t know what beer tasted like (and I do not like beer), I might not even associate the tanginess with beer. But that’s just me. As a non-beer drinker and someone who doesn’t enjoy the taste of beer at all, I still love this easy beer bread made with Bud Light (or a similar beer).

Beer Bread with only FIVE staple ingredients!

You read that right. You can make this bread with only five basic ingredients. Of course, there are variations that will boost the flavor! But if you want to get down to the bare bones of the recipe, here’s what you’ll need:

• Salted Butter
• All-purpose flour
• Baking powder
• Sugar
• Beer

To give the bread a little more flavor, I also add garlic salt (our favorite is Lawry’s) to the recipe, but it’s not necessary and there are other options you could try as well.

Things you’ll need to make this Easy Beer Bread:

Bosch Mixer

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Loaf Pan

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Mixing Bowls

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Beer Bread Recipe Variations

The basic beer bread recipe above is just fine as it is written, but if you want to add a little pizazz to your bread, try one of the variations below or get creative and add your own flavors!

• Herbed Beer Bread. As I mentioned above, my preferred way to make this bread is by adding in some of our favorite Lawry’s Garlic Salt. But you could also add in 1 tablespoon of fresh rosemary or thyme to give it a differerent twist.
• Parmesan Cheese Beer Bread. I love the combo of cheese and garlic, so I love adding a 1/2 cup of shredded parmesan + the teaspoon of Lawry’s garlic salt. (see these Cheddar Garlic Biscuits if you like that flavor combo!!)
• Spicy Cheese Beer Bread. Again, cheese makes everything better. Shred a half a cup of pepper jack and mix it into your dough. Or add 1 tablespoon of diced jalapeno plus 1/2 cup of cheddar or jack cheese.
• Italian Beer Bread. Mix in 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning plus 1/4 cup prepared pesto and 1/4 cup diced sundried tomatoes. YUM!
• Apple Cinnamon Beer Bread. Mix in 1 teaspoon cinnamon and 1 cup of diced green apples. You can also substitute apple flavored beer if desired.

What do you eat beer bread with?

Personally, we do not like to use beer bread for sandwiches – it’s denser and the slices aren’t as big as typical “sandwich bread.” But you can use it for sandwiches if you like.

For breakfast or a snack, you could spread it with butter and drizzle with honey. Or toast it and add peanut butter or smashed avocado.

Mostly, we just love to smear it with butter and have it as a side with our supper, instead of cornbread or biscuits. We also love beer bread with beans or chili or soup. Or with spinach dip. Or toasted and covered in melted butter and/or softened cream cheese. The more I write, the more ways I think of… 😂

One Bowl + No Kneading = EASY Beer Bread!

So how easy is this bread? SO easy!! It’s a perfect recipe for beginners to try their hand at making bread! You can mix all of the ingredients in a single bowl and it takes less than 10 minutes to have it ready to go into the oven. There is no yeast to proof and no kneading is required.

It’s as easy as mixing up the five ingredients, pouring the dough into your loaf pan, baking and enjoying! Let me show you!

Start by preheating your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

The next thing you’ll do is melt the butter – and set that aside.

Add all the dry ingredients to a medium bowl. Then whisk them together.

Pour in the beer and mix well.

Next you’ll pour the dough into a greased 9-inch loaf pan.

Then pour the butter over the top!

Now you’ll place the loaf pan in the preheated oven and bake for 55-60 minutes until the top is crusty and golden brown.

Allow it to cool slightly on a cooling rack before flipping it out and serving!

Are you ready for the recipe?

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Love this Easy Beer Bread (One Bowl + No Kneading!)? Check out these other easy bread recipes…

Easy Cheddar Garlic Biscuits:

French Bread with a KitchenAid Mixer:

Indian Fry Bread:

Bundt Cake Banana Bread: