5-Ingredient Beer Bread (No Yeast)

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This 5-Ingredient Beer Bread with no yeast is ready in less than an hour! Just stir the batter, pour it into a pan and bake! You'll love this savory quick bread recipe!

Do you know about beer bread?

Growing up Italian, I'd never heard of such a thing. We ate Italian bread, of course.

But when I worked in Northern Kentucky in the early 1990s, I tried beer bread at the Drawbridge Estates restaurant and became hooked on its rich flavor.

My friends and I would even buy the bread mix in the gift shop so we could enjoy a loaf at home.

Because....We had no idea homemade beer bread is so easy.

But, if you can throw common ingredients into a bowl and stir, you can make beer bread! The beer supplies the yeast (brilliant!), and there's no kneading or rising involved.

In less than an hour, you can enjoy fresh, warm, slightly sweet, hearty bread! It's one of the best things in life!

Recipe ingredients

beer, flour, brown sugar, salt, baking powder.

As promised, this is a five-ingredient bread!

Beer: The best beer for beer bread is one that you enjoy. But, even if you don't like beer, you can still love this bread. (That's me!)

Dark beer will provide bolder flavor, while beer with a light color will produce bread with a milder, sweeter flavor.

I've tried both kinds for this recipe, and the beer bread is always delicious. But, the milder flavor that comes with a paler beer is my absolute favorite.

If you need to skip the alcohol, you can use non-alcoholic beer or even seltzer water.

Flour: You can make this beer bread with all-purpose flour, or use a 50-50 combination of white whole wheat flour and all-purpose flour. I've made this both ways with great success. I haven't tested this with bread flour.

How to make beer bread

This no-knead beer bread is so easy! See the recipe card at the end of this post for full instructions, but here's an overview.

bowl of beer with flour, bowl of batter with spoon, batter in loaf pan.

Add the dry ingredients to a bowl and stir. Pour the beer over the top.
Stir the batter just until you don't see any white streaks.
Pour the batter into a greased loaf pan (affiliate link) and bake!

Recipe tips

Break up any clumps of brown sugar with a fork before mixing the batter, so the sugar will be evenly distributed.
To test whether the beer bread is done, you can insert a toothpick or cake tester in the middle to see if it comes out clean. You also can tap the bottom of the loaf with your nail to see if it sounds hollow, which means it's ready.

How to serve it

You can simply slice and eat beer bread plain. But we love it toasted and slathered with butter! It's also delicious with jam, peanut butter or both.

And, don't forget about grilled cheese sandwiches!

At mealtime, the beer bread goes really well with Turkey Chili, Slow Cooker Cauliflower-Cheese Soup or Slow Cooker Carolina Pulled Pork.

It's perfect for the Super Bowl or any game day!

Beer bread variations

This easy beer bread recipe is perfect as is, but feel free to change it up a bit!

Make cheesy beer bread by adding a cup of shredded cheese to the batter.
Try adding herbs, garlic powder and/or smoked paprika.
Add orange or lemon zest for a pop of flavor.
Stir in small bits of cooked bacon for a smoky touch.
Add chopped jalapenos for some heat.

Frequently asked questions

Does alcohol evaporate when baked?

Some, but not all of the alcohol evaporates during baking, according to a study cited by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. If you need to avoid alcohol, it's best to use a non-alcoholic beer in this recipe.

How do you store beer bread?

Store the bread wrapped in foil, so it doesn't become too moist. You can leave it at room temperature for up to three days or store it in the refrigerator for up to five days. You also can freeze the beer bread whole or sliced for up to three months.

More quick bread recipes

Enjoy!

If you try this 5-Ingredient Beer Bread, be sure to leave a comment and a rating!