If you like homemade bread, then this quick and easy Beer Cheese Skillet Bread is for you. Make it with beer or “zero-alcohol” beer, either way, it’s delicious and takes only 25- minutes to bake. No kneading. No proofing. No yeast. Just mix the batter in a large mixing bowl, transfer the beer batter to a cast iron skillet, and bake! How easy is that?

Sliced beer cheese bread in cast iron skillet.

Why this recipe works

This beer cheese bread is perfect for folks like me who don’t have the patience for kneading, proofing and complicated steps for bread-making.

This no knead bread works due to the magic of food science! The result is a rustic, artisan bread that is ready in minutes and NO SPECIAL EQUIPMENT IS NEEDED.

No kneading. No proofing. No dairy. No eggs.
Minimal prep time – all you have to do is melt a little butter and shred the cheese. After that, it’s just a quick mix of the ingredients and you pop it in the oven and the homemade bread is done!
The ingredients in the beer (water, malt, yeast and hops) along with carbonation are what help the bread to rise without yeast
Baking powder also helps the no beer bread to rise
If you don’t have any type of beer, you can substitute with club soda or sparkling water
Baking the bread in a cast iron skillet results in a fluffy bread with a crusty top and bottom!

Here’s what you’ll need

This quick skillet bread uses ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen:

A 10″ inch cast iron skillet (well-seasoned is recommended)
Butter – unsalted
All-purpose flour
Baking powder
Sugar- granulated
Salt-kosher
Ground black pepper
Dried minced or chopped onions (optional)
Shredded cheese– use what you have on hand or a combination of soft cheeses (Cheddar, Swiss, ColbyJack, Pepper Jack, Monterrey Jack)
Beer– a pale ale domestic like “Coors” or “Budweiser” works fine; you can also use a zero-alcohol beer like Stella Artois. You can use a full-bodied or light beer – it’s really all about the carbonation

How to make it

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Farenheit; if your cast iron skillet isn’t well-seasoned, grease it with a little oil or Crisco; melt the butter and shred the cheese; set aside
In a large mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients
Add butter and shredded cheese to the flour mixture, combine well, then add the beer
Mix lightly until the batter is well-combined. Do not overmix.
Scoop beer batter into the skillet and smooth the top; garnish with remaining cheddar cheese and bake 20-25 minutes on middle oven rack until the center comes out clean with a toothpick
Place skillet on wire rack for 10 minutes
Gently loosen the baked beer cheese bread from skillet and turn the loaf of bread out onto the wire rack and allow to cool for another 5-10 minutes.
Slice and serve with melted butter and/or your favorite soup

Recipe tips

For the best beer cheese bread, shred your own cheese from a cheese block; pre-shredded cheese is not recommended
Rotate the skillet halfway through the baking time for an even, crusty top

Variations for beer cheese bread

The beauty of this simple skillet bread recipe is that you can add whatever flavors, seasonings and spices you like.

Chopped jalapenos – about ½ cup of finely chopped and drained jalapenos give this recipe a Southwestern, or Tex-Mex flair
Italian herbs – add a tablespoon of dried Italian seasonings
Rye – add Caraway seeds
General seasonings you can add to enhance this bread: chopped chives, onion powder, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, dill weed-the options are endless.

Storage and make ahead

Store bread in the refrigerator, wrapped tightly with plastic wrap for 3-5 days. Freeze bread by wrapping it in plastic wrap first, then aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat, allow bread to come to room temperature, then wrap it in foil and bake on 200 degrees until warm throughout or microwave for a few minutes.

Beer cheese bread sliced in cast iron skillet.

This quick bread is perfect for dipping into homemade soups or stews, and it pairs beautifully with Wisconsin Beer Cheese Soup.

Beer Cheese Skillet Bread

Easy bread recipe that has no eggs, no dairy, no yeast and requires to kneading or proofing. Beer cheese skillet bread can be made with zero alcohol beer as well.

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Course: Bread

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 25

Total Time: 30

Yield: slices

Author: Anecia Hero

Equipment

10" inch seasoned cast iron skillet

Ingredients

2½ cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon minced dried onion flakes (optional)
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1½ teaspoons Kosher salt or table salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese, (divided) (1½ cups for the batter; ½ for the topping)
1½ cups beer (mild lager) (12 ounces)
you might need a little oil or Crisco for the skillet See recipe notes below

Instructions

Prep – Please read the Recipe Notes below first

Melt the butter and shred the cheese; set aside
Grease cast iron skillet with a light coating of oil or Crisco if your skillet isn't well seasoned; set aside
Preheat oven to 450℉
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese, (divided)

Make the Bread

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, melted butter, dried onion flakes (optional), sugar, baking powder, salt and pepper; whisk to combine
2½ cups all-purpose flour, 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, 1 tablespoon minced dried onion flakes, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 4 teaspoons baking powder, 1½ teaspoons Kosher salt or table salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Stir in 1½ cups of the cheese; add the beer and combine. The mixture will be thick – do not overmix
1½ cups beer (mild lager)
Scoop batter into prepared cast iron skillet, smooth the top with a spatula and sprinkle the remaining cheese on top. Bake on the middle oven rack uncovered for 20-25 minutes, rotating the skillet halfway through the cooking time.
Test for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center; the bread is done when the toothpick comes out clean
Place skillet on wire rack to cool for about 10-minutes; use a spatula to loosen the bread from the skillet, then put a plate on top of the skillet and flip it; the bread will be upside down on the plate
Gently flip bread onto a wire cooling rack and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes; for best results, slice with a serrated knife

Notes

Cast-iron skillet – make sure it’s well greased with a neutral oil (vegetable or Canola) or Crisco- do not use olive oil

Cheese – Shred cheese from block; pre-shredded cheese is not recommended due to the anti-coagulating coat it has; use 2 cups of whatever type of soft cheese you like

Baking powder – make sure it’s fresh

Beer – use a light domestic beer like Budweiser, Coors or Miller Lite OR you can use a non-alcoholic beer. If you don’t have beer, use club soda or sparkling water (the bread flavor will be slightly different due to the omission of the hops and barley), but the bread will still taste delicious!

Nutrition Estimate

Serving: 1sliceCalories: 323kcalCarbohydrates: 35gProtein: 11gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 40mgSodium: 836mgPotassium: 86mgFiber: 1gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 415IUVitamin C: 0.5mgCalcium: 329mgIron: 2mg

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