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This easy Guinness beer bread requires no yeast, no kneading, and comes together in minutes. The stout beer gives it a deep, malty flavor, while shredded Irish cheddar adds richness to every bite. It’s the perfect savory bread to enjoy with a pat of butter, alongside a hearty meal like Irish Stew, or as part of a St. Patrick’s Day spread.
This recipe was originally published in February of 2015 and has been updated with more information and cooking tips to help you recreate this recipe in your own kitchen.
Why You’ll Enjoy This Recipe
Beer bread is one of the easiest homemade breads you can make. Here’s why:
- No yeast needed – The beer reacts with baking powder to create a perfectly risen, fluffy loaf.
- Full of flavor – The Guinness adds depth, while the cheddar gives it a savory, cheesy bite.
- Quick and foolproof – Just mix, rest, and bake. No complicated steps.
Exact quantities are listed in the recipe card below. The recipe card also allows you to easily scale the recipe, and ingredient amounts will automatically adjust.
How to Make Guinness Beer Bread
This bread comes together with just a few simple steps. Always refer to the recipe card below, but here’s the basic process:
- Mix the dry ingredients – Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and shredded cheddar in a bowl.
- Stir in the Guinness – Pour in the stout and mix just until combined.
- Let it rest – Allow the batter to sit for 20–30 minutes to help develop the texture and give it some rise prior to baking.
- Bake until golden – Cook at 350°F for 45–55 minutes. Five minutes before it’s done, rub the top with butter for a glossy finish.
Tips for the Best Beer Bread
Over the years, I’ve learned a few tricks to make this bread turn out perfect every time.
- Use high-quality cheddar – Irish cheddar, like Kerrygold, melts beautifully and adds extra richness.
- Don’t overmix the dough – Stir just until combined to keep the bread light and fluffy.
- Line the loaf pan with parchment paper – This makes it easier to lift out once baked.
Variations & Serving Ideas
While this cheesy beer bread is amazing on its own, here are some ways to switch it up:
- Try a different cheese – Swap the cheddar for gouda, parmesan, or smoked cheese.
- Experiment with beer flavors – Use a different stout or try an amber ale for a milder taste.
- Serve it warm with butter – A slice with Irish butter is unbeatable, but it’s also great with soups, stews, or shepherd’s pie.
How to Store Leftovers
Freeze for later – Wrap the entire loaf tightly in foil and freeze for up to 3 months.
Wrap tightly in plastic wrap – Keeps fresh for 2–3 days at room temperature.
Guinness Beer Recipes
If you’re looking for tasty recipes that use Guinness stout, you might be interested in making these favorites.
- Instant Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage
- Bangers and Mash with Stout Gravy
- For dessert, Guinness Chocolate Cake or a Guinness Float with Guinness Chocolate Sauce
Did you make this recipe? Be sure to leave me a comment below!
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Equipment
- loaf pan
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese shredded, Irish cheddar (Kerrygold) recommended
- 12 ounces stout beer I used Guinness
- 1 tablespoon butter I used Kerrygold
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a loaf pan with parchment and/or grease with butter.
- In a large bowl, mix together the 3 cups all-purpose flour, 1/3 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon baking powder, and 1 teaspoon salt. Add the shredded 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese and toss together so that each piece of cheese is coated with the flour mixture.
- Add the 12 ounces stout beer and stir just until fully mixed. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Allow the batter to rest (preferably in a warm room) for 20-30 minutes.
- Cook the bread in the preheated oven for 45-55 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean or when the internal temperature of the bread reaches 190°F. Five minutes before removing the bread from oven, rub the top of the bread with 1 tablespoon butter until its coated with a wonderful melted layer.
- Remove the pan from the oven and immediately remove the bread from the pan to cool on cooling rack. Serve warm with more butter.
Notes
- You can substitute the flour, sugar, and baking powder in my recipe with 3 1/3 cups self rising flour if you have it on hand.
- Since I made this bread for St. Patrick’s Day, I used Guinness stout for my beer, Kerrygold Irish Cheddar which has a sharp nutty taste, and Kerrygold Irish butter, which, in my opinion, is worth every penny. You can easily swap those ingredients out for a different kind of beer or ale and/or alternate cheddar cheese and butter.
- The easiest way to pull the hot loaf of bread out of the pan is to line it with parchment paper first.
- To store, wrap tightly in plastic wrap.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Delicious! Great texture, amazing crunchy top. Guests raved about this bread!
Excellent, easy and relatively quick to make, especially if you can’t knead bread dough (for me it’s painful with arthritis). Next time I would choose a sharper tasting cheddar (I used mild, it’s all I had) and reduce the amount of sugar. I can see why this recipe has endured. Thanks!
Ok, so I didn’t have Irish Cheddar or Kerrygold butter, but I made it with generic ingredients anyway. It came out great. Only had one problem. Recipe calls for 12 oz of Guinness. I only have 14.5 oz cans. I poured some out to sip while mixing ingredients, but discovered I poured out too much, so had to open a second can and couldn’t let that go to waste. My husband stopped me at the third 😉 definitely gonna make this again!
You crack me up, Barbara! I think I got the smaller cans at Trader Joe’s which is why they were smaller for this recipe, but ain’t nothing wrong with taking a few sips! You should see me when I make recipes that call for wine!!! Hope you are well. Krissy
I always love a great bread recipe and this Stout bread looks so fluffy and delicious!
A perfect bread for St. Patrick’s Day! Simple and delicious!
I have never tried Irish Cheddar Stout Bread. It does look wonderfully delicious! I can’t wait to try it!
I can’t believe how easy this is to make. It looks fantastic and I cannot wait to make this.
Yum, this looks awesome. Pinning it for St. Patrick’s Day dinner!