Bacon Cheese Beer Bread

Bacon Cheese Beer Bread is the perfect spin on beer bread. Made with just five ingredients, you won’t be able to get enough of this delicious bread.

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One of my favorite things about beer bread is how easy it is to make a twist on. In this version we are adding bacon and cheese. I just need to tell you that beer bread, bacon, and cheese are meant to be together. This bread is just five simple ingredients and needs to be part of your life immediately.

OMG this bread was amazing!!!

Why Beer Bread Works

This recipe for beer bread starts with self-rising flour. Self-rising flour is a combination of flour, baking powder, and salt. The combination of the baking powder and the salt works together to act as a leavening agent.

In my Pizza Dough recipe, you can see how we add yeast (the leavening agent) to warm water and wait for it to proof before adding it to the flour mixture and letting that dough rise. By using self-rising flour, we skip that step in this recipe.

How to Make Beer Bread with Cheese and Bacon

Here is a brief overview of how to make this simple bread. For the full recipe including all measurements, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

Make the Base

Combine the self-rising flour and sugar. Then stir in the beer.

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Add in the Cheese and Bacon and Bake

Mix in the shredded cheddar cheese and cooked bacon.

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Bake

Pour the batter into a bread pan and bake. In the last three minutes of baking, add melted butter if desired. Allow to cool before slicing.

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Tips and Tricks

Make sure your self-rising flour is fresh. Because of the baking powder in it, self-rising flour has a shelf-life of six months. After that you will get less of a rise you are going to get in your bread.
Use a reliable bread pan. A great pan can make or break a bread recipe. I highly recommend this bread pan .
Make your own self-rising flour. If you don’t have self-rising flour, you can make your own. You will need 3 cups all purpose flour, 3 teaspoons baking powder, and 3/4 teaspoon table salt.
Use a beer you love. The best results come from using a beer that you absolutely love.
Use soda instead. If you are making this for someone who is sober, swap the beer with soda. You can see a side by side photo in my beer bread post about what the difference looks like.
Cook your bacon an easy way. Air fryer bacon and oven cooked bacon are two really quick ways to make this recipe go faster!
Shred your own cheese. For better taste and texture, shred your own cheese from the block, rather than use pre-shredded cheese.
Add butter at the end. This bread is delicious with or without butter. If desired pour 3 tablespoons of melted butter over the bread in the last three to five minutes of baking to prevent it from browning or burning.

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Storing Beer Bread With Cheese and Bacon

Once this bread has fully cooled, it can be stored in an airtight container for up to three days on the counter. You can reheat slices of bread in the toaster or in the oven if you prefer it warm, or can enjoy it at room temperature. Always use your best discretion with leftovers.

Freezing

You can make this recipe ahead of time and freeze it. Once it has fully cooled, store it in an airtight container with the air removed, like a gallon ziplock bag, and keep it in the freezer for up to three months.

You can also freeze this bread in slices. Once the bread has cooled, cut it into slices and freeze them in a single layer on a baking sheet for a few hours. Then transfer them to an airtight container and freeze them for up to three months.

Allow the beer bread to thaw before enjoying it. Reheat in the oven for 10 minutes.

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Other Beer Bread Variations

Because the original beer bread recipe is so simple, it is easy to customize it with mix-ins and make variations. Here are a few of my favorite beer bread recipes:

Jalapeño Popper Beer Bread Recipe is your favorite Jalapeno Poppers in beer bread form.
A Beer Bread Bowl will be your new favorite way to serve dips!
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Ingredients

3 cups self-rising flour (339 grams)
1/2 cup sugar (99 grams)
12 ounces beer (354.88 ml)
8 ounces cheddar cheese (226.8 grams) shredded
4 pieces thick cut bacon cooked and diced
1 tablespoon butter melted (optional)

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a bread pan with cooking spray and set aside.
In a large bowl whisk together the sugar and the flour. Gently mix in the beer. The batter will be thick. 3 cups self-rising flour, 1/2 cup sugar, 12 ounces beer
Mix in the shredded cheese and bacon. 8 ounces cheddar cheese, 4 pieces thick cut bacon
Pour the batter into the prepared bread pan . Bake for 50 minutes or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the middle of the loaf comes out with just a few crumbs (keep in mind that the cheese in the bread may be on the toothpick too).
Brush on the melted butter if using. 1 tablespoon butter
Allow to cool in the bread pan for 10 minutes. Then remove from the pan and allow to cool on a cooling rack for 1 hour before slicing.

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