Braided Cheddar Beer Bread
ShareSoft and airy homemade beer bread with a cheddar swirl. A fun snacking bread to share with friends and family!
Starting Monday off with a complaint or two, because… it’s Monday so why not? We had two storms basically back to back – one Friday and another today. That’s not too unusual for this area. I’m seriously disappointed in how New England, in general, has handled things. Schools closing well ahead of both storms. In the end, it was a good decision… safety first and all. But the decision was only a good one because the towns and cities weren’t on the ball with proper snow cleanup. It’s SO unlike this area to not be prepared. And it’s not like these storms snuck up on us either. We’re used to 10 or 12 inches of snow in a given storm and going back to school the next day, so why is it that this year, the first two fairly large storms and everyone is freaking out? I just don’t get it. Is it just me? Maybe I’m a hardened New Englander, having gone through worse storms. I’m thinking and acting like what every older generation does… ‘we walked up hill to school, both ways, in 2 feet of snow.’ Or something like that.
After the Iowa caucus we were sure we’d be bombarded with political calls again. Shockingly enough, we didn’t receive a call for days. I figured the phone would be ringing off the hook even more so than it was prior to that. The break didn’t last too long though. It’s back to bordering on obnoxious. Sometimes we pick up and hang up. Sometimes we ask to be removed from their listing. But the best so far was one call yesterday. Most calls require voice activation for someone to pick up on the other end. So, the Mr answered and put the phone by the tv. They stayed on the line for a good minute or so listening to the movie Groundhog Day. I totally recommend going that route. It’s fun.
You guys… this bread.
It’s am-aaazing! I made this over the weekend and the family basically devoured it! Seriously good!
Look at those air pockets and swirls of cheese! It’s truly irresistible!
Super soft and airy braided beer bread with a cheesy swirl. It’s the perfect snacking bread to share with friends and family.
This flavorful bread is super easy to whip up and gives impressive results!
Be sure to add this braided cheddar beer bread to your baking plans! The only thing you’ll regret about this bread is not grabbing an extra slice before it’s gone! It WILL disappear fast! It’s that good.
Braided Cheddar Beer Bread
Ingredients
- 1 C and 2Tb beer*
- 1 tsp granulated sugar
- 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
- 2 3/4 C all purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 8 oz cheddar cheese shredded (2 cups)
Instructions
- In a glass measuring cup, heat beer to 115°F. Dissolve sugar and yeast in beer. Allow to proof for 5 minutes.
- In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine flour and salt. With mixer running on low, mix in beer mixture. Increase speed, mixing until a smooth ball forms.
- Grease a medium bowl. Shape dough into a ball, transfer to prepared bowl. Flip to coat all sides. Cover and allow to rise in a warm location until doubled in size, roughly 1 hour.
- Grease a 10-inch loaf pan. Set aside.
- On a silicone counter mat, roll out dough to a 10x20-inch rectangle. Sprinkle entire surface with shredded cheese, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Starting at one of the short ends, begin tightly rolling. Pinch ends and seam to seal. Using a sharp knife, slice down the center of the rolled dough to form two long pieces of dough, with center exposed. Twist dough pieces around eachother to form a braid. Pinch ends together. Carefully transfer to prepared loaf pan. Loosely cover and allow to rise in a warm location for an additional 60-90 minutes or until doubled in size.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 190°F.
- Allow loaf to cool in pan, set on a wire rack. When bread is cool, carefully run a sharp knife down the sides of the pan to release the loaf from the pan.
- Slice loaf into desired thicknesses. Store in an airtight container for up to several days.
Notes
Items used in this recipe:
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This sounds delicious! But what is ‘2TB’ beer? Thanks!
You should use 1 cup and 2 tablespoons of beer. Enjoy! :)
Oh no, snow storms is not fun, but this beer bread is yum and a cure to Monday blues. Love how airy and soft this bread is
Thanks Linda!
Haha, I love that you answered those soliciting phone calls! Maybe I should try that next time! This bread looks delicious!
You’ve got to try it that way lol They get annoyed instead of us ;)
I can totally relate to the snow clean-up issue. After our big snow they really slacked off on clearing some of the sidewalks making it impossible for me to do my running outside, so frustrating. On a happier note, this bread looks so good! I’ve never tried making braided bread, but I’m thinking it’s about time!
Thanks so much Danae!
Oh man I hear you on the storms! Parking is getting SUPER fun! Anyhoo this bread looks ridiculous!!!
I can only imagine! Hopefully we don’t get hit with too many more storms or it at least warms up and melts!
What a perfect looking loaf of bread! Cheese and beer makes everything taste better!
Thanks Cynthia!
I could seriously go for this and some tomato or french onion soup right now!
They’d be perfect together! :)
This bread turned out so lovely! Looks delicious ♥
Thanks Summer!
What could I use instead of beer? We don’t drink alcohol.
You could easily substitute water or milk, but keep in mind the flavor won’t be exactly the same.
I made this bread last night and it was absolutely amazing! It’s best eaten fresh for the best taste.
So glad you enjoyed it, Kristen! Thanks so much for sharing. :)
I made this bread today because I am co-hosting a Maundy Thursday dinner and wanted something a little special. It was a knockout success! I made it with whole wheat flour because I avoid white flour. I also doubled the recipe. The only changes that seemed necessary were using about half a cup more beer in a double recipe because the whole wheat flour takes more liquid and adding about a quarter cup of olive oil because it really softens the texture of whole wheat flour. I am delighted with the texture, flavor and excellent rise of this bread. It turned out gorgeous and scrumptious! It will stay in my rotation for sure!
So glad to hear you enjoyed it so much! Thanks for sharing, Sashanna! :)
All of your recipes have turned out great for us. But I couldn’t help leaving a comment behind for this one. This bread is perfection! Thank you for your recipes! This one will definitely be on rotation.
So glad to hear this, Christina! Thanks for sharing! :)