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Skillet Cheddar-Bacon Beer Bread

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Skillet Cheddar-Bacon Beer Bread is a savory quick bread with smoky bacon, sharp cheddar, and green onions. Golden and crisp on the outside and moist and fluffy on the inside, it’s the perfect pair to your favorite hearty soup or homemade chili.

Skillet Cheddar-Bacon Beer Bread is a savory quick bread with smoky bacon, sharp cheddar, and green onions. Golden and crisp on the outside and moist and fluffy on the inside, it's the perfect pair to your favorite hearty soup or homemade chili.

As much as I love the inviting aroma and satisfying taste of homemade bread, I find working with yeast a little too tedious for my blood. Blooming of the yeast, kneading the dough, and waiting for it to rise are a bit too much for my inner child who wants instant gratification.

So on days when I crave the warmth and comfort of a fresh loaf straight out of the oven, I depend on this skillet cheddar-bacon beer bread to make it happen. With simple easy steps, basic pantry ingredients, and about 5 minutes prep time, it’s virtually foolproof!

Skillet Cheddar-Bacon Beer Bread is a savory quick bread with smoky bacon, sharp cheddar, and green onions. Golden and crisp on the outside and moist and fluffy on the inside, it's the perfect pair to your favorite hearty soup or homemade chili.

In its most basic form, beer bread is a simple mixture of flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, and beer but I love to throw in crisp bacon, shredded cheddar, and green onions to kick things up a notch. The flavor is unbelievable! You get a golden, crisp crust and a moist, buttery inner loaf interspersed with smoky bacon and sharp cheddar that’s sure to win raves!

You’ll definitely enjoy dunking this hearty beer bread in your favorite soup or pairing it with homemade chili. Try drenching thick slices with sausage gravy to go with your breakfast eggs in the morning (one of my guilty pleasures).

Skillet Cheddar-Bacon Beer Bread is a savory quick bread with smoky bacon, sharp cheddar, and green onions. Golden and crisp on the outside and moist and fluffy on the inside, it's the perfect pair to your favorite hearty soup or homemade chili.

Here are a few quick tips on how to pull together this scrumptious skillet cheddar-bacon beer bread deliciously every time:

  • As most quick bread, beer bread uses baking powder as the leavening agent instead of yeast. Check the expiration of your baking powder and make sure it’s fresh to ensure a full rise.
  • Preheat your oven before you start preparing the batter. You don’t want the batter to stand too long before it goes into the oven as it may cause the middle of the bread to sink.
  • Do NOT overmix the batter. Once you add the beer to the flour mixture, stir just until the dry ingredients are moistened. Overmixing the batter will result in peaks, tunnels, and tough texture. A few lumps here and there are GOOD. The batter for this beer bread is very thick so please don’t be tempted to add more liquid.
  • Make a well in the middle of the flour mixture instead of pouring the beer all over. This will help you combine the wet and dry ingredients uniformly, preventing overmixing.
  • You can use any of your favorite beer, I find the subtle flavors of a lager-style such as Stella Artois complement this skillet cheddar-bacon beer bread best.
  • The melted butter poured on the batter before baking helps the crust crisp and brown beautifully.
  • If the top is browning way before the inside is cooked through, loosely tent with foil.

Skillet Cheddar-Bacon Beer Bread is a savory quick bread with smoky bacon, sharp cheddar, and green onions. Golden and crisp on the outside and moist and fluffy on the inside, it's the perfect pair to your favorite hearty soup or homemade chili.

I like to bake this beer bread in my trusty cast iron skillet as I love how rustic it looks and how I can bring the skillet to the dinner table to help keep the bread warm while we eat. You can, of course, use a loaf pan, if you like, and adjust the cooking time to about 1 hour. Enjoy!

4.65 from 17 votes
Skillet Cheddar-Bacon Beer Bread is a savory quick bread with smoky bacon, sharp cheddar, and green onions. Golden and crisp on the outside and moist and fluffy on the inside, it's the perfect pair to your favorite hearty soup or homemade chili.
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Skillet Cheddar-Bacon Beer Bread
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
1 hr
Total Time
1 hr 5 mins
 

Skillet Cheddar-Bacon Beer Bread is a savory quick bread with smoky bacon, sharp cheddar, and green onions. Golden and crisp on the outside and moist and fluffy on the inside, it's the perfect pair to your favorite hearty soup or homemade chili.

Course: Baked Goods
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8 Servings
Calories: 346 kcal
Author: Onion Rings and Things
Ingredients
  • 4 slices bacon, chopped
  • 3 cups flour
  • 4 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 bottle (12 ounces) lager-style beer
  • 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 2 tablespoons green onions, chopped
  • 4 tablespoons butter, melted
Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 F.

  2. In a skillet over medium heat, add bacon and cook until brown and crisp. With a slotted spoon, remove from pan and drain on paper towels.

  3. In a bowl, combine flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Stir to combine. Add bacon, cheese, and green onions. Stir to combine. Make a well in the center of flour mixture and add beer. Stir just until dry ingredients are moistened. 

  4. Spray a 12-inch cast-iron skillet with non-stick cooking spray. Transfer batter to skillet and with a spatula spread evenly. Pour melted butter over batter. 

  5. Bake in preheated for about 50 to 55 minutes or until top is golden and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove from heat and allow to slightly cool before slicing. Serve warm.

Nutrition Facts
Skillet Cheddar-Bacon Beer Bread
Amount Per Serving (124 g)
Calories 346 Calories from Fat 113
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 12.5g 19%
Saturated Fat 6.5g 33%
Cholesterol 33mg 11%
Sodium 527mg 22%
Potassium 412mg 12%
Total Carbohydrates 45.2g 15%
Dietary Fiber 1.4g 6%
Sugars 6.5g
Protein 10.4g 21%
Vitamin A 5%
Calcium 19%
Iron 15%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Skillet Cheddar-Bacon Beer Bread is a savory quick bread with smoky bacon, sharp cheddar, and green onions. Golden and crisp on the outside and moist and fluffy on the inside, it's the perfect pair to your favorite hearty soup or homemade chili.
Skillet Cheddar-Bacon Beer Bread is a savory quick bread with smoky bacon, sharp cheddar, and green onions. Golden and crisp on the outside and moist and fluffy on the inside, it's the perfect pair to your favorite hearty soup or homemade chili.

 

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Skillet Cheddar-Bacon Beer Bread is a savory quick bread with smoky bacon, sharp cheddar, and green onions. Golden and crisp on the outside and moist and fluffy on the inside, it's the perfect pair to your favorite hearty soup or homemade chili.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Great tasting recipe that’s easy and quick to put together! I had originally planned on using the green onions like the recipe called for but I decided to used a few serrano peppers I had in the freezer and it came out great with just enough heat. I also used a light coating of the bacon grease on my cast iron and the bottom crust came out perfectly crispy and the melted butter (not the lean version I guess) made the top just as equally crispy. I was surprised at how light and airy the crumb of the bread is; not dense at all. This one is a keeper fer sure! Thanks!

    Reply

    • Thank you so much for the feedback. I am glad you enjoyed it. Will try greasing my pan with bacon grease next time, I can just imagine the added flavor. 🙂

      Reply

      • my only question is… why wouldn’t you bake this in the skillet in which you fried the bacon..?? like I do with cornbread, it makes such a crunchy tasty crust!

        Reply

        • Hello Sarah

          Yes, it would be more flavor to bake it in the same skillet and I do that sometimes, too, but some of my readers may balk at the idea of using bacon grease so I write the recipes using a “leaner” option. Thank you so much for the tip, I would definitely include it in the post. 🙂

          Reply

  8. I am in love with everything about this bread! I may have to splurge on my diet and try this out over the weekend

    Reply

  13. Oh My Gosh !!! If I make this bread, I would hide with it in a corner ad eat all of it as it really sounds so delicious n I dont want to be sharing it 😉

    Reply

  14. This bread looks so delicious, I’ve once used beer in cooking with a beer-butt chicken, very yummy you should try it!

    Reply

  17. I am vegan so this is not necessarily the one for me but I do love to experiment with bread. Olives and walnuts are always a winner, I think!

    Reply

  20. I am terrible at yeast breads too! I even got a bread machine for our wedding and used it twice. Both times for pizza dough. LOL. I am a sucker for cornbread and crusty french bread but the thought of pouring melted butter over the top of the batter and making a crispy crust is so great!

    Reply

  27. Oh, this Skillet Cheddar-Bacon Beer Bread looks like a perfect comfort food! I really like that it’s super easy to make!

    Reply

  28. I asked a very simple question which is still “awaiting moderation”…

    What size skillet did you use? 10″? 12″? 14”? Obviously size will determine thickness which, in turn, determines the baking time.

    Editing your recipe to reflect accurate information would be helpful.

    Reply

    • Hello April,

      I am sorry, your first comment somehow when to my spam folder and I had to retrieve it. Yes, you’re right, the size of the skillet is an important information I missed to include. I apologize. I used a 12-inch skillet and I updated the recipe to reflect this. Thank you for bringing to my attention. I appreciate it.

      Reply

  37. I’ve actually never made beer bread before. But, if I see it on a menu when I’m out, I almost always order it! I’ll have to give it a try soon with this recipe.

    Reply

  39. I love cast iron pans! Can’t live without them.. This bread looks so yum. I love how easy it is to make. I love cheddar in such bread cause it has such a strong flavor – can’t miss it

    Reply

  42. I just found my small cast iron skillet! Im thinking bacon, cheese and bread are the perfect thing to make in it first! LOVE THIS!!

    Reply

  44. I think this is such a lovely treat. It’s easy to assemble and make and it’s something that everyone on the family will enjoy. It’s a recipe that’s worth keeping.

    Reply

  46. Oh my .. this looks wonderful! I’m starting a big batch of chili tomorrow and I know what I’m going to make to go alongside. Thanks so much for the recipe!

    Reply

  50. This looks so tasty! Cheddar and bacon is such a classic flavor combination. It’s perfect for beer bread!

    Reply

  56. We have lots of specialty craft beers here in Wisconsin, so I used Ale Asylum Hopalicious. This turned out very well, delicious, but keep in mind the flavor of the beer will come through. You may want a more mild or a stronger beer, depending on what you prefer. This will be made again!

    Reply

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