Homemade beer cheese dip is an instant crowd pleaser that's ready in 20 minutes or less. It pairs perfectly with pub-style soft pretzels, crackers, veggie trays and just about anything else you can think to dip into it!
This is a pub style appetizer you can enjoy at home in less than 20 minutes.
The nice thing about this beer cheese, is that you can make it ahead of time in your slow cooker and keep it warm for hours.
Beer cheese is one of those dips that tastes delicious with anything. Try soft pretzels, veggies and crackers.
Ingredients
Beer- Choose a light lag
Use a mild or medium cheddar cheese, as sharp cheeses don't melt as smoothly, and avoid pre-shredded cheese.
Smoke paprika adds a literal smoky flavor to the beer cheese, but you can opt for sweet paprika instead.
Cayenne pepper is spicy, so use a very small pinch, or substitute with black or white pepper.
Use a full fat cream cheese, a low fat cream cheese won't result in as smooth smooth melt.
Instructions
Sauté the minced red bell pepper, garlic, and onion in a bit of butter until softened (photo 1). You can mince the vegetables very finely, or leave them chunky. (For an ultra smooth cheese, without this texture, puree the mixture after the beer is added.)
Add the beer (at this point, you can use an immersion blender to puree the vegetables with the beer for an ultra smooth cheese) and cream cheese (photo 2).
Stir the cream cheese and beer over medium low heat until the cream cheese has fully melted (photo 3).
Add the shredded cheese and stir on medium low heat until smooth and creamy (photo 4).
Tips
- Shred the cheese off the block; pre shredded cheese has anti-caking ingredients that don't allow it to melt as smoothly.
- Keep the heat below medium to melt the cheese. Heating it too high can cause the cheese proteins to separate and become grainy.
- To make the cheese ultra smooth, puree the sautéed peppers and onions after the beer is poured in the pot. Conversely, leave them minced for a slight bit of texture in the beer cheese dip.
- Choose a light, low-hop beer like a lager or pale ale.
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If you tried this recipe, leave a rating in the recipe card.
Beer Cheese Dip
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon butter
- ½ red bell pepper diced, optional
- 1 teaspoon garlic minced
- 1 shallot minced
- 3 tablespoon flour
- pinch cayenne pepper to taste
- 4 oz cream cheese
- 3 cups cheddar cheese shredded, medium or mild
- 12 oz beer lager, or pale or amber ale
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Mince the vegetables.
- In a small sauce pan on medium high heat, add butter, diced bell pepper, and minced shallot. Sauté until soft.
- Add minced garlic, sauté for another 2 minutes.
- Whisk in the flour until smooth.
- Add the beer, and bring to a simmer for 5-10 minutes to cook out some of the alcohol.
- Reduce heat to medium low.
- Use an immersion blender to blend the vegetables into the beer mixture until smooth.
- Whisk in the Dijon mustard, Worcestershire, cayenne pepper, and cream cheese.
- Add in the cream cheese, stir until smooth.
- Add the shredded cheese, and stir until smooth and melted.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve the beer cheese dip warm.
- Serve warm, with soft pretzels, or vegetables or crackers.
Notes
- Either on the stove top, on low, covered, stirring occasionally. Do not turn the heat past medium low at the highest.
- Or, in the microwave, at 40% power for one minute intervals, stirring in between until loosened, creamy and warm again.
- After the beer is added, and the cream cheese has melted, use an immersion blender to puree the ingredients until smooth. (This should be done before the shredded cheese has been added, for best results.)
Debbie
Made the beer cheese and it was delicious. I added some extra seasonings for a kick. The result was a little thin so added a small amount of dissolved cornstarch and it was perfect.
Erin
Love the idea of extra spices for a kick!
Amy
The cheese in my cheese dip came out curdy...not sure why I shredded it off the block. Any ideas to save it? It smells great!!
Erin
Hey Amy!
Thanks for your comment. So, that can happen with cheese if you heat it too high for too long (it breaks and separates), or it's possible that it just didn't have enough time to melt. But I'm guessing if it looked clumpy it may have simmered at too high of heat. The same goes for any dairy, although some are more stable than others at higher heat. I'm sorry it didn't work out! Feel free to email me if you'd like!
Paula
Do I use plain flour or self rising flour?
Erin
Hey paula!, regular all purpose flour should work great. I'd avoid self-rising just because of the extra baking soda and baking powder, you might eliminate the iconic "chew" and "stretch" that we like to see with a typical soft pretzel 🙂
Rachel
Erin! Thank you so much for posting this recipe! With everything going on with this pandemic, I've really been taking the reins in feeding my family. I'm usually just the chef, but I've been dipping my toes in the baking scene and this recipe seemed like a mix of both!
The beer cheese dip was phenomenal! I followed the recipe to a T, and it was a real hit! And of course, I had to have the pretzels too. Wish we took pics of the pretzel twists we made.
Will definitely be making both the dip and pretzels again!!
Erin
Rachel! Words cannot express how happy that makes me! There's something so satisfying about making your own beer cheese with soft pretzels to dunk, it's such a special treat! I'm glad to hear that you enjoyed the recipe, and that you are baking! It's worth the extra effort isn't it!
Thanks again for your lovely comment 🙂
Kate
That cheese sauce looks amazing! Wondering if there are quantities for the flour, salt, sugar and yeast to go in the pretzels?
Erin
Caitlin, thank you so much for bringing that to my attention! I have spent so much time getting this recipe right, and then I go and forget to add my measurements! Go figure. They are in now, in the paragraph about making the dough, they are not in the beer cheese recipe card itself. I am planning to do a separate post for just the pretzels, but for now you can (now) find the measurements in that paragraph. Thank you so much! I hope you like them, I'd love to know what you think 🙂