Learn how to make the most delicious, simple beer cheese dip – perfect for pairing with soft pretzels, apples, veggies, and more!

Is there anything in this world better than a perfectly baked, salty soft prezel?

I’m not sure that there is.

Unless, of course, you’re talking about a perfectly baked, salty soft pretzel paired with beer cheese dip.

Now that’s the perfect snack.

This is our go-to recipe for almost any time we have a big gathering. It’s perfect for football games, birthday parties, game nights, and more. It only needs four ingredients, it takes less than 10 minutes to throw together, and it never fails to wildly impress your guests!

You can, of course, offer more than just pretzels with your beer cheese. It’s also delicious paired with sliced apples, broccoli florets, sourdough bread, cauliflower…heck, you could just toss out a few extra spoons so people can just directly deposit it into their mouths.

Because, let’s be real, that’s how we all want to eat it!

How to Make Beer Cheese Dip

Roux being made in a saucepan

You’ll start off by making a simple roux with equal parts flour and butter. Once the butter melts and the roux has cooked on medium-low heat for about a minute, you’re ready for some beer!

Pour in a 12-oz bottle or can of your favorite beer. You can play around with different types of beer here for slightly different flavors. I usually use a lager, blonde, or Pilsner, but you can honestly use any type of beer that’s in your fridge. We’ve even tried it with sangria-flavored hard cider before and it was delicious, so I think it’s safe to say any beer will work.

Once the beer has been added and whisked into the roux, it’s time for cheese. I recommend tossing the cheese in a bit of extra flour before adding it to the mixture – this helps the melting process and reduces the chances of your sauce breaking!

We use an entire bag (2 cups) of extra sharp cheddar cheese. Whisk it continually as the cheese melts over medium-low – it should take about 5 minutes.

Once it’s all melted, season to taste with salt (about 1 tsp works well for us), and serve it up!

The full, detailed recipe is below. Keep reading after it for some FAQs and more serving tips!

Yield: 8 servings

10-Minute Beer Cheese Dip

10-Minute Beer Cheese Dip

A delicious, simple, decadent beer cheese dip sure to impress at your next party!

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • - 3 tablespoons flour
  • - 2 tablespoons butter
  • - (1) 12-oz beer
  • - 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
  • - Salt to taste

Instructions

  1. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat.
  2. Once melted, add 2 tablespoons of flour and whisk to combine. Allow to cook for 1 minute.
  3. Add beer, whisking constantly until smooth.
  4. Toss cheese with remaining tablespoon of flour prior to adding to the pan.
  5. Add cheese to beer mixture. Whisk consistently over medium-low heat until cheese is melted.
  6. Season to taste with salt
  7. Serve!

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 284Total Fat: 22gSaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 64mgSodium: 462mgCarbohydrates: 4gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 14g

Additions + Variations

This beer cheese dip is a great base for a ton of different variations and flavor additions. If you want to change things up, here are a few ideas for things you could add:

  • Garlic salt or minced garlic
  • Chopped bacon
  • Caramelized onions
  • Shallots
  • Green onions

What to Serve With Beer Cheese Dip

Here’s a big ol’ list of ideas for what you can serve to dip in your beer cheese – the sky is the limit here, so have fun and get creative with it!

  • Soft pretzels
  • Sourdough bread
  • Broccoli florets
  • Cauliflower
  • Apple slices
  • Baby carrots
  • Cherry tomatoes
  • Smoked sausage
  • Pepperoni
  • Ham
  • Tortilla chips
  • Crackers
  • Heck, you could even toss it on a baked potato!
Hand dipping a pretzel in beer cheese

My beer cheese sauce broke! What happened?

Any cheese sauce can “break” (where the components of the cheese separate, creating a lumpy and greasy sauce) if it’s not handled properly.

If you want to avoid a broken sauce, be sure to always melt your cheese over medium-low heat, and don’t try to cook it too fast. High heats are more likely to break a sauce, so practice patience and cook it nice and slowly.

Coating the cheese in flower prior to adding it to the sauce can help prevent this as well!

And finally, once it’s melted and fully combined, remove the sauce from heat! Cooking it for too long, even over a lower heat, can also break the sauce.

What beer is best for beer cheese dip?

Like I mentioned above, I’m a firm believer that just about any beer will work great for this recipe. Around here, we usually reach for a lager, a blonde, or a Pilsner beer. Amber and brown ales work great with the cheddar as well!

You can also play around with other beer + cheese combinations. Gouda and gruyere work great as beer cheese bases, as do Colby and fontina! Basically, any cheese you know will melt well can be paired with your favorite beer for a new flavor. The more creative you get with it, the more fun you’ll have, so don’t be afraid to try something new!

I can’t wait to see what you create!

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