This Dutch oven beer bread recipe is a soft, cheesy quick bread to make in your cast iron Dutch oven at camp. It comes together in minutes, is ready in less than an hour, and will easily rival any version you can make at home.
Recipe at a Glance: Dutch Oven Beer Bread
- DETAILS
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Preparation method: Dutch oven cooking
- HIGHLIGHTS
- This classic cheddar beer bread recipe is adapted to be cooked in your cast iron Dutch oven at camp so you can enjoy fresh homemade bread, even when you're camping!
- This quick bread recipe doesn't use bread yeast, so there's no kneading or waiting for it to rise.
- It's ready in an hour and is a great side dish to serve alongside your favorite Dutch oven soups and stews.
Soup, stew, and chili are camping staples for us regardless of the weather, from cozy chicken noodle soup to hearty bison chili, with one caveat. I always want some kind of bread on the side. While it's easy enough to pack a loaf of sourdough in your cooler when you head out, when you've got a recipe for homemade Dutch oven beer bread that's incredibly easy to make at camp, why bother?
This bread comes together in minutes, with no kneading or waiting for it to rise. You can make it in your oven at home too, but if I'm being completely honest, I think it tastes better cooked with coals in the campfire. But then again, doesn't everything?
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Ingredients and Substitutions
- Flour--Regular all-purpose flour works best here.
- Butter--You can use unsalted or salted butter for this recipe. Whatever you've got on hand at camp will do.
- Cheddar cheese--I recommend using full-fat cheese for the best results. Skip the pre-shredded cheese and grate the cheddar yourself. Pre-shredded cheese doesn't melt well.
- Beer--The type of beer you use will affect the flavor of the finished bread. I recommend using a mild flavored lager or ale. Avoid flavored beers.
How to Make Beer Bread in a Dutch Oven
1. Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and pepper together in a large bowl.
2. Pour in the beer and mix until the flour is absorbed.
3. Fold in the cheddar cheese.
4. Place the dough in a parchment-lined Dutch oven.
5. Drizzle the melted butter over the dough.
6. Place 6 coals below the Dutch oven and 12 on the lid and bake until golden and cooked through.
FAQs
I recommend using a medium sized, 3 ½ to 4 quart Dutch oven for this recipe. Although a larger oven may work, the loaf will become quite flat and the cooking time may change.
If stored in a resealable plastic bag, your bread should stay fresh for up to 3 days.
Yes, definitely. Follow the directions for preparing the cheddar beer bread and then bake it, covered, in a 375°F (190°C) oven until golden brown and the internal temperature is approximately 200°F (93°C), about 1 hour.
Tips and Troubleshooting
- To get ahead, mix your dry ingredients before heading out on your camping trip. Store them in a resealable bag or airtight container until you're ready to cook.
- Let any leftover bread cool completely, then store in a resealable plastic bag at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- Since you're cooking in a Dutch oven outside, the cooking time can vary due to outside temperature and wind. If you're cooking on a very windy day, try to protect the Dutch oven with a barrier, such as a tarp.
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Recipe
Dutch Oven Beer Bread
Equipment
- Charcoal or hot embers
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 (12-oz | 355-ml) can or bottle beer
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 tablespoons butter melted
Instructions
- Prepare a chimney of coals or a campfire of hot embers. You'll need 18 coals to start, and will need to replenish the coals once during cooking. The coals are ready to use when they've turned white.
- In a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, and baking powder together.
- Pour in the beer and use a spatula to mix gently until the flour is absorbed.
- Gently fold in the cheddar cheese.
- Place a piece of parchment paper inside the Dutch oven. Gather the dough together and place it on the paper in the center of the Dutch oven.
- Drizzle the butter over the dough.
- Cover the Dutch oven and place it in the fire pit with 6 coals below and 12 on the lid. Cook, replenishing the coals after 30 minutes, until the bread is golden brown and has an internal temperature of about 200°F (93°C), 50 to 55 minutes.
- Remove the bread from the Dutch oven. Let it cool for 15 minutes before slicing.
Notes
- Get ahead--Mix your dry ingredients before heading out on your camping trip. Store them in a resealable bag or airtight container until you're ready to cook.
- Storage--Let any leftover bread cool completely, then store in a resealable plastic bag at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- Protect the oven--Since you're cooking in a Dutch oven outside, the cooking time can vary due to outside temperature and wind. If you're cooking on a very windy day, try to protect the Dutch oven with a barrier, such as a tarp.
Janice Howie says
I made this spur of the moment tonight and it turned out terrific. Surprise for my husband and he loved it and wants it toasted for breakfast.
Angie Zoobkoff says
Thanks, Janice! I'm so pleased it was a hit!
Em says
So excited to make this! What are the chances I can make this bread on a stovetop (in a dutch oven..) <3
Angie Zoobkoff says
Thanks, Em. I hope you love it. As for making it on the stovetop, I wouldn't recommend it. With all the heat coming from the bottom of the Dutch oven on a stovetop, I don't think the bread would cook through without the bottom burning. If you want to make this inside, I'd make it inside a regular oven so that you have even heat.