Cook the Story

Homemade Recipes for Real Life

Home > Appetizers > Easy Beer Cheese Dip

Easy Beer Cheese Dip

This post may contain affiliate links.

Share862
Pin21K
22K Shares
Jump to Recipe

This Hot Beer Cheese Dip is quick and easy to make. It’s perfect for game day or anytime you need a cheesy snack.

This Beer Cheese Dip is ooey and gooey, of course. But more importantly, it’s really quick to make and it uses ingredients that I always have at home. Here’s the complete list of ingredients: butter, flour, mustard, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, salt, milk, beer, and cheese. I have them, do you? Time to make dip. When you’re done it will look like this:

Bread being dipped into beer cheese dip.

Here’s A Video Showing How To Make This Delicious Beer Cheese Dip:

How To Make Beer Cheese Dip

First, you have to make it. But it’ll be quick, I promise.

Melt the butter in a pot and then whisk in some flour. Then you add milk a splash at a time. Pour in the beer and add the Dijon, cayenne, garlic powder, and salt. Stir over the heat until it’s thick and bubbling. Melt in the cheese and dip in.

Easy Beer Cheese Dip

Champagne and Swiss Dip Variation

On my podcast, Recipe of the Day, when I talked about this dip, I talked about how you can make it perfect for New Years Eve if you do a couple of ingredient swaps. To make this into a fancy fondue-inspired Champagne and Swiss Dip, you’d use an inexpensive dry (brut) sparkling wine, like a prosecco, instead of the beer.

Then, instead of the Cheddar cheese, you’d use Swiss. The only other thing that you need to change is to omit the cayenne pepper. I don’t think that heat goes as well with the Champagne and Swiss flavors as it does with the beer and Cheddar.

If you wanted to add something else for flavor though, the best thing would be a touch of kirsch. Kirsch is a cherry flavored liqueur that is traditionally found in cheese fondue. You would just add in a splash at the very end and then taste. It has a fairly powerful flavor so you don’t need very much.

Alcohol-Free Variation

To make this dip without alcohol, simply use vegetable stock instead of the beer. You could also mix a few tablespoons of apple juice into the stock, that would be lovely as well. Just not very much since you don’t want to add too much sweetness. The idea is to just give it that little tiny bit of acidity and sweetness that would come from the beer.

What To Serve With Hot Beer Cheese

I like to serve it with slices of baguette but you can also use crackers or those long thin crispy breadsticks. It’s also a great way to get everyone to eat some extra veggies, especially broccoli and cauliflower since they go so well with cheddar cheese.

So skip the bread and crackers and put some broccoli and cauliflower on the tray. You won’t believe how quickly it disappears.

Print

Hot Beer Cheese Dip

  • Author: Christine Pittman
  • Prep Time: 0 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: 6 servings 1x
  • Category: Appetizer
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: American
Print Recipe

DESCRIPTION

This has become a go-to comfort food in our house because we always seem to have the ingredients. Eat it with slices of baguette, crackers or broccoli and cauliflower florets. Once the dip is made you can reheat it in the microwave 30 seconds at a time, stirring after each round. Or warm it over low heat on the stove top. Yield 2 and 3/4 cups.*

Here are some tools that I find helpful for making this recipe: 

Flat Whisk
Sauce Pan

Listen to me explain briefly about how to make this dip, with some great tips along the way, by clicking the play button below:

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
  • 3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup milk, divided
  • 1/2 cup beer (a lager or an ale – your preference)
  • 1 tsp. dijon mustard
  • 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper (plus more for garnish)
  • 3 cups shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese

Instructions

  1. In a medium sauce pan over medium heat melt the better. Whisk in the flour.
  2. Take the pan off of the heat and whisk in 2 tablespoons of the milk until smooth. Then whisk in 2 more tablespoons. Add 1/4 cup of the milk and whisk that until smooth followed by the final 1/4 cup of milk.
  3. Stir in the beer, dijon, garlic powder, salt and cayenne. Return the pan to medium heat and stir until thick and bubbling, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat.
  4. Add the cheese one big handful at a time, whisking after each addition to melt it in. Taste and add more garlic, salt and cayenne if desired. Garnish with a pinch more of cayenne.

Notes

*I originally posted this recipe in 2015. That version was tasty but over the years I’ve tweaked it. The tweaked version is what is now written above. But in case you came here back in 2015 or 2016 and made this and loved it and want it exactly as it was then, I thought I should tell you what changes I have since made. The original recipe did not have any garlic powder in it, and it had only a pinch of cayenne. I think it is much better with the garlic and cayenne but if you like things a bit blander, go ahead and omit them.

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @cookthestory on Instagram and hashtag it #cookthestory

Video by Leigh Olson. Article, photos and recipe by Christine Pittman.

This post originally appeared in January 2015. It was revised and republished in February 2021.

Easy Beer Cheese Dip

See COOK the STORY's nutrition and recipe disclaimers.

More Recipes Like This:

Buffalo Chicken Chili Dip

get the recipe

Easy Hamburger Dip with Real Cheese

get the recipe

Jalapeño Popper Dip

get the recipe

Homemade French Onion Dip

get the recipe

About Christine

Hi! I’m Christine. My passion is creating recipes that take less time in the kitchen, so that we can all spend more time enjoying life! I’m a busy single mom of two, so I totally get how tough it can be. That’s why I’ve been figuring things out for my own family, and that’s why I want to share this knowledge with others. I now help over 2 million people a month get delicious meals onto their tables. Come along with me and see how much easier it can be!

About

Cookbook

Podcast

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

119 Responses to Easy Beer Cheese Dip

    • Christine Pittman says

      Sure, Gale! Reheat it in the microwave in 30 second bursts until it’s warmed through (stir in between). Or use a slow cooker on low, then it stays warm during the party!

      Reply

  3. Sarah L says

    The only ingredient I don’t have is the beer. Can you buy just one can at a time? (you can tell I’m not a beer drinker) It looks delicious.

    Reply

    • Christine Pittman says

      Some grocery and liquor stores do let you buy single bottles! Usually if they have a ‘make your own 6-pack’ option, you can also find single bottles. Enjoy, Sarah!

      Reply

    • Christine Pittman says

      Yes, Crystal. You can reheat it in the microwave 30 seconds at a time, stirring each time. Or warm it in a slow cooker.

      Reply

  17. Debbie Yoder says

    Im going to make this soon! Sounds wonderful, Im always looking for a nice before dinner treat,Im going to use baguette bread!

    Reply

    • Christine Pittman says

      Yummy! It can be pretty filling, Debbie, so don’t let it become your whole dinner! (But we won’t tell if it does.)

      Reply

  21. Jennifer Phillips says

    Used some of this to mix into my baked mac n cheese and it was so good. It is great as a dip but it has so many other uses to incorporate it into other foods too.

    Reply

  23. Calvin says

    Quite neat when you blend in the beer.. I haven’t heard of such a combo. I am not a fan of cheese dips, but will share.

    Reply

  27. Trish says

    Just made this sauce used a guinesse  and doubled the recipe made cheesy scallop potatotes absolutely amazing thank you

    Reply

  29. Darrell says

    I have made this dip 3 times now, each time it has been a great hit! Tonight we will be dipping fried steak pieces along with toasted French bread. This IS comfort food. :)

    Reply

  30. Gina says

    I made these last Saturday & it came out fantastic! Served it with pretzels one day & on burgers the next. I froze the leftovers to turn into beer cheese soup later. Thank you!

    Reply

    • Christine Pittman says

      You’re welcome, Gina! I’m delighted that you liked it and are finding so many uses for it. Great ideas!

      Reply

    • Christine Pittman says

      Kellie, Interesting. I’m not entirely sure. I have heard from people that using pre-shredded cheese can be a problem as it has a coating that prevents the shreds from caking in the packaging. However, I have used pre-shredded cheese and not had that problem.

      Reply

  32. Jennifer Duckart says

    Lactose Free version-  I made this recipe but used lactose free milk and Daiya brand cheddar cheese.  It was excellent. I used it for soft baked pretzels and farmhouse tater tots. EXCELLENT!!  

    Reply

  33. Karen Kramer says

    I tried this last year for our Super Bowl party with soft baked frozen pretzels. Everyone loved it. This year I asked what the family would like for our PennState Fiesta Bowl party tonight and the results were unanimous: dad’s meatballs and mom’s hot beer cheese dip! I’m doubling the recipe and using Guinness this time. Can’t wait to dunk a warm, fat pretzel in it!

    Reply

    • Christine Pittman says

      Karen, What a fantastic compliment! Thank you for sending that my way. You’ve made my day! I hope you had a wonderful party!

      Reply

  34. Maliya says

    Had an “appetizer” Christmas today and made homemade pretzel bites and thought your beer cheese was perfect for the occasion. LOVED the recipe, although I ended up just using the whole bag of cheese instead of just three cups..hehe. Then of course added more of almost all of the other ingredients. It turned out fantastic with many compliments, thank you for the recipe. Merry Christmas!

    Reply

  35. Christine Tiranno says

    Can you make this in advance and reheat? Have you left in a mini crockpot to keep warm? 

    Can you use pre shredded cheese (they often mix in potato starch)? 

    Reply

    • Christine Pittman says

      Christine, Yes, this can be made ahead and reheated. I reheat it in the microwave 30 seconds at a time stirring each time. Or reheat on low on the stove, stirring often. And yes, I have kept it warm in a small slow cooker. Stir every 30 minutes.

      I have used pre-shredded cheese for this and it worked just as well as hand-shredded.

      Hope that helps!

      Reply

    • Christine Pittman says

      Kristen,
      It keeps well in the fridge for several days. Then it reheats really well in the microwave. Just do it 30 seconds at a time, stirring after each time, until hot. Note: Once it is refrigerated it ends up with a spreadable consistency. You can smear it on toast for a special morning treat, if you happen to have it in your fridge anyhow.

      Reply

  38. Erin says

    Just made this for our party last night. It was absolutely fantastic! I did add a good few dollops of Worstershire Sauce and it was fantastic. I soaked Bratwurst in onions in beer for an hour or so and then grilled them last minute, sliced them and put them on the tray along with the cubes of pumpernickel and soft pretzels. Fantastic, thank you for sharing! 

    Reply

  39. Karissa says

    I’ve made this twice now with a ton of success for both. The first time I used a blonde ale, which was very tasty. The second time I used a dark Scottish ale, and it was beyond amazing! I definitely think a dark beer pairs best but delicious any way. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply

  40. Rebecca says

    It’s important to cook the roux before removing it from the heat, otherwise the base has a doughy floury taste. Cook the flor in the bitter until golden brown, then remove from heat. 

    Reply

  41. Micki says

    Love this dip and plan on taking it to a Superbowl party with soft pretzels.
    ! Have you made a double batch of this? Any problems?

    Reply

    • Christine Pittman says

      LLIssa, I’ve never tried it on apples but you’re right that it would be amazing! Thanks for a great idea and so happy you like the dip!

      Reply

  43. moira says

    We’re under a winter storm warning, and I happened to find some awesome huge soft pretzels at our local grocery store bakery today while getting last minute supplies. I threw this together thanks to having most of the stuff already in the house. It is SOOOO yummy and SOOOO easy and exactly what we needed on this very cold night! I cut the recipe in half and it worked out fine. Thank you for this recipe!!

    Reply

    • Christine Pittman says

      Moira, So happy you liked it. You’re totally right, it is perfect for a cold cozy night. I’m jealous!

      Reply

  44. Laura H. says

    I made this for my husband who is a huge fan of Applebees’ cheese beer dip. He thinks that it is a very close match and absolutely loves it.  Thanks so much for sharing!

    Reply

    • Christine Pittman says

      Laura, I wasn’t even attempting for it to be a copycat! Now I need to go to Applebees and taste theirs and see. Thanks for letting me know and I’m so happy you guys liked it.

      Reply

    • Christine Pittman says

      Albert, Welsh Rarebit is a dish where you make a cheese sauce and then pour it onto toast and bake it. This dip could be used that way but it is quite a bit thicker. Looking at Alton’s recipe, for instance, there’s twice as much cheese in here than in his. More flour also. It’s quite a bit thicker in the end.

      Reply

  46. Bryan says

    Made this recipe with Guinness, mostly for the colour. We used soft German pretzels for dipping, which I highly recommend! Thanks for the great recipe, I would definitely make it again.

    Reply

    • Christine Pittman says

      Sidney, It can be stored in an air tight containter in the fridge and then you can reheat it in the microwave, 30 seconds at a time stirring each time until hot.

      Reply

    • Christine Pittman says

      Melissa, possibly but I haven’t tried it so I don’t know for sure. If you were trying cornstarch, you would make it totally differently. What I’d try (no guarantees) is to mix together 2 Tbsp cornstarch with 1/4 cup milk until smooth. Put it in a sauce pan with the remaining milk and beer. Heat stirring occasionally until bubbling and thickened. Stir in remaining ingredients and heat and stir until cheese is melted.

      Reply

  50. Laura says

    I think the answer is yes, but I just want to double check, is all the alcohol cooked out of the dip by the time it’s served? 

    Reply

    • Christine Pittman says

      Actually, Laura, I’d say no. It doesn’t really simmer for very long after the beer is added. There actually isn’t that much beer in there really and if some of the alcohol is simmered off then that makes it even less potent. If you want to be sure that there is no (or much less) alcohol, you could simmer it longer. Or you could use all milk and no beer at all. If you did that, I think you would miss a touch of the bitterness and tang. You might want to add a teaspoon of plain yellow mustard (in addition to the dijon that is already called for). The other possibility is that you could use a non-alcoholic beer.

      Reply

    • Christine Pittman says

      Tina, I’ve never tried it but probably. I think Velveeta might be saltier than regular cheddar (not sure). You might want to wait to add salt until the end. Also, I’m not sure how much Velveeta to use. It might not be exactly equivalent. But you could start with half the amount and taste and see.

      Reply

  52. April says

    Thank you for sharing this recipe! I made pretzels to eat with the dip. So yummy! I will definitely be making this again. 

    Reply

    • Christine Pittman says

      April, That’s fantastic. I love pretzels and yes, they’d be so perfect for this dip. Yum!

      Reply

  54. Mariana says

    I can’t wait to try this out, just curious…what beer do you normally use? I want to make sure the taste is just right!

    Reply

    • Christine Pittman says

      Mariana, I use Boston Lager. But I think any beer that you like drinking that isn’t too dark will do.

      Reply

  55. Angie says

    Very good for our super bowl…thank you for the recipe!!  Served with Copycat Italian Gardens Breadsticks!!  YUM

    Reply

  56. Gina says

    I tried this dip out last night (to eat while making Christmas cookies). Turned out perfect! I will definitely be making this again! I also blogged about your recipe: http://tastequests.com/2015/12/easy-beer-cheese-dip/

    Reply

    • Christine Pittman says

      Gina, How fantastic. I’m delighted that you liked it and that you posted about it. How kind. Thank you so so much!

      Reply

  57. Julie says

    This beer cheese dip is AWESOME. I used what I had in fridge which was some 4 state cheddar and a nut brown ale. Seriously, the consistency was spot on and it reheats beautifully. Bought some frozen soft pretzels and it was the hit of the Sunday Football spread.

    Reply

    • Christine Pittman says

      Julie, Thank you so much for letting me know! It’s a true favorite around here too. I often pour it into a crockpot and take it when we’re invited over to someone’s to watch the game. Always a hit!

      Reply

  58. laura says

    This was really disappointing and I had really looked forward to it. It was the consistency of soup and I couldn’t serve it. Followed instructions. Tips?

    Reply

    • Christine Pittman says

      Hi Laura,
      That’s strange. I make it all of the time. It’s supposed to have the thickness of a cheese fondue. I wonder if you possibly measured the cheese incorrectly. One thing that could have happened: The recipe calls for 12 oz. of cheese. That means 3/4 of a pound. It would end up being about 3 cups of shredded cheese. But some people think that “ounces” means “fluid ounces” sometimes and then measure it in a measuring cup instead of on a scale. That would work out to 1 and 1/2 cups of shredded cheese, and a much thinner dip. I’m going to change the recipe now to say 3 cups instead of 12 ounces. I know that people sometimes make this mistake and I shouldn’t have set them up to do so. I hope that helps.

      Reply

  60. Lisa says

    WOW, this looks perfect! We just took the kids to The Melting Pot for the first time and now they are bugging me for more cheese dips! Great timing. :)

    Reply

Trackbacks

As Seen On

AboutCOOKtheSTORY

Creating recipes that take less time in the kitchen, so you can spend more time enjoying life. Come see how much easier it all can be!

Never Miss a Recipe