This beer cheese recipe is the best dip for your pretzels or as a cheese fondue. You can serve it hot or cold and use on burgers and sandwiches or slathered on your favorite bread!
Cheese dip is probably one of my favorite snacks, and so are soft pretzels -- buttery, warm, salty soft pretzels. Put the two together and I'm in heaven! That's why I love this beer cheese SO MUCH because it goes so well with soft pretzels!
Why We Love this Recipe
Not only can you dip soft pretzels into this beer cheese sauce, but you can spread it onto burgers and sandwiches, or use it as a cheese fondue recipe! Keep it warm in a mini Crock Pot -- you know, those cute little tiny sized ones that are perfect for most hot dips! OR, serve it cold as a pub-style beer cheese. It will be thicker and more solid when cold, but still yummy!
We absolutely LOVE this beer cheese dip and always look forward to a reason to make it and serve it with friends. It's easy to whip up and serve immediately, or store in the fridge until ready to quickly re-heat in the microwave!
Ingredients for Beer Cheese
(full printable recipe at end of this post)
For this recipe you need just a few simple ingredients along with your favorite tasting beer (or apple cider if you don't like the taste of beer)!
Grocery List for this Recipe:
- Unsalted butter (3 tablespoons)
- All-purpose flour (3 tablespoons)
- Whole milk (1 cup)
- Beer (½ cup of your favorite)
- Dijon mustard (2 teaspoons)
- Worcestershire sauce (1 teaspoon)
- Salt
- Sharp cheddar (12 oz.)
Do not buy pre-shredded cheese. Instead, buy it in a block and shred at home for best melting results.
Click here for full recipe ingredients and instructions, along with a step-by-step video.
How to Make Beer Cheese Dip
Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the step-by-step on how to make this beer cheese dip. The general steps are as follows:
- Melt butter in saucepan. Add flour and cook 30 seconds.
- Whisk in beer and milk. Cook 5 to 7 minutes until thickened.
- Whisk in mustard, Worcestershire and salt.
- Remove from heat and quickly whisk in shredded cheese a small amount at a time until no clumps remain.
- Transfer to a bowl or mini Crock Pot; serve immediately.
Helpful Tips:
- Beer cheese dip is thickened by creating a roux of flour and butter at the beginning of the cooking process. It's super easy -- just melt butter and add flour then whisk for 30 seconds before adding the rest of the ingredients! Once the other ingredients are added, the mixture will thicken up again the longer it cooks over the heat.
- For best results, shred a block of cheese instead of using a bag of already shredded cheese. Freshly shredded cheese will melt much better and leave fewer (if any) lumps.
- Shred the cold block of cheese a little ahead of time before making the beer cheese recipe. This will allow the shredded cheese to come closer to room temperature so it will melt easier when adding to the hot mixture. Adding cold cheese to the hot mixture will lower the temperature and decrease ability to melt it.
- If the mixture is still lumpy, transfer to a microwave safe bowl and heat on high for a few additional seconds. Whisk until lumps are gone!
- Use your favorite kind of beer, because you will taste the beer in this beer cheese dip! My favorite is an Oktoberfest beer. Keep in mind the flavor will come through, so if you want bitter use a darker beer -- if you want less bitter, use a lighter beer!
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to use beer in this dip?
Traditionally, beer is included in beer cheese. If you are uncomfortable with it, you can use apple cider. The taste will be altered, so keep that in mind! If you are worried about serving this to your kids with beer in it, know that once it is cooked during the stove-top process it is safe for your children. They may or may not like the taste, however!
Do I have to use whole milk?
You can use half and half or heavy cream as a substitution for whole milk.
Why is my dip stringy?
Make sure you use freshly shredded cheese and not pre-shredded. Pre-shredded cheese does not melt as well. Also allow your cheese to come to room temperature so the temperature doesn't lower as you add it to the hot mix. Add the cheese slowly and gradually to temper the mixture.
Storage and Leftovers
Can I freeze beer cheese?
I do not recommend freezing this dip recipe as the texture from frozen will be "off" as well as the flavor.
How long will it last in the fridge?
This beer cheese dip will last in the fridge for up to 5 days. When ready to reheat, either slowly warm it up on the stove top while whisking, or heat in a microwave safe bowl 30 seconds at a time. Or, serve it cold!
You can make this beer cheese dip recipe ahead of time and store in the fridge to reheat later. Because this beer cheese can be made ahead of time, it is a perfect dip recipe to prepare in advance for any party or gathering!
I hope you love this beer cheese dip as much as we do! We cannot wait to dive in again during the next football game!
Recipes that Use Beer Cheese
- Homemade Soft Pretzels
- 2-ingredient Soft Pretzel Bites
- Oktoberfest Burger
- Pretzel Dogs
- Pigs in a Blanket
Made this recipe?
Leave a star rating and tag me on Instagram @seededtable so I can see. I love hearing from you!
This recipe was originally published October 2019 and updated February 2021 with tips and tricks and again in January 2022 with process photos.
Recipe Card
Beer Cheese Dip
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whole milk
- ½ cup beer , your favorite (I prefer Oktoberfest beer)
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 12 oz. extra sharp cheddar cheese (or your favorite cheese) , shredded (about 3 cups shredded)
Instructions
- Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and cook for 30 seconds while whisking.
- Slowly whisk in the beer and then the milk. Cook and whisk until thickened (about 5-7 minutes). Whisk in the mustard, Worcestershire and salt until combined.
- Remove from heat and gradually whisk in the shredded cheese a small amount at a time. Whisk until completely melted and lumps no longer remain. (If after 5 minutes of whisking all the cheese there are still lumps remaining, transfer to microwave safe dish and heat then whisk in 10 seconds intervals until lump-free.)
- Transfer to bowl and serve immediately, or transfer to mini Crock Pot to keep warm.
Video
Notes
- TIPS:
- Use freshly shredded cheese and not the bagged kind.
- Shred the block of cheese while cold but then let the cheese come to room temperature before using in the recipe.
- Refrigerate leftovers and reheat on stovetop or microwave, or serve cold.
- Nutrition information is an estimation only.
JS says
Delicious! Yes, it is very customizable but on our first try we halved the recipe and it turned out great. For the next go we will add a bit more beer and some extra dijon mustard to give it a bit more oomf.
Susan says
Made this to pair with some homemade pretzels for the superbowl. Everyone loved it and it's great because it goes with many different foods. Performed well in the crockpot too! Definitely a keeper when entertaining
Nikki Gladd says
That's great to hear! Thanks, Susan!
Anonymous says
Can it be kept warm in a crock pot or will that change the texture?
Nikki Gladd says
Yes, you can keep it warm in a crockpot.
Allison says
Too thick and not enough flavor! The sharp cheddar was overpowering. Next time I’ll try a milder cheese, more beer and more sauces.
Nikki Gladd says
Hi Allison. The great thing with this recipe is you can use your favorite kind of cheese. So although this recipe has top rated reviews on flavor as written, you can change it up to the flavors you prefer. Thanks!
Chris O’Neil says
This beer dip went great with my homemade pretzel bites.
I did freeze my leftovers and after thawing in refrigerator and heating on stove, I found the texture was fine and the flavor still intact.
Nikki Gladd says
I'm so glad to hear that about the freezing success! Thanks for letting us know!
Michelle Steppe says
Could this recipe be canned? We make homemade soft pretzels for Christmas. We would like to make baskets and include a jar of homemade dip.
Nikki Gladd says
Hi Michelle,
I do not have experience with canning food, so I'm not the best one to ask. Maybe another reader with canning experience will see this and be able to answer? Sorry!
Lisa says
Will this dip work over burgers?
Nikki Gladd says
Yes! SO good on burgers!
Val says
Do you have to use whole milk?
Nikki Gladd says
You can use half and half or heavy cream.
Mary Jo says
Can you freeze the leftovers?
Nikki Gladd says
Hi Mary Jo, I do not recommend freezing beer cheese dip. The texture will be "off" as well as the flavor when it thaws. Thanks!
Taylor says
Is there a trick to make this not stringy? I just made a similar recipe and am throwing it out because it’s stringy:( gonna try this one but afraid the same thing will happen.
Nikki Gladd says
Hi Taylor! This recipe shouldn't turn out stringy for you like that other recipe did. 🙂 There are a few tips within my post that will help. For example, make sure you use freshly shredded cheese and not the bagged kind that is already shredded. Shred the cold block of cheese then let it sit to get as close to room temperature as possible so when you add it to the hot mixture it doesn't bring the temperature down. Also, when stirring the cheese into the mix, do it slowly to temper the dip. Hope these tips help. Please let us know how this turns out for you!
Marie says
Flavour plus! I've been looking for a good cheese dip recipe and this one is fantastic. Everyone loved it. Thanks for the great recipe.
Amy says
Do you think you could halve this recipe and it tun our ok?
Nikki Gladd says
Hi Amy! I think it would work fine to half it, however, I have not tested to know for sure. I would use a small sauce pan instead of medium.
Anonymous says
I put too much beer!! Help!!
erin says
hi! how essential is the worcestershire sauce? i don't have any and don't need it often and would love to avoid buying a brand new bottle...!
Nikki Gladd says
Hi Erin,
It's not super essential. I love the flavor it adds, but you should be fine without it. There are recipes out there for combining ingredients like hot sauce and sugar, or soy sauce and sugar or apple cider vinegar as substitutes for worcestershire, although I've never tried any of these. 🙂