This easy beer cheese recipe is the best beer cheese dip for your pretzels or as a cheese fondue recipe. You can serve this beer cheese hot or cold and use on burgers and sandwiches, or slathered on your favorite bread!
Cheese is probably one of my favorite foods, 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!
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!
Is there beer in beer cheese dip?
Traditionally, beer is included in beer cheese. If you are uncomfortable with it, you can use apple cider. The taste will be altered, though, so keep that in mind! But, 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!
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!
Tips for making beer cheese:
- 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!
How long does beer cheese dip last in the fridge?
You can make this beer cheese dip recipe ahead of time and store in the fridge to reheat later. 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!
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!
Beer Cheese Dip
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup beer , your favorite (I prefer Oktoberfest beer)
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 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. Refrigerate leftovers and reheat on stovetop or microwave, or serve cold.
Notes
Nutrition
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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…!
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. 🙂