Beer Cheese Dip
This beer cheese dip is ooey-gooey, packed with flavor, and ready in just 15 minutes using only a handful of pantry staples. Serve it with soft or hard pretzels for game nights, Super Bowl parties, tailgates, or honestly anytime you want folks to rave about your snack game.
FROM THE COOK
"I've made this dip more times than I can count, and it's never split on me once! The trick is a blend of cheeses and a base that's heavy on half and half. The extra fat is what keeps my beer cheese silky instead of greasy or grainy."
- Cassie
Recipe at a glance
Why I Love This Recipe
This homemade beer cheese is a never-fail stand-by in our house. I serve it for parties, football games, and it always makes an appearance around the holidays.
Beer cheese got its start not too far from where I live here in Kentuckiana. Around these parts, you'll find beer cheese served at basically every bar, brewery, and restaurant around and everyone has their own favorite recipe!
Beer cheese usually falls into two categories: a cold, spreadable version (kinda like a pub cheese) usually served with crackers, and this warm, gooey dip version that is amazing served with pretzels. Both are worth trying, but this one's my fave. In fact, it's my go-to when I have unexpected guests who need a nibble. Here's why it'll earn a spot in your recipe book:
- Never grainy, never greasy. I tested a bunch of different methods, and landed on a blend of cheeses and a half-and-half base to keep it silky smooth, even after it's been sitting in the slow cooker for a while.
- Sharp, savory, a little malty. The beer adds a depth you don't get from a plain cheese dip, and a sharp cheddar keeps it tasting delectably cheesy.
- Ready in 15 minutes. Even less time if you use a food processor to shred your cheese (protip!).
- Endlessly adaptable. Make it gluten-free, make it non-alcoholic, or add in cayenne and hot sauce to make it spicy (this is the authentic Kentucky way to make beer cheese). Same base, however your crowd likes it.
- Made on the stove, held in the slow cooker. I build the roux and melt everything together on the stove, then move it to the slow cooker on low so it stays warm and dippable for hours without me hovering over a saucepan all night.
Just make sure you've got enough pretzels on hand. This dip disappears fast! Enjoy.
Ingredients
Head's up: Check the recipe card below for the full ingredients list
- Butter and Flour: These two make the roux, which is what helps thicken the sauce into rich, creaminess goodness.
- Whole Milk and Half and Half: It sounds counterintuitive, but adding more fat to your homemade beer cheese in the form of half and half will help keep it from splitting and getting greasy under heat.
- Beer: Literally whatever you like to drink! Stick with a lighter flavor like a lager, wheat or pilsner for folks who might not be beer fans. I typically use a Mexican cerveza in mine, and it's great. Save the IPAs and stouts for folks who love some bitterness-it'll definitely come through in the beer cheese.
- Dijon Mustard, Worcestershire Sauce, Spices: Cheese is good on it's own, but I tried a bunch of different flavoring combos to make this dip even more rich and savory. My combo adds that delectable umami flavor beer cheese is known for.
- Sharp Cheddar and a Second Melty Cheese: Sharp cheddar has a ton of strong flavor that is classic in beer cheese-but too much of it and your dip splits, gets oily, and stringy. The solution? Two cheeses! Sharp cheddar for flavor, and a second mild-flavored cheese that melts beautifully. Monterey jack, white or yellow American cheese, and even mozzarella all work beautifully!
Variations & Substitutions
- Make it gluten-free: Easy! Use any all purpose gluten-free flour plus gluten free beer. Just be aware that many gluten-free all purpose flours have xanthan gum in them that can make the beer cheese more stretchy that regular beer cheese. Still delicious! Just keep the napkins nearby.
- Make it non-alcoholic: Use a non-alcoholic beer, or go totally beerless. Chicken, veggie, or beef broth are good substitutes for the beer. Sparkling apple cider or grape juice is also a fun swap!
- Make spicy beer cheese: Oooh, my fave! I like to add ¼ to 1 teaspoon ground cayenne (depending on how hot you like it), and then drizzle Sriracha on top right before serving.
How to Make Homemade Beer Cheese
Step 1: Shred your cheese. I know it's annoying, but you gotta shred your cheese fresh for this beer cheese! The additive in pre-shredded cheese that keeps it from clumping will make your beer cheese get super thick, grainy, and maybe even separate. To make quick work of it, I highly recommend a good quality food processor like this one.
Step 2: Make the roux. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Once melted, whisk in all-purpose flour and stir constantly for 1 minute, until the roux is lighlty brown.
Step 3: Add the liquids and seasonings. Whisk in the whole milk, half and half, beer, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika. It'll thicken up quickly, so stir it constantly.
Step 4: Melt in the cheese. Add about half of the sharp cheddar and second cheese, stirring until melted. Add the remaining cheese and stir constantly until fully melted and smooth.
Step 5: Transfer to a slow cooker (optional). Now you can move it to a slow cooker to keep it warm to serve a crowd for hours. I have this little dip slow cooker that is perfect for this! Just keep it on low.
Step 6: Serve. Serve warm with soft pretzels, hard pretzels, garlic knots, chips, breadsticks, or veggies.
👩🏻🍳 Cassie's Tips
- Shred your own cheese. Pre-shredded cheese is coated in anti-caking agents that can make your dip grainy instead of smooth. A block of cheese and a box grater (or food processor-keep reading) gives you a much better melt.
- Speed it up with a food processor. If you've got one, the shredding disc makes quick work of grating a big batch of cheese in seconds. My beloved Cuisinart will literally shred the cheese for this dip in 10 seconds.
- Keep it warm for a crowd. This dip thickens as it cools, so keep it on low on the stove or move it to a slow cooker if you're serving a group.
- Don't skip the half and half. It sounds counterintuitive, but that extra fat is what keeps this beer cheese silky instead of splitting or turning greasy.
- Two cheeses, not one. Sharp cheddar brings the flavor, but a second melty cheese like mozzarella, Monterey jack, or white American is what keeps the texture smooth instead of stringy.
FAQs
Beer cheese dip is a dairy-based dip, so treat it like any other party food: don't leave it out at room temperature for more than 2 hours. If you keep it on low in a slow cooker, it can stay out no problem, as long as it stays at 140°F or above.
Beer cheese dip can be prepared in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days. Gently reheat the dip on the stovetop, stirring often, to make it creamy and dippable again.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat, stirring often, until it's smooth and dippable again. Microwaving works in a pinch, but stick to short bursts and stir between each one so the cheese doesn't break.
Soft or hard pretzels are the classic pairing, but this dip is just as good with tortilla chips, sliced baguette, breadsticks (that's how my favorite brewery serves theirs!) or crisp veggies like celery, carrots, and broccoli if you want something lighter alongside it.
A few things can cause this:
Too high of heat. Keep it low once the cheese goes in, and stir constantly.
Not enough fat in the base. Skipping or skimping on the half and half is a common culprit, that extra fat is what keeps everything emulsified.
Pre-shredded cheese. The anti-caking coating on bagged shredded cheese can keep it from melting smoothly. Shred your own from a block for the best texture.
Too much cheddar (yes, there is such a thing!). Straight cheddar can split or turn stringy. Adding a second melt-friendly cheese (mozzarella, Monterey jack, or white American) is what keeps things smooth.
At the end of the day, this is just a really good beer cheese dip. It's creamy, savory, and ready in 15 minutes. Whether it's game day, a holiday spread, or just a random Friday, this is the dip I reach for when I want something that never lets me down. Enjoy!
More Game Day Snacks for Your Spread:
If you tried this Beer Cheese Dip or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments!
📖 Recipe
Beer Cheese Dip
Ingredients
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup whole milk
- ¾ cup half and half
- ¾ cup beer we used a lager
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 ½ cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese divided
- 1 cup shredded Monterey jack, white American, or mozzarella cheese divided
Instructions
- Add ¼ cup unsalted butter to a medium saucepan and heat over medium heat. Once melted, whisk in ¼ cup all-purpose flour, stirring constantly for 1 minute.
- Whisk in ¾ cup whole milk, ¾ cup half and half, ¾ cup beer, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, and ½ teaspoon smoked paprika. Simmer and cook for 2-3 minutes, until thickened.
- Add about half of both the cheeses and stir until melted. Add the remaining cheeses and stir constantly until fully melted and smooth.
- Serve with soft pretzels, chips, and/or veggies!
Notes
- If you'd like to make this gluten-free, use a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour in the roux. Just note that some gluten-free flours contain xanthan gum, which can make the dip a bit more stretchy than the original.
- Use whatever beer you like to drink in this recipe! I tend to like lighter beers (pilsners and lagers), but if you are a fan of more bitter beers, IPAs and darker beers also work. Just know that hoppy flavor will come through in the final dip.
- To make this non-alcoholic, swap in a non-alcoholic beer, or skip it entirely and use chicken, veggie, or beef broth in its place. Sparkling apple cider or grape juice can also be used
- Want it spicy? Stir in ¼ to 1 teaspoon ground cayenne and/or finish with a drizzle of Sriracha right before serving.
- Shred your own cheese from a block rather than using pre-shredded. It melts smoother since it isn't coated in anti-caking agents.
- This dip thickens as it cools, so keep it warm on low on the stove or in a slow cooker while serving.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop, stirring often, until smooth again.
Nutrition
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Thanks for the awesome recipe! 🙂