This creamy, tangy Beer Cheese Dip is the perfect companion for both soft and crunchy pretzels, elevating your snack game with every flavorful bite. Easy to make and irresistibly cheesy, it's a crowd-pleaser for any occasion.
If you love a good cheesy dip for your pretzels (soft or hard pretzels) this beer cheese dip has got you covered. This easy cheese dip comes from a local beer garden in my area called Easy Tiger Bakery. It is very popular here and everyone always loves this dip.
This cheese dip is what I make every year for the Super Bowl and game days for my family to go along with my homemade pretzel knots. When I don't have time to make them, store-bought hard pretzels do just fine. Just make sure not to buy pretzel sticks at the store since they break too easily in the dip. Old fashioned hard pretzels with the overlapping loops and the iconic pretzel shape 🙂
What You Will Need
- Orange Mild Cheddar Cheese: I prefer orange cheddar because it is the classic color of beer cheese. You can use white cheddar if you cannot eat the orange kind due to allergies. If you prefer a sharper flavor, go ahead and use a sharp cheddar. You can also combine it with other types of cheese like pepper jack or Swiss cheese
- Cream Cheese: Ensures your beer cheese is rich and creamy.
- Lager Beer: I prefer lager because it is not too strong. If you use another beer, just make sure that you do not use a strong beer because it can overpower the other ingredients.
- Garlic and Onion: Provide additional savory flavor..
- Kosher Salt and Pepper: Use these to taste. Give this beer cheese dip recipe a little taste before serving and adjust as needed.
- Cayenne pepper: Gives your dip a kick, but can be left out or replaced with something milder like paprika.
- Mustard powder: Aids in deepening the flavor profile and conjures the classic combination of pretzels and mustard.
- Worcestershire sauce: Provides a distinct umami flavor.
- Tabasco sauce: For some added heat. This ingredient can also be omitted.
Ingredients note! The extra spice ingredients in this recipe help add to the depth of flavor in the recipe. Try not to skip adding these since they make all the difference in the taste.
How To Make Beer Cheese Dip
- Shred the cheddar cheese: Shred the cheddar before adding it to the food processor to ensure it mixes evenly into the dip.
- Add all of the ingredients to a food processor: This is the cheddar, cream cheese, spices, and beer. Pulse the ingredients until it comes together and forms an even texture and everything is well distributed.
- Chill: Chill for 24 hours to let the dip fully set up and the flavors come together.
Recipe Tips
- Make it ahead of time: This cheese dip needs time to set up and I have found a couple days ahead of time works great! This dip will need at the minimum 24 hours to fully set up.
- Storing: I like to store this dip in a glass container with a tight fitting lid in the fridge. You can store it for up to one week.
- Serving: Take the dip out of the fridge about 30 minutes before you need it so the dip can soften a little and not break the pretzels you are dipping into it.
- For a soft pretzel recipe: I make these delicious soft pretzel knots and they are a family favorite. Super easy too since they are made from pizza dough!
- Adjusting the texture of the dip: If you prefer a chunky texture (like I do) then make sure to pulse the ingredients in the food processor. For a creamier texture, mix it on low speed until it reaches the desired consistency you are looking for.
FAQs
Yes. When you make beer cheese, the beer is not cooked out so the flavor of beer that you use will be noticeable. That is why I prefer using a lager or lighter-flavored beer when making this dip.
I like to store the beer cheese in the fridge for no more than one week.
Beer cheese and pub cheese often refer to the same thing. Pub cheese can have beer and it can also not have beer. Sometimes pub cheese will have port wine.
More Cheesy Recipes You Will Love
Beer Cheese Dip (For Soft Or Crunchy Pretzels)
Equipment
- food processor
Ingredients
- ½ lb Cheddar cheese Shredded
- ½ cup Beer I prefer a lager
- ¼ Onion minced
- 2 ounces Cream Cheese softened
- 1 Clove Garlic minced
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon Tabasco Sauce
- ¼ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ¼ teaspoon Mustard powder
- ⅛ teaspoon Cayenne pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon Black pepper
Instructions
- Pour beer into a small bowl or glass to allow the effervescence to escape.½ cup Beer
- Add all of the ingredients except the beer into a food processor and pulse on low until all the ingredients are incorporated.½ lb Cheddar cheese, ¼ Onion , 2 ounces Cream Cheese , 1 Clove Garlic , ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon Tabasco Sauce, ¼ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, ¼ teaspoon Mustard powder, ⅛ teaspoon Cayenne pepper, ⅛ teaspoon Black pepper
- Once mixed together, pour the beer down the chute of the food processor and pulse a few more times on low until the beer is worked through the dip evenly.
- Pour into a medium bowl, cover and chill overnight.
- Serve with soft or crunchy pretzels.
Nutrition
Nutrition Values are estimates only.
See full nutrition disclaimer hereTried the Recipe? We Would Love To Hear From You In The Comments Below!
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