February 28, 2025

Cheddar and Onion Beer Bread

Last Updated on March 5, 2025 by Annie

Salty, buttery, cheesy goodness, this Cheddar and Onion Beer Bread has it all! This deliciously decked-out dairy-free beer bread recipe pairs well with soup, chili, or a slather of plant-based butter.

A brown basket with a cream towel topped with slices of cheddar and onion beer bread.

2025 Update: This recipe was originally shared in December 2020. This post has been updated to include new photos, detailed directions, and additional dairy-free tips. I hope you enjoy this dairy-free cheddar and onion beer bread recipe.

My love affair with beer bread came from a craving, as all good recipes here are My Life After Dairy typically begin. I had a hankering for bread that would not wait for yeast rising and dough-kneading. I wanted bread and I wanted it hours ago!

As I came to terms with my need to make bread, and fast, I began searching savory quick bread recipes. This lead to both hunger pains and the discovery of Half Baked Harvest’s 5 Ingredient Beer Bread.

With a few added mix ins and a simple dairy-free swap, the rest you can say was history.

How does Beer Bread Work?

Beer bread works thanks to the yeast in the beer reacting with sugar in the honey. Add in some baking powder for a little extra rise and you have a tender, moist bread that takes about an hour to make (including bake time) from start to finish.

What is the best beer for beer bread?

After making this recipe for well over 5 years I have tried a variety of different beers in the batter base and can say there are some that work well and some I would not recommend using.

Personally the best beers for beer bread are the most basic beers. Think lagers and pilsners.

I would not recommend dark beers for this recipe or IPAs. (I used an IPA to photograph this updated version and it had a bitter aftertaste).

Non-alcoholic beer works fine in the recipe and did not alter the rise or texture of the beer bread.

From the side, slices of cheddar and onion beer bread on a wire cooling rack with a small dish of vegan butter in the back right.

Why We Love This Cheddar and Onion Beer Bread

Oh my cheesy, carby, salty goodness there are so many reasons you will want to whip up this beer bread recipe week after week.

One bowl recipe. Everything mixes together in one bowl making it perfect for a quick and easy clean up.
Ready in an hour. From start to baked through finish this recipe is done in an hour.
Pairs well with every meal. Slice it up and serve it with a pile of scrambled eggs at breakfast, dish it out with soup at lunch, or dip it into chili for dinner, this is a bread you can eat all day long.

How to Make Beer Bread Dairy-Free

Two ingredients make this loaf of beer bread deliciously dairy-free:

Vegan cheese– By using a plant based cheese alternative such as Violife or Daiya you can keep this beer bread dairy-free.
Plant-based butter– To top off the beer bread and give it a deliciously salty buttery to, use your favorite plant-based butter.

A close up of the tops of slices of cheddar and onion beer bread in a white towel lined bread basket.

How to Make Cheddar and Onion Beer Bread

Ingredients You’ll Need to Make Dairy-Free Beer Bread

Flour-I used an all-purpose flour in this recipe.
Baking Powder- This ingredient helps the dough rise into a beautiful loaf without adding in a packet of yeast.
Salt- Trust me on this one, you do not want to skip the salt. This takes the bread to a whole new level.
Honey- Makes the loaf a little sweeter.
Beer- Also used as a leavening agent in this quick bread. Stick to a basic lager.
Cheddar Cheese- Use your favorite dairy-free shredded cheese such as Daiya or Violife.
Green Onion- Chopped all the way to the base.
Plant-Based Butter- Dollop some pats of vegan butter along the top of the unbaked dough for a buttery, salty finish you will be dreaming about for days to come!

Ingredients for beer bread on a tan counter.

Directions for Cheddar and Green Onion Beer Bread

Prepare for baking: Preheat the oven to 375°F and prepare a 9X5 loaf pan by spraying with a non-stick spray or coating with vegan butter. Set aside until later.
Mix dry ingredients: In a large mixing bowl stir together flour, baking powder, salt, dairy-free cheddar cheese shreds and chopped green onion.
Add the wet ingredients: Once throughly stirred, pour in beer and honey over the flour mixture. Stir the honey and beer into the flour until combined.

A glass bowl with dry ingredients for beer bread before mixing.

A glass bowl with a wooden handled spatula hand the ingredients for beer bread partially mixed to show wet and dry ingredients coming together.

A large glass bowl with a wooden handled spatula after mixing together the beer bread batter.

Transfer the bread dough into the prepared loaf pan.
Add butter: Top with 4 tablespoons of vegan or plant-based butter, sliced into slivers and sprinkled with a little sea salt on top.
Bake for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Serve with a slather of vegan butter, with a bowl of chili, or just much on it every time you walk into the kitchen.

A glass loaf pan filled with unbaked cheddar and onion beer bread on tan counter.

A glass loaf pan with butter slices on top of a cheddar and onion beer bread loaf before baking.

A glass loaf pan with baked cheddar and onion beer bread.

Helpful Kitchen Tools

When you are ready to whip up a batch of this deliciously addictive beer bread, here are a few kitchen tools you might find helpful to have on hand.

Glass mixing bowls– A large glass bowl works well for mixing together all of the ingredients.
Rubber spatula– Perfect for stirring the dough without it sticking to the spatula.
Loaf pan– Ideal for baking quick bread recipes.

Ways to Serve with Cheddar and Onion Beer Bread

This dairy-free quick bread recipe is the perfect addition to any meal. Here are some ways you can serve this simple bread for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

At breakfast, serve it up toasted with a side of scrambled eggs.
Pair it at lunch with a bowl of tomato soup.
Scoop it into a large bowl of chili for dinner.

A wire cooling rack with a loaf of dairy-free cheddar and onion beer bread and a small dish of vegan butter in the top right.

Storing Beer Bread to Keep Fresh

Here are some tips for keeping your beer bread fresh from start to finish.

At room temperature, let the beer bread cool completely and then store in an air tight container for up to 3 days.
For the refrigerator, once cooled, place in a refrigerator safe container for up to 5 days.
To freeze, allow the beer bread to cool completely, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, a layer of foil, and then place in a freezer safe zip top bag.

Other Quick Bread Recipes

Looking for other delicious and easy to make bread recipes? Here are a few of my favorite quick bread recipes to try!

If you tried this cheddar and onion beer bread recipe please let me know in the comments below!

You can also share a picture of it with me on Instagram by tagging @mylifeafterdairy so I can see all of your life after dairy adventures!

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