This Bread Machine Beer Cheese Bread (with Chives) is the ultimate side dish for Father's Day or any meal! After several kitchen trials to perfect the rise, I've created a delicious, slow-rise artisan loaf that stays perfectly contained in your machine while delivering a soft, airy crumb and a rich, cheesy chive flavor.
By balancing the yeast and salt, this recipe ensures a professional result every time. It's the perfect "set it and forget it" side for a backyard grill, a soup or salad meal, or a hearty steak dinner! Try a thick toasted slice with garlic butter and my Grilled Steak Salad!
Recipe Overview: Bread Machine Beer Cheese Bread with Chives
- Ready In: 3 Hours 30 Minutes
- Serves: 16 servings (8 large slices, cut in half). This is because the half pieces are similar to standard bread slices, even though the loaf is large.
- Calories: 159 kcal per slice (using light beer)
- Main Ingredients: Beer, All-purpose flour, Sharp cheddar cheese, Fresh chives.
- Dietary Info: Vegetarian.
- Weight Watchers Points: 5 WW points per slice (using light beer and light cheddar cheese). If you use a light buttery spread (like I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Light) instead of real butter, you can bring the points down to 4 ww points.
- Difficulty: Easy.
- Why You'll Love It: It's a gourmet, artisanal-style bread with almost zero effort. You get the sophisticated flavors of a high-end gastropub-malty beer, sharp cheddar, and fresh herbs-all made in one pan with no kneading required!
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- Recipe Overview: Bread Machine Beer Cheese Bread with Chives
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- 🥘Ingredient Notes
- 📖 Variations & Substitutions
- 🔪How to Make Bread Machine Beer Bread (with Cheese and Chives)
- Expert Recipe Tips
- 🌡️Storage
- 👪 Serving Size
- 🔢WW Points
- 🥗 What to Serve with Beer, Cheese, and Chive Bread
- ❔Recipe FAQs
- Didn't find the answer you're looking for?
- More Beer Recipes
- Bread Machine Beer Cheese and Chive Bread Recipe
Love savory artisanal bread machine bread? Then you'll love my Onion and Olive Bread Machine Recipe too!
🥘Ingredient Notes
- Beer: Use one full 355ml can. It should be lukewarm (about 80°F) to activate the yeast without killing it.
- Old/Sharp Cheddar: I recommend using an extra-bold cheddar. It has a lower moisture content and a stronger "punch" that stands up to the malty beer.
- Fresh Chives: These add a spectacular finish. Ensure they are bone-dry before chopping so they don't add extra moisture to the dough. You could use dried chives or rosemary instead, but you'll only need half the amount.
- Bread Machine Yeast: We use exactly 1 teaspoon. Because beer is carbonated and contains malt sugars, it acts as a "turbo-charger" for yeast. This smaller amount ensures the bread doesn't hit the glass lid!
*Please see recipe card for full list of ingredients and quantities.
📖 Variations & Substitutions
- The 1 lb Loaf: If you have a smaller machine, use 2 cups of flour, ¾ cup beer, 1 tablespoon butter,¾ teaspoon brown sugar, ¾ teaspoon salt, ½ cup cheese, and ¾ teaspoon yeast.
- Cheese Swaps: Try Smoked Gouda or Pepper Jack for a "Swicy" (sweet and spicy) Father's Day twist.
- Herb Options: If you don't have chives, 1 teaspoon of dried rosemary or 2 tablespoons of fresh parsley work beautifully.
- Beer Types: A light lager (like Coors Light) gives a mild flavor. For a "Man-Sized" deep flavor, use a Stout or Guinness.
🔪How to Make Bread Machine Beer Bread (with Cheese and Chives)
Settings: Loaf Size: 1.5 lb Crust Color: Medium (Beer and sugar make the crust brown faster, so "Dark" might result in a burnt look).Cycle: Basic or White Bread.
- Step 1: Add ingredients to your bread machine pan in the order listed, liquids first (beer then melted butter).
- Step 2: Then add dry ingredients, flour, then add salt along one side, garlic powder along the other, then sugar on another side. Make a well in the center of the flour and add yeast, making sure it does not touch the liquids.
- Step 3: Select the "Basic" or "White Bread" cycle, "1.5 lb loaf" with a "Medium" crust setting. *This is 3 hours and 18 minutes on my bread machine. The Add-ins: When you hear the fruit signal, slowly add the cheese and chives. *My machine counts down, so the fruit signal goes off when there is 2:56 remaining on the timer -at about 20 minutes into the cycle. *TIP: About 5-10 minutes into the kneading cycle, open the lid. The dough should look like a smooth, tacky ball. If it's too wet (sticking to the sides), add 1 tablespoon of flour. If it's too dry (looking shaggy), add 1 teaspoon of warm water.
- Step 4: Remove the bread from the pan and allow it to rest for only 2 minutes.
- Step 5: Then loosen the bread from the sides of the pan with a spatula and allow it to cool completely on a cooling rack. I let it cool overnight on the cooling rack.
Expert Recipe Tips
- Use Your Garden Bounty! If you have fresh chives in your garden, toss them in! The combination of sharp cheddar, malty beer, and fresh chives creates a spectacular savory profile. If you don't have chives, green onions work as a great 'The Lazy Way' substitute!
- The "Baker's Brake": Don't be tempted to add more yeast! The combination of 1 teaspoon yeast and 1.5 teaspoon salt is the secret to a slow, controlled rise that develops a spectacular sourdough-like flavor.
- The 10-Minute Ball Check: About 10 minutes into the kneading cycle, peek under the lid. The dough should be a smooth, tacky ball. If it's sticking to the sides, add 1 tablespoon of flour.
- The "Light" Crust Setting: Because cheese and beer contain sugars that brown quickly, I recommend the "Light" crust setting to prevent the edges from getting too dark.
- The Overnight Cure: For the most professional, clean slices, let the loaf cool completely on a wire rack before cutting. This allows the melted cheese to "set" inside the crumb.
- The "Flavor Caves: Don't be surprised if you find a few large holes in the middle of your loaf! These are what I call 'Flavor Caves.' Because this recipe is loaded with 1.5 cups of real cheddar, the cheese melts into the dough as it bakes, leaving behind spectacular little pockets of cheesy goodness. It's a sign of a perfectly light and airy artisanal crumb!
- Expert Tip: All-Purpose vs. Bread Flour: I tested this recipe with All-Purpose flour to keep it soft and accessible, but in Canada, our all-purpose flour is high protein (11-13%), so it holds the structure of bread. But if you live somewhere where your all -purpose flour is lower in protein (Europe, UK, or Australia), you may want to switch to bread flour. Or if you want a 'chewier' artisan texture, feel free to swap in Bread Flour! The higher protein content also provides extra support for the heavy cheese and creates a crust that is perfect for toasting.
🌡️Storage
- Room Temperature: Store in an airtight bag for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: This bread freezes spectacularly! Slice the loaf first, then freeze in a heavy-duty bag for up to 3 months.
- Reheating: Pop a frozen slice directly into the toaster for a quick, cheesy Father's Day breakfast or side. It also makes the perfect BLT!
👪 Serving Size
This Bread Maker Beer, Cheese, and Chives Bread recipe makes a 1.5 lb loaf, which is about 16 servings/slices (each piece sliced in half). The pieces are very large, so slicing them in half gives you a piece that's much closer to a slice of bread.
🔢WW Points
- Standard Version: 6 WW Points
- With Light Cheese and Light Beer: 5 WW Points
- With Light Cheese, Light Beer & Light Butter Spread: 4 WW Points
Note: Calculations are based on 16 servings (8 large slices cut in half). Be sure to track your specific brands in the WW app for the most accurate results!
🥗 What to Serve with Beer, Cheese, and Chive Bread
This hearty loaf is the perfect partner for:
BBQ Beer Butt Chicken: Use the bread to soak up that amazing Molasses BBQ sauce!
Loaded Perogy Soup: This Beer bread is perfect for dipping into a hearty perogy soup! (shown below)
❔Recipe FAQs
No problem! This recipe is designed as a 1.5 lb loaf because it uses exactly one full can of beer. If your machine only has a 2 lb setting, simply select that and choose the 'Light' crust option.
If you have a smaller 1 lb machine, you can easily halve the recipe (or see variations or notes for quantities)-just be sure to drink the rest of the beer so it doesn't go to waste! 😉
Yes! Non-alcoholic beer works perfectly and still provides that spectacular malty aroma and flavor.
This usually happens if the beer was too hot or if too much sugar was added. Stick to the ½ tablespoon of brown sugar and 1 teaspoon of yeast for a perfectly level top
You can still enjoy this delicious loaf! This recipe works perfectly as a No-Knead Oven Bread. Simply stir all the ingredients together in a large bowl until a shaggy dough forms. Cover the bowl and let it rise in a warm, draft-free spot for about 1.5 to 2 hours (until it has doubled in size).
If using Quick Rise (Instant) Yeast: Mix it directly into the flour. Cover the bowl and let it rise in a warm, draft-free spot for about 1.5 to 2 hours (until it has doubled in size).
If using Traditional Yeast: You must "bloom" it first. Stir the yeast into the warm beer and let it sit for 5-10 minutes until it becomes foamy before adding the flour and cheese.
Gently transfer the dough into a greased 9x5 loaf pan and bake in a preheated oven at 375°F (190°C) for 45-55 minutes. It's a "The Lazy Way" win that delivers that same gourmet, cheesy bistro flavor without any special equipment!
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This Bread Machine Beer Cheese Bread proves that you don't need to be a master baker to create an artisan loaf. It's a favorite that brings gourmet flavors straight to your kitchen with almost zero effort.
Give this cheesy, chive-loaded bread a try for Dad this weekend! If your family loves it, please leave a star rating and a comment below-it's the best way to support my "The Lazy Way" kitchen meanderings!
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Bread Machine Beer Cheese and Chive Bread Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 can beer (335 ml) I use Coors Light
- 2 tablespoon melted butter
- 3¼ cups All-Purpose Flour or Bread Flour for a chewier texture.
- ½ tablespoon Brown Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1½ teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Bread Machine Yeast or Active Dry Yeast.
- 1½ cup Old/Sharp Cheddar Cheese shredded
- 4 tablespoons fresh chives (or 2 tbsps dried chives or dried rosemary)
Instructions
- Settings: 1.5 lb loaf. Crust Color: Medium (Beer and sugar make the crust brown faster, so "Dark" might result in a burnt look). Cycle: Basic or White Bread.
- The Order: Add ingredients to your bread machine pan in the order listed (liquids first, then dry, then make a small "well" in the flour for the yeast so it doesn't touch the liquid yet).1 can beer (335 ml), 2 tbsp melted butter, 3¼ cups All-Purpose Flour, ½ tablespoon Brown Sugar, 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder, 1½ teaspoon Salt, 1 teaspoon Bread Machine Yeast
- The Setting: Select the "Basic" or "White Bread" cycle with a "Medium" crust setting.
- Slowly add the cheese and chives at the fruit signal. *This is about 20 minutes into the cycle. *My basic cycle is 3:18 and the fruit signal goes off at 2:56.4 tablespoons fresh chives, 1½ cup Old/Sharp Cheddar Cheese
- The Check: About 5-10 minutes into the kneading cycle, open the lid. The dough should look like a smooth, tacky ball. If it's too wet (sticking to the sides), add 1 tablespoon of flour. If it's too dry (looking shaggy), add 1 teaspoon of warm water.
- When bread is baked, leave the bread in the loaf pan for 2 minutes.
- Then use a spatula to loosen the sides and slide the bread onto a cooling rack.
- For best results, leave the bread on the cooling rack overnight before slicing with a serrated knife. *Or if you're in a hurry:Once it's cooled, I put it in the freezer for a couple of hours, then pull it out and slice it with a serrated knife into pieces.
Notes
- Use Your Garden Bounty! If you have fresh chives in your garden, toss them in! The combination of sharp cheddar, malty beer, and fresh chives creates a spectacular savory profile. If you don't have chives, green onions work as a great 'The Lazy Way' substitute!
- The "Baker's Brake": Don't be tempted to add more yeast! The combination of 1 teaspoon yeast and 1.5 teaspoon salt is the secret to a slow, controlled rise that develops a spectacular sourdough-like flavor.
- The 10-Minute Ball Check: About 10 minutes into the kneading cycle, peek under the lid. The dough should be a smooth, tacky ball. If it's sticking to the sides, add 1 tablespoon of flour.
- The "Light" Crust Setting: Because cheese and beer contain sugars that brown quickly, I recommend the "Light" crust setting to prevent the edges from getting too dark.
- The Overnight Cure: For the most professional, clean slices, let the loaf cool completely on a wire rack before cutting. This allows the melted cheese to "set" inside the crumb.
- The "Flavor Caves: Don't be surprised if you find a few large holes in the middle of your loaf! These are what I call 'Flavor Caves.' Because this recipe is loaded with 1.5 cups of real cheddar, the cheese melts into the dough as it bakes, leaving behind spectacular little pockets of cheesy goodness. It's a sign of a perfectly light and airy artisanal crumb!
- Expert Tip: All-Purpose vs. Bread Flour: I tested this recipe with All-Purpose flour to keep it soft and accessible, but in Canada, our all-purpose flour is high protein (11-13%), so it holds the structure of bread. But if you live somewhere where your all -purpose flour is lower in protein (Europe, UK, or Australia), you may want to switch to bread flour. Or if you want a 'chewier' artisan texture, feel free to swap in Bread Flour! The higher protein content also provides extra support for the heavy cheese and creates a crust that is perfect for toasting.
- Room Temperature: Store in an airtight bag for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: This bread freezes spectacularly! Slice the loaf first, then freeze in a heavy-duty bag for up to 3 months.
- Reheating: Pop a frozen slice directly into the toaster for a quick, cheesy Father's Day breakfast or side. It also makes the perfect BLT!
If using Quick Rise (Instant) Yeast: Mix it directly into the flour. Cover the bowl and let it rise in a warm, draft-free spot for about 1.5 to 2 hours (until it has doubled in size).
If using Traditional Yeast: You must "bloom" it first. Stir the yeast into the warm beer and let it sit for 5-10 minutes until it becomes foamy before adding the flour and cheese.
Gently transfer the dough into a greased 9x5 loaf pan and bake in a preheated oven at 375°F (190°C) for 45-55 minutes. It's a "The Lazy Way" win that delivers that same gourmet, cheesy bistro flavor without any special equipment!
Terri Gilson says
My son said this is one of the best recipes I've ever created!