This is a short tale about how I couldn’t resist eating all the crunchy topping off my new favorite bread.
Honestly, it’s not a story — I just ate it. The top of beer bread always gets me: textured, buttery, and delightfully crumbly in the best way.
That crispy top is the kind of thing I pick at first, the same way I gravitate toward the crunchy tops of muffins, fruit crisps, cobblers, or potato-chip–topped casseroles. I also go straight for the cookie-dough chunks in ice cream — which, let’s be real, are usually disappointingly scarce. But with this bread, there’s no disappointment.
The rest of the loaf is just as good as the crust. It’s slightly fluffy yet satisfyingly dense — perfect toasted or plain, smeared with jam or peanut butter. I’m unusually devoted to toast, and this loaf even works untoasted with a generous smear of something sweet or spiced.
For this batch I made a quick apple compound butter: softened unsalted butter whipped together with apple butter, a pinch of cinnamon and salt. It’s indulgent and dreamy — the kind of spread that turns a slice of bread into a mini celebration.
Despite claiming this bread as my new favorite, I’ll still confess the topping remains my weakness. I can’t help it.
This is also the bread I dunked into a bowl of soup the other night — it soaked up little droplets of broth and made every bite more comforting. In short, it’s versatile: a great side for soups, stews, or simply sliced for breakfast.
I’m tempted to keep talking about last night’s Nashville episode, but I’ll let the photos and the recipe speak for themselves.
White Cheddar Beer Bread
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Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 6 ounces white cheddar, freshly grated
- 12 ounces your favorite beer
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
apple compound butter
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 2 tablespoons apple butter
- 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spray a 9×5 loaf pan with nonstick spray.
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In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose and whole wheat flours. Stir in the baking powder and salt, then mix in the grated white cheddar. Pour in the beer and stir until a thick batter forms. Spoon the batter into the prepared loaf pan and pour the melted butter evenly over the top. Bake 50–55 minutes, until golden and set in the center. Remove from the oven and cool about 30 minutes.
apple compound butter
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Just before serving, whisk together the softened butter, apple butter, cinnamon, and salt until smooth. Serve alongside the warm bread.
Notes
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See? So crunchy.