Soft and fluffy black pepper cheddar beer bread. Shape the this yeasted beer bread dough into a dozen dinner rolls or into one bread loaf.
What to do with leftover beer and cheese from last weekend’s Super Bowl feast?
Take those leftovers and turn them into black pepper cheddar beer bread!
And if you happen to still have more beer, be sure to try these honey beer pretzels and this spicy beer bread as well!
Cheddar Beer Bread Rolls
The combination of beer and cheese is delicious! These bread rolls combine stout and cheddar.
This recipe makes a dozen baseball sized bread rolls. Their size is ideal for making little sandwiches.
Need proof? See the breakfast sandwich photo below. It’s the perfect size for a fried egg!
Does it matter what type of beer you use for bread?
- This recipe calls for a dry stout beer, like Guinness.
- If you don’t have stout, any other dark beer with coffee, chocolate, or roasted barley notes will work.
- If you prefer to use a lighter colored beer, try this spicy beer bread which uses a pale lager.
Recommended cheeses for beer bread rolls
- Use sharp or milk cheddar cheese. Cheddar has a distinct flavor that will cut through the stout beer
- Other suggested cheeses include: Colby, Gouda, or Gruyere cheese
- DO NOT use mozzarella, Swiss, or fontina. These specific cheeses don’t pair as well with stout beer
Bread Flour versus All-Purpose Flour
- Bread flour has higher protein content compared to all-purpose flour.
- You may use all-purpose flour in place of bread flour. However, the resulting bread may not have the same “chew.”
Tips for working with yeasted dough
- First and foremost, ensure your yeast is still active! Use the testing methods detailed in this baking with yeast post.
- Yeast thrives in warm environments. Make sure the water is about 110 degree F. If the water is too cold, the yeast will take longer to “wake up.” However, if the water is too hot, the yeast may die.
- Use a clear glass bowl (like one in the image above) to help gauge the growth of the dough.
Shaping the Dough: dinner rolls vs loaf bread
The recipe makes a dozen dinner rolls. Use a kitchen scale to divide dough by weight to ensure equal sized portions.
Simply roll each portion of dough into a tight ball. Place seam side down on parchment lined baking sheet.
This recipe can also be converted to make one 9×5-inch bread loaf. Instead of dividing the dough, pat dough into a 9×12-inch rectangle.
Fold the rectangle into thirds like a business letter. Tuck in the sides.
Then, place in a well greased 9×5-inch loaf pan. See this stout bread loaf for more detailed instructions regarding shaping.
These black pepper cheddar beer bread rolls bake up soft and fluffy.
They’re delicious warm, fresh from the oven. The flavors become even more pronounced when you eat them at room temperature.
Black Pepper Cheddar Beer Bread
Equipment
- stand mixer with dough hook attachment
- kitchen scale
- kitchen thermometer
- pastry brush
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon (9 grams) active dry yeast
- 2 teaspoon granulated sugar
- ½ cup warm water about 110°F
- ⅔ cup dry stout beer (such as Guinness), room temperature
- 2 Tablespoons (27 grams) dark brown sugar packed
- 2 Tablespoons (28 grams) melted unsalted butter
- 3 ½ cups (420 grams) unbleached bread flour
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
- 1 ½ cups (130 grams) shredded cheddar cheese
- Egg Wash, see notes
Instructions
- Dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water. Let sit for 5-7 minutes until mixture is foamy and yeast is activated. Pour mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer. Add beer, brown sugar, and melted butter. Whisk to combine.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and pepper. Attach dough hook to stand mixer. Add half of flour mixture to mixing bowl. Mix on low speed until dough starts to come together. Add remaining flour along with the shredded cheese. Continue to mix on low speed until dough forms into a ball.
- Increase speed to medium and knead bread for 3 minutes until dough is smooth and no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl.
- Transfer dough to a lightly greased large bowl. Cover and let dough rest for 45 minutes until dough has doubled in volume. Punch dough down. Divide dough into 12 equal parts. (Use kitchen scale to divide dough by weight to ensure equal sized portions.)
- Roll portioned dough into balls. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet (18 x 13-inch). Cover with plastic wrap. Let dough rest for 30 minutes to rise.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Remove plastic wrap cover. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush egg wash over the bread rolls.
- Bake for 30 minutes, rotating baking sheet after 15 minutes. Bake until rolls are rich golden brown on top and the internal temperature of the bread registers at least 190°F. Cool slightly before serving. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- To make egg wash: whisk together one large egg, 1 tsp water, and a pinch of salt.
- Keep cooled bread in a plastic bag (or bread box/container) for up to three days. Otherwise, tightly wrap any remaining rolls and keep frozen for up to 1 month.
- To make a breakfast sandwich: horizontally slice bread roll in half and lightly toast. Add a few slices of ham and thick slice of cheese on bottom bun. Set bottom bun under broiler/toaster for a few seconds until cheese has melted. Add fried egg. Season with a little salt and pepper. Place top bun over egg and ENJOY!
- How to shape dough into a bread loaf:
- In Step 4, instead of dividing dough, pat dough into a rectangle about 9×12-inches.
- Fold into thirds like a business letter. Tuck in the sides. Place inside a well greased 9×5-inch bread loaf pan. Cover with plastic wrap. Proof bread for about 30 minutes until dough rises to top of the pan.
- Brush top of dough with egg wash. Bake for about 35 minutes until instant read thermometer inserted in center of loaf reads at least 200°F.
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Special Equipment:
- I used this kitchen scale, kitchen thermometer, and pastry brush
These look amazing! I love that you added black pepper to flavor the beer dough. Stunning pictures.
Thank you! Yes, the black pepper adds a nice kick! :)
Hi Maryanne,
Question: can this be made as one big round bolle instead of individual rolls?
Thanks!
Robin
Hello! Can this be used to make a loaf bread instead? Similar to your spicy beer bread? Thanks!
Yes, you can form one bread loaf instead of rolls. Follow the shaping directions in this post: https://www.thelittleepicurean.com/stout-bread-loaf/