Beer Cheese Dip For Pretzels

5 from 1 vote

Beer Cheese Dip For Pretzels

Creamy, melty, warm, and cozy, my Guiness-spiked Beer Cheese Dip for Pretzels is an ideal appetizer for bonfires, tailgates, and all things fall. Best of all? This beer cheese fondue recipe comes together in one pan with just a few minutes of effort, meaning delicious Oktoberfest-inspired flavor is never far from reach.

Prep Time30

Cook Time16

Resting Time15

Total Time1 1

Course: Bread, Snack

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 418kcal

Author: Emily Laurae

Equipment

Measuring Cups & Spoons
Box Grater
Saucepan
Whisk
Small Crockpot or Fondue Set

Ingredients

Twisted pretzels

5 cups Boiling Water
2 ¼ teaspoon Instant Dry Yeast
1 tablespoon Granulated Sugar
1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
4 ¼ cups All-Purpose Flour plus more for countertop
1 ½ cups Warm Water 110°F
½ cup Baking Soda
1 Egg (beaten)
Flakey Sea Salt & Chili Flakes

Spicy Beer Cheese with Stout

2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
3 ½ Tablespoons All-Purpose Flour
¾ cup Whole Milk
⅔ cup Stout Beer
2 teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce
½ teaspoon Dijon Mustard
½ teaspoon Onion Powder
1 teaspoon Chili Flakes
½ teaspoon Garlic Powder
¼ teaspoon Paprika
¼ teaspoon Salt
2 cups Sharp Cheddar Cheese

Instructions

Twisted pretzels

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F and prepare your baking sheets by lining with parchment paper.
Bring the 5 cups of water to a boil on medium high heat within a large pot.
5 cups Boiling Water
Add dry ingredients into a bow/mixing bowll and whisk to combine.
2 ¼ teaspoon Instant Dry Yeast, 1 tablespoon Granulated Sugar, 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt, 4 ¼ cups All-Purpose Flour
Add water into the bowl and mix by hand or with the dough attachment. Continue mixing until the dough is smooth and fully mixed.
1 ½ cups Warm Water
Cover and allow the dough to rest for 15 minutes before continuing.
Divide the dough into eight pieces of similar sizes.
Roll each piece of dough into a long rope that is approximately 1 ½ feet in length.
Fold the rope in half and twist the rope together until they’ve spiraled together as pictured below. Do one final twist in order to achieve the final twisted pretzel shape!
Add the baking soda to boiling water – it will bubble and foam so make sure you’re prepared!
½ cup Baking Soda
Add the pretzels one by one into the boiling water for 45-60 seconds, then remove with a slotted spoon. Place them on your prepared baking sheet.
Brush each pretzel with egg wash and sprinkle with flaky sea salt and chili flakes,
1 Egg, Flakey Sea Salt & Chili Flakes
Bake pretzels for 16-18 minutes minutes, turning once halfway through the bake before enjoying!

Spicy Beer Cheese with Stout

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk together until a thick paste forms, about 1 minute.
2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, 3 ½ Tablespoons All-Purpose Flour
In a slow and steady stream, whisk in the milk. After it’s all added, continue whisking until it slightly thickens, about 1 minute.
¾ cup Whole Milk
One at a time, whisk in the remaining ingredients until smooth. Then serve with pretzels!
⅔ cup Stout Beer, 2 teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce, ½ teaspoon Dijon Mustard, ½ teaspoon Onion Powder, 1 teaspoon Chili Flakes, ½ teaspoon Garlic Powder, ¼ teaspoon Paprika, ¼ teaspoon Salt, 2 cups Sharp Cheddar Cheese

Notes

Optional Variations

Gluten-Free Beer Cheese - Use your favorite cup-for-cup gluten-free flour mix and swap in a gluten-free stout beer (e.g. Glutenberg brand).

Vegan Beer Cheese - Swap in unsweetened dairy-free milk (preferably on the creamy side, like oat milk), plant-based butter, and your favorite vegan cheddar cheese (e.g. Violife).

Different Cheeses - Sharp cheddar is my favorite for beer cheese, but feel free to experiment with other varieties like gouda, fontina, havarti, gruyere, or mozzarella. You can also mix and match!
Different Beer - Lagers, ales, and IPAs all bring their own unique flavor to this cheese party, so play around until you find your favorite.

Nutrition