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This beer cheese dip recipe made with your favorite beer is perfect for hosting friends and can be ready in just 15 minutes.
While you can use whatever beer you like, I'm all about Guinness, from Guinness beef stew to Guinness chocolate cake, it is just so versatile.
I don't know about you, but I feel like Guinness beer is the most used beer out there when it comes to cooking. And no it doesn't need to be St. Patrick's Day to use it, although it doesn't hurt.
And that's where this beer cheese dip recipe comes into play. A few years back, my wife and I went to the Food & Wine Festival at Epcot and got some cheese dip from the Ireland section. Every since having it, I had wanted to recreate it.
Well I was in luck, as I had some leftover Guinness beer from another recipe. Before you ask, no you don't need Guinness for dip. You can use whatever beer you like and whatever cheese you happen to have. That's what makes this dip so great.
That and it is super easy to whip up. And if you follow this blog at all, you might have noticed I just shared some pretzel bites. Yes those were made specifically for this Guinness cheese dip, but you can use your favorite dippers for this recipe.
Jump to:
Recipe Ingredients
- Unsalted butter - works with the flour to form a roux.
- All-purpose flour - makes the roux to help thicken this beer cheese dip recipe.
- Whole milk - whole milk is best for a rich and creamy dip.
- Beer - feel free to use your favorite beer.
- Worcestershire sauce - adds a slight umami flavor.
- Dijon mustard - can't have a dip without a little mustard.
- Garlic powder, paprika, salt, black pepper - enhances the flavor.
- Sharp cheddar cheese - use your favorite cheese or a combination of cheeses.
How to Make Guinness Cheese Dip
- Heat butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk until combined and cooked through, about 1 minute.
- Slowly add the milk, beer, mustard, garlic powder, paprika, salt and black pepper, whisking until everything is combined.
- Stirring constantly, cook until mixture has thickened slightly, about 3-5 minutes. Add cheese and whisk until smooth. Taste for seasoning and serve warm.
Best Beer for Cheese Dip
It really just depends on the kind of beer you like as that is what you should use.
- Dark beers - stouts and malts produce a deep and slightly bitter flavor that goes well with pretzels.
- Light beers - ales and IPA's typically have a lighter or hoppier flavor and goes well with chips and veggies.
- Non-alcoholic - you could always go with a non-alcoholic beer and it will still taste great.
Variations
As with anything, you can change up your flavor depending on what you add to this beer cheese dip recipe.
- Spice - step up the heat by adding a pinch of cayenne or some hot sauce.
- More Queso-Like - if you want a queso dip, add some drained diced tomatoes and green chilis.
- Garlic - if you love garlic, then add 1-2 cloves and sauté in the butter for 30 seconds before adding the flour.
Dipping Options
I associate cheese dip with soft, warm pretzels but there are plenty of possibilities.
- Bread - soft pretzels, French bread, pita bread, sourdough bread or no-knead Dutch oven bread.
- Chips - pita chips, tortilla chips, pretzel chips.
- Fruits - apples, grapes, pears.
- Veggies - broccoli, celery, cauliflower, mushrooms, carrots.
Pro Tips/Recipes Notes
- Don’t use pre-shredded cheese. It doesn’t taste as good and also has additional ingredients that you don’t need.
- If the dip seems a too thick, whisk in some milk 1 tbsp at a time and if it is too thin, just add some more cheese.
- Keep the dip warm on a cheese fondue warmer or in a mini slow cooker.
Other Appetizer Recipes
If you’ve tried this beer cheese dip recipe or any other recipe on Chisel & Fork, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube to see more tasty meals and anything else I'm up to.
Beer Cheese Dip
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whole milk
- ⅔ cup beer
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp paprika
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
Instructions
- Heat butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk until combined and cooked through, about 1 minute.
- Slowly add the milk, beer, mustard, garlic powder, paprika, salt and black pepper, whisking until everything is combined.
- Stirring constantly, cook until mixture has thickened slightly, about 3-5 minutes. Add cheese and whisk until smooth.
- Taste for seasoning and serve warm.
Notes
- Don’t use pre-shredded cheese. It doesn’t taste as good and also has additional ingredients that you don’t need.
- If the dip seems a too thick, whisk in some milk 1 tbsp at a time and if it is too thin, just add some more cheese.
- Keep the dip warm on a cheese fondue warmer or in a mini slow cooker.
Oh Canada says
This is like making a great classic homemade Mac and cheese sauce. Just replace some milk with beer. Or not as this sauce would go well in Mac n chz too.
Go ahead and make it! Great for all levels.
Edward T Chrzastek says
Can this be made a head of time? How would you reheat
Ryan says
Yes. Just reheat over low heat, stirring often.