This easy cheddar beer cheese dip, made in just 20 minutes, pairs perfectly with warm, soft pretzels. Grating cheddar cheese straight from the block is the secret that makes this beer cheese dip super melty and dangerously addictive. Sure to be a crowd pleaser at your next tailgate, Superbowl party, or movie night, this beer cheese dip tastes great with any number of your favorite, dippable snacks.
Best Beers for This Cheese Dip Recipe
Here are some of the best options for the cheddar beer cheese dip:
- German beer – Try a mild Pilsner
- Lager beer – Pretty standard
- IPA beer – Using IPA beer for beer cheese will add a strong beer flavor, so you should also add 2 tbsp of sugar to offset the bitter hoppy flavor.
Ingredients for Beer Cheese Dip
You will need to decide what type of beer you’re using for your cheese dip first — either IPA, lager or a German beer.
Then, of course, you need plenty of freshly grated cheddar cheese! In addition to these two key ingredients, you’ll need butter, flour, garlic powder, parsley, salt and pepper to finish off your delicious cheddar beer cheese dip.
Finally, all you need to prep your pretzels is a batch of store-bought or homemade soft pretzels with butter and salt.
How to Make Cheddar Beer Cheese Dip
It’s ridiculously easy to make cheddar beer cheese dip from scratch!
Step 1. First, grate a fresh block of cheddar cheese. If you prefer a short cut, you can thinly slice the cheddar cheese instead.
Step 2. Next, set a large pot on a burner at medium heat, and add in the butter and flour. Stir the mixture for about 30 seconds to form a roux.
NOTE: A roux is a thick paste-like mixture of butter and flour. It’s “done” when the mixture is lightly browned and it sticks to the back of the spoon.
Step 3. Once the roux is ready, add in garlic powder, fresh parsley, salt, and pepper. Stir the seasonings for about 2 minutes.
Step 4. Slowly pour the beer into the roux mixture and whisk until it thickens. After about 5 minutes of whisking, add in the grated cheddar cheese.
Step 5. Continue to whisk the mixture until the cheese melts completely, then remove the cheddar beer cheese dip from heat — if you do not remove from heat, the dip will continue to thicken.
FAQs
What is the best type of cheddar to use for this dip?
This recipe used a yellow sharp cheddar cheese from Tillamook. Grating fresh cheddar cheese is preferred for this recipe because it melts better, but in a rush, using already shredded cheddar cheese will work. You can also use a white cheddar for beer cheese with a more mild flavor.
What extra seasonings can I use?
Add more flavor to cheddar beer cheese with a little dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, Cajun spice blends, or diced jalapeños. I always keep frozen jalapeños in the freezer to use on the fly in recipes like this.
What if the beer cheese dip is too thin?
If the cheddar beer cheese is too thin, you can thicken the beer cheese with an extra tablespoon of flour or cornstarch. Mix the flour or cornstarch in a separate bowl with 1/4 cup of the thin beer cheese sauce. Slowly add the new thick sauce back in to the beer cheese recipe. The beer cheese will also thicken as it sits.
Check out these other crowd pleasing party foods.
Soft Pretzels and Cheddar Beer Cheese Dip – A Perfect Duo
Bacon, jalapeños, and fresh herbs, like the parsley used in this recipe, are great choices for toppings when serving beer cheese for a party.
How to heat soft pretzels for beer cheese
Soft pretzels can be found in the frozen section of most grocery stores. In my local store, I found fresh baked soft pretzels. To reheat soft pretzels, coat them with butter and salt and bake in the oven for about 10 minutes at 400 degrees.
Looking for another crowd pleasing appetizer? Check out this Mexican salad. It’s a great make-ahead salad you can also use as a dip.
Tasty Tips
- Perfect Pairings: This recipe can be used to dip more than just soft pretzels. Make beer cheese sauce for brats, hard pretzels, loaded fries, potatoes, and for dipping thick crusty bread.
- Soft Pretzels: Find soft pretzels in the bakery section or frozen food section of the grocery store. You can also make your own pretzels, fast, with this mix.
- All the Cheese: Grate cheddar cheese from a block, instead of using shredded cheese, because it will melt better and create a super smooth texture.
- Make Ahead: This easy cheddar beer cheese dip can be made a day ahead and keeps in the fridge for a couple of days. But, if you’re anything like me, hubs and our friends, this delicious beer cheese dip won’t last longer than a football game at your house.
For a different spin on a cheese dip, try this Mexican cheese dip by food blogger Jen Around The World.
Are you a foodie, too?
Let me know when you make this cheddar beer cheese dip. Be sure to leave a comment and rate the recipe. It means so much to hear from Sip Bite Go readers and I love seeing photos of your food! Don’t forget to tag me @sipbitego on Instagram so I can see how the recipe turned out. And sign up for the Sip Bite Go newsletter.
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Looking for new ways to enjoy your favorite food with sous vide cooking? Get inspired with my new book – The Home Chef’s Sous Vide Cookbook.
More recipes with cheese you might like…
- How to make pizza at home with store bought dough
- 50+ gourmet grilled cheese ideas
- Sous vide chicken wings with bleu cheese dressing
- Make ahead Mexican salad
Cheddar Beer Cheese Dip Recipe (Sip Bite Go)
Forget store-bought! This easy cheddar beer cheese dip for pretzels is a popular app that can be made with a lager, German beer, or as an IPA beer cheese dip.
Ingredients
Cheese dip
- 2 tbsp butter unsalted
- 2 tbsp flour
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp parsley fresh
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1 cup beer IPA, lager, or German
- 1 cup cheddar cheese grated
Pretzels
- soft pretzels
- butter melted
- salt
Instructions
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Put a large pot on a burner set to medium heat, and add butter and flour. Stir for 30 seconds to form a roux. For newbies to cooking: a roux is a thick paste-like mixture of butter and flour. It's "done" when the mixture is lightly browned and it sticks to the back of the spoon. Once the roux is ready, add in garlic powder, fresh parsley, salt, and pepper. Stir seasonings for two minutes.
-
Slowly pour the beer into the roux mixture. Whisk until it thickens, about five minutes, then add grated cheese. Whisk until cheese melts completely. Remove from heat or it will continue to thicken.
-
To heat soft pretzels, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat soft pretzels with melted butter and salt. Bake for ~10 minutes.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
- This recipe can be used to dip more than just soft pretzels. Make beer cheese sauce for brats, hard pretzels, loaded fries, potatoes, and for dipping thick crusty bread.
- Find soft pretzels in the bakery section or frozen food section of the grocery store.
- Grate cheddar cheese from a block, instead of using shredded cheese, because it will melt better and create a super smooth texture.
- Make your own pretzels, fast, with this mix.
- This easy cheddar beer cheese dip can be made a day ahead and keeps in the fridge for a couple of days. But, if you’re anything like me, hubs and our friends, this delicious beer cheese dip won’t last longer than a football game at your house.
Oh my word, this looks amazing! I’m not sure I care much about the Super Bowl this year, but this dip could get me pretty excited, haha! I especially love the sound of it with an IPA, and adding a bit of sugar is a great tip!
I just want to drink this!
Og goodness this cheddar beer cheese dip is amazingly perfect for the BIG game day party or any time. I need to prepare it this weekend, looks so good!
I’ve never had a beer dip but it sounds delicious!
This dip looks incredible. This would be perfect for the superbowl party we are throwing next week.
This is great. My boyfriend orders beer-cheese dip anytime it is one a menu where we are. This will be great to surprise him with.
Looks awesome. I’m afraid I’d eat the whole bowl.
Looks so yummy..adding to my list of must tries
Not a beer person but years back I tasted a beer sauce too and it tastes great lol. I was worried I might have hang over after since I ate a number of chips with it.
This looks really delicious. I don’t think you’ll ever find enough leftover to put in the fridge lol
I have never tried to make a dip like this and this dip recipe of yours looks really good and tasty! I will definitely try this for my friends.
This is a must try for me! I will make this for my family when we do our movie nights. It is going to be another favorite I am sure of that.
This sounds amazing, we love our dips so am definitely going to be trying this x
Why do you make so tasty recipe? I love it seeing these pics itself. I can’t wait to try this one in the coming weekend 😀
Wow, this is so unique. I haven’t tried something like this yet. I think it has a light bitterness that will make it so delicious.
I love food and will definitely try this recipe. While I may not find all the ingredients in my country, I will find alternatives. Kudoss to you.
i a beer-lover and love this kind of recipe. I will defintely try this just to find out how beer-based dips taste.
And now, thank to you, I have an idea for my happy hour tonight! I’m already starving and now I’ll give a try to this recipe 😉
I’ve always found beer as an ingredient so interesting. I have to try this.
This looks so delicious. I would love the cheese dip here. I know I have tried one before but you really need the right kind of beer. Get the wrong beer and it just doesn’t taste right.
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