The Best Beer Cheese Pretzel Dip Recipe
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Warm, cheesy beer dip is an essential pub snack. The creamy texture paired with salty, chewy, and/or crunchy pretzels is a fun and comforting combo. Whether it's Oktoberfest or football season, or you simply want to serve a substantial and crowd-pleasing appetizer, we have the best beer cheese pretzel dip that you will want to make over and over again. Recipe developer Julie Kinnaird takes you step-by-step through making the ultimate silky smooth and umami-laden dip that is a dream with your favorite pretzels, brats, or veggies. She starts with a classic butter and flour roux for thickening, adds malty beer and whole milk, seasonings, and a blend of extra-sharp cheddar and fontina cheese for the perfect pairing of sharpness and nuttiness. The secret ingredient for really enhancing the flavor is a bit of white miso paste added to the roux, which adds its own nutty, salty, savory flair.
What makes this dip even more complex is the addition of smoked paprika and caraway seeds. Caraway has a citrusy, almost anise-like flavor that works surprisingly well with strong cheeses, while the smoked paprika adds both depth and rich color to the dip. This recipe is easy to make and customize as you desire for any occasion.
Gather the beer cheese pretzel dip ingredients
This recipe starts by making a roux from unsalted butter and all-purpose flour. To this thickener you will add white miso paste, which brings out a wonderful umami flavor that complements the cheese. You will need both garlic and onion powders, along with smoked paprika and caraway seeds. When selecting a beer for this recipe, look for a pilsner or light IPA that will have a little hoppiness, but won't overpower the dip. You will also need whole milk, Dijon mustard, and Worcestershire sauce. Finally, the most important ingredient is a rich and flavorful cheese; Kinnaird suggests using a combination of extra-sharp cheddar for intensity and fontina for its sweet nuttiness.
Step 1: Melt the butter
Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat.
Step 2: Whisk in the flour
Add the flour and whisk until smooth.
Step 3: Add the miso and spices
Add the miso paste, garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika. Continue to cook, whisking constantly, for about 2 minutes.
Step 4: Whisk in the beer and milk
Gradually whisk in the beer, and then the milk. Continue to whisk until smooth.
Step 5: Cook the mixture until thickened
Cook the mixture over low heat for about 5 minutes until thickened, whisking frequently.
Step 6: Add the cheese, Worcestershire, mustard, and caraway
Turn off the heat and add the cheeses, mustard, Worcestershire, and caraway, whisking until the cheese is melted and the mixture is smooth.
Step 7: Serve the beer cheese dip with pretzels
Transfer the warm beer cheese dip to a bowl and serve immediately with a variety of soft or crunchy pretzels.
What to serve with beer cheese pretzel dip
The Best Beer Cheese Pretzel Dip Recipe
This beer cheese dip is a total crowd-pleaser. In 30 minutes you have the ultimate accessory for pretzels hard and soft, sausages, veggies, and so much more.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon white miso paste
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 ½ cups beer (pilsner or IPA)
- 1 cup whole milk
- 8 ounces (about 3 cups) shredded extra-sharp cheddar
- 8 ounces (about 3 cups) shredded fontina
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
Directions
- Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat.
- Add the flour and whisk until smooth.
- Add the miso paste, garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika. Continue to cook, whisking constantly, for about 2 minutes.
- Gradually whisk in the beer, and then the milk. Continue to whisk until smooth.
- Cook the mixture over low heat for about 5 minutes until thickened, whisking frequently.
- Turn off the heat and add the cheeses, mustard, Worcestershire, and caraway, whisking until the cheese is melted and the mixture is smooth.
- Transfer the warm beer cheese dip to a bowl and serve immediately with a variety of soft or crunchy pretzels.
Nutrition
| Calories per Serving | 335 |
| Total Fat | 25.3 g |
| Saturated Fat | 15.0 g |
| Trans Fat | 0.0 g |
| Cholesterol | 79.3 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 8.6 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 0.5 g |
| Total Sugars | 2.4 g |
| Sodium | 530.4 mg |
| Protein | 15.8 g |
Are there other cheeses I can use in this beer cheese pretzel dip?
Although sharp cheddar and fontina are excellent choices for melting cheeses, there are certainly plenty of substitutions. Mild cheddar receives less aging and therefore has a higher moisture content, so if you want to tone down the tang in your dip, a mild cheddar would be a great choice. A young gruyere is another gooey melting cheese with some similarities to fontina, with its nutty and buttery flavor. Gouda is another versatile cheese that ranges in age and depth of flavor. If you want to add a smoky element to your dip, consider grating in a bit of smoked gouda for an interesting twist. Kinnaird also suggests using Muenster cheese; this wonderful French soft to semi-soft cheese has a high moisture content when used young, and a buttery yet slightly tangy flavor that is excellent with the hoppy notes of an IPA.
An important tip to keep in mind when it comes to shredded cheese: You should make sure you grate your own from a block or wedge. Pre-shredded cheese often contains cellulose, an ingredient to prevent clumping of the shreds. This can inhibit the cheese's ability to melt as well as dry it out. Whipping out the cheese grater ensures that your cheese will have optimal moisture and flavor, which can both be lost in pre-shredded varieties.
What is the best way to store and reheat beer cheese dip?
Once your beer cheese dip has cooled, it can be stored in an airtight plastic container or glass jar in the refrigerator for up to a week. To reheat, place the desired amount in a small saucepan and gently re-warm over low heat, stirring frequently to prevent scorching. You can also try reheating the dip in a microwave, but be careful to use a medium low power to prevent overheating. Just microwave it in blasts, stirring every 30 seconds or so, to evenly distribute the heat and bring back the creamy texture.
After the initial cooking, you will not want to reheat your beer cheese pretzel dip more than once. Multiple reheats will start to break down the fat and starch emulsion, causing a more gritty and curdled-looking texture. You also risk the potential of harmful bacterial growth with reheating and cooling numerous times, so only heat the amount that you will use in a sitting.