This ultra creamy sauce is made from lager beer, milk, cheddar cheese and spices and is perfect for dipping or topping your favorite foods!
Thick and velvety cheesiness, with plenty of cheddar and beer flavor!
Creamy Beer Cheese Sauce
Lately, I’ve had an obsession with cheese. Beer cheese to be specific. Nearly all our favorite restaurants have an appetizer or two on the menu that come with beer cheese and OMG I can’t get enough. I’ve been on a mission to create a recipe that’s just as delicious as the restaurant’s version, if not better. DONE!
My favorite part about this recipe is how adaptive it is. Want a thicker sauce, more of a dip consistency? Simmer it longer or add a bit less liquid. Want it spicier? Add more cayenne, or some jalapeno. Play around with the cheese used, use a different beer, the possibilities are endless!
WHAT TO SERVE WITH BEER CHEESE?
There are so many ideas, it’s hard to narrow them down!
So far I’ve tried everything pigs in a blanket, homemade soft pretzel sticks, and tortilla chips.
But I can’t wait to try french fries, fried pickles, chicken tenders, and as a topper for a juicy burger!
CAN BEER CHEESE SAUCE BE MADE AHEAD OF TIME?
Sure can! I personally think it tastes best when made fresh, but it can be done ahead of time. Just make sure you heat it up slowly and stir it often, otherwise it can become grainy and possibly separate.
WHAT KIND OF BEER SHOULD YOU USE FOR BEER CHEESE?
You can use whichever beer you like to drink. Make sure it’s a flavor you like, as it will be prevalent in the sauce. I love to use a lager-style beer, as it has a robust, yet light taste.
PRO TIPS FOR MAKING BEER CHEESE SAUCE:
- Don’t let the small amount of beer fool you, it still has plenty of beer flavor.
- Use a beer that you love the taste of, since it will be intensified in the sauce.
- For the best results, shred your own cheese. Pre-shredded cheese is coated in a substance to prevent it from clumping in the bag, which can make it not melt as smoothly in a sauce.
- Season and taste as you go. I’ve given you my base seasoning in the recipe, but feel free to add, subtract, or swap out for any seasonings you’d like.
OTHER GREAT PARTY RECIPES:
- Bacon Ranch Cheeseball
- BBQ Beer Lil Smokies
- Garlic and Herb Ham and Cheese Sliders
- Buffalo Chicken Dip
- Bacon Cheeseburger Dip
SHOP THE RECIPE:
- Box Grater – remember, the best sauce starts with freshly grated cheese!
- Saucepan – a great pot to have for so many sauces!
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @the_chunky_chef on Facebook and Instagram!
Ingredients
- 3 Tbsp butter
- 3 Tbsp all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup lager beer
- 1 cup whole milk (half and half or heavy cream may be substituted)
- 1 tsp grainy dijon mustard (or regular dijon)
- 1/2 - 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
- pinch of dried parsley (optional)
- 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese (or your favorite cheese) (about 12 oz)
Instructions
- In a saucepan, melt butter over MED heat. Add flour and whisk until combined. Cook 30 seconds, while whisking occasionally.
- Add beer, whisking continuously as you pour, eliminating any lumps from the flour mixture. Slowly add in milk, whisking as you pour.
- Cook over MED heat, whisking often, for several minutes, until mixture has thickened. Stir in mustard, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and cayenne.
- Add cheese, a handful at a time, and stir until completely melted. Serve warm.
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Nutrition Disclaimer
The Chunky Chef is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
smile says
this recipe genuinely changed my life. I am not joking. i kind of wish I could go back in time so I could discover it for the first time again.
ps- dip a hot cheeto puff in it. you’re welcome.
Jill says
Absolutely delicous
Tammy says
Can leftover your recipe for beer cheese sauce be frozen to be used later
Amanda says
I’ve not tested freezing this recipe, so I can’t say for certain if it freezes well.
Krista R. says
I did this recipe wrong. I followed the instructions but the sauce was stretchy and stringy. So then I added more beer until I got the sauce type consistency I wanted. But ugh. So bitter. If I make this again and I get the same stretchy consistency, I will add milk, not more beer.
Richard Bentley says
Spot on, great recipe for beer cheese and pigs in a blanket. Quick easy and delicious. P.s. listed fresh grated mild white cheddar and apple smoked gruyere cheese.
Madison Knapp says
Really delicious flavor and texture! I ended up over thickening and adding more beer to acheive the right texture, but turned out really well!
angamima says
Unfortunately, this was a total flop for us. Ended up scraping it into the trash. It turned out gummy and flavorless. Followed the recipe specifically so not sure what went wrong. Too bad.
Janette Nagle says
I made this to go with sourdough pretzels. This is the best cheese dip I have found! The only problem is my college kid takes all the leftovers! It was so smooth and tasty!
Mary-Margaret says
Footballers Loved This!!! I was out of cayenne pepper so I used paprika and a few hot pepper flakes. Used 3/4 of milk Hoegarden beer, 1 cup of Dubliner and 2 cups cheddar. Thank you so much. Super quick and easy.
Vicki says
What dipping bread did you use, it looks yummy
The Chunky Chef says
I used these! https://www.thechunkychef.com/everything-pigs-in-a-blanket/
Stephanie says
This was perfect! Didn’t have any whole milk so used half and half like suggested and delicious!
Tina says
Excellent. I served this as a dip so cooked the milk mixture a bit longer per your suggestion; we loved the consistency (it was really smooth yet gooey and ultra cheesy at the same time). I cooked it in advance then left it on ‘warm’ in the slow cooker for hours during our party (it held up just fine in the slow cooker). I used Modelo (light Mexican lager) so the beer taste wasn’t strong (it was almost like a really good queso fundido) but we’ll try a darker lager next time.
Karin Jackson says
Made this today for a Thanksgiving appetizer. It turned out perfect. I had my twin grandkids taste test it, they loved it.
Carol says
Can this be made and hold up for a few hours in a crock pot?
The Chunky Chef says
I’ve not tested it, but I think it would do well on warm, as long as you stirred it every so often.
Tina says
Yes this can! I did it a couple weeks ago and it kept really well on ‘warm’ in the crock pot.
Sharon says
Amazing sauce! We put over Brats and peppers in Hoagies…sooo good!!!!!
Bonnie says
Super easy and what a great flavor!!
Michelle T says
Best beer cheese ever! Added way more milk and beer to thin it out at the end. Used mild and sharp cheddar and upped the Worcestershire to a tablespoon! Will make again!
Clarissa says
I made this cheese dip and it came out extremely thick, almost like a cheese spread. I tried adding more beer but it did not help. Also tried cooking it longer to thin it out a bit. Any ideas where I went wrong? I am trying the recipe out again this weekend and wanted to try to make it a little thinner. I wanted it to be more of a dip consistency like in your pictures because I was making it for pretzel bites. Other than the consistency (which I’m guessing was my own fault!), I absolutely LOVED the flavor!
The Chunky Chef says
I’m glad you loved the flavor! I’m curious about the consistency, as I’ve never had that issue before. You could perhaps try only using 1.5 or 2 Tbsp of flour and see if that helps it not get quite so thick? Or you could use 3/4 cup of beer and 1 1/2 cups of milk and see if that helps as well 🙂
VV says
I’d think cooking it longer would thicken, rather than thin, it. Also, wondering if your heat might have been too high?
Just ideas..
Julie says
super easy, super yummy!
Kelsea says
what do you think I did wrong if my sauce came out too thin? I swear I whisked the roux for like 30-60 seconds just until all the flour was mixed. Maybe I didn’t whisk the beer and milk for long enough before adding the cheese? And is there a way for me to fix it now, by adding flour maybe?
I’d also like to add that I’ve made this drunk once before and it turned out fine.
The Chunky Chef says
My thought is that the beer and milk weren’t cooked long enough before adding the cheese. They should be fairly thick before you add it 🙂 You could whisk a tablespoon of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of liquid (water, beer, milk) in a separate bowl until smooth, then stir that into the sauce and let it cook a little bit.
Mick says
Hi. Question, does the alcohol burn off, can I serve this to kids?
The Chunky Chef says
In my opinion, most of the alcohol is cooked off, so what minuscule amount is left would be fine for kids 🙂