Guinness Bread Recipe: Another Simple, Delicious Food With Distinctly Irish Flavors!

This Guinness bread recipe is surprisingly quick to make. The beer adds an amazing flavor to the bread and the carbonation helps give it the fluffy texture.

Irish Expressions: Guinness Bread recipe.  Image of Guinness bread courtesy of Shutterstock.

This recipe makes two loaves, and we recommend you make the full amount, if not more!  For one thing it's more frugal to bake two or loaves more at a time.

For another, well... there is magic involved.  the first loaf will disappear - poof! - by the end of the meal.  And you'll want to keep a very close eye on the second to ensure there is toast for the following morning.

Guinness Bread Recipe: Ingredients

  • 5 Cups all purpose flour
  • 2/3 cups oats (Use the Old Fashioned whole grain oats)
  • 1 cup oat flour-(see tips)
  • 8 tsp baking powder
  • 1 1/3 C dark brown sugar
  • 24 oz (2 bottles) Guinness Stout
  • 2 TBSP Butter
  • 2-3 TBSP of oats to sprinkle on top

Guinness Bread Recipe: Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees for glass pans, 375 for metal.

2. Prepare two loaf pans by using the butter to grease the sides and the bottom. For a better crust and easier removal from the pan, line the bottom with parchment paper.

3. In a large bowl, mix the all purpose flour, oat flour, 2/3 C oats, baking powder and brown sugar.

4. Add the Guinness to the dry ingredient mixture. Pour a little at a time. You can use a spoon or an electric mixer set on the lowest setting. Make sure all lumps are blended well, but don’t over beat it. It takes all the lightness out of the bread.

5. Pour the mixture into the two already prepared pans. Use the last 2-3 tablespoons of oats to sprinkle on the top or each loaf.

6. Bake in the oven for 45-50 minutes. You’ll know when the bread is finished when you insert a toothpick into the bread and it comes out clean.

7. Allow to cool slightly, approximately 5 to 10 minutes, before turning out onto a cooling rack. The cooling time is important. If the bread is too warm, it crumbles apart.

Guinness Bread: Tips and Advice

Don’t run to the grocery trying to find oat flour. You can make it in your kitchen easily. Just use the traditional brand of oats, you know, the one with the Quaker on the front—or a similar generic store brand.

You can use a grinder or your blender to make oat flour.

If you want bread that is less sweet, reduce the amount of sugar or eliminate it.

You can also add extras to the bread batter, such as grated cheese (dry parmesan cheese—the type you sprinkle on spaghetti—is quite delicious---but other grated cheeses add interesting flavors.

Consider using pepper jack for spicy beer bread.). Garlic or any herbs you choose can also create interesting flavors.

For those with a penchant for experimentation, divide the batter and make each loaf a different flavor.

Delicious!  Where Can I Find More?

At Irish Expressions, our our goal is simple: to provide you with a unique Irish experience, on demand, wherever you are in the world.

If you have enjoyed our section on Irish Food Recipes, you have probably been exposed to many of the most delicious flavors that Ireland has to offer!

Will that entice you to visit Ireland - or to return if you have already been? 

We hope so!  

But even if that is not possible, you can still enjoy the magic of Ireland in these pages.  Check out the links at the top of the page for simple instructions on how to explore Irish landmarks, enjoy Irish food, practice Irish customs, and much more!

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