Dip those gluten free pretzel bites into a bowl of this gluten free beer cheese dip for the ultimate in game day snacking!
Who woulda thought we'd be able to have a BEER cheese dip? Certainly not me! That's one of the things I have missed the most about being gluten free, believe it or not. Not that I drank all the time, but when I wanted something alcoholic to drink, I wanted a beer. As much of a sweet tooth I am with food, I'm not into sweet drinks and cocktails. Just give me a beer and I'm good.
But giving me a beer these days is a little easier said than done. I found a gluten free beer that I like (Budweiser's Redbridge), but I only see it very randomly in my area. Some other gluten free beers are out there, but again, I've never seen those in my area so I can't be picky choosey.
For the sake of making a dip like this, though, as long as we get the flavor of beer into the cheese dip, it doesn't matter which kind of gluten free beer you choose.
Ingredients in Gluten Free Beer Cheese Dip
This dip comes together with staples that you probably already have on hand, aside from the gluten free beer (unless you're lucky and have it on hand all the time):
- Kim's gluten free xanthan gum free flour blend--you won't see me use this often, but when I do, it's usually for a roux-based recipe like this one. I don't want xanthan gum to make the finished dip gummy. This is a simple blend of superfine rice flour, potato starch, and tapioca starch.
- Butter--for making the roux
- Gluten free beer--any gluten free beer you find will work. I don't think those that remove the gluten during the brewing process are safe for celiacs like myself, so consume at your own risk.
- Grainy mustard, or regular dijon mustard
- Garlic powder
- Salt and pepper
- Cayenne pepper--just a pinch
- Worcestershire sauce--for that umami flavor
- Shredded cheddar cheese--I chose to use pre-shredded cheese because I wanted this to be quick and easy. You could also shred your own.
- Whole milk
What to Serve with This Dip
Did you ever make cheese fondue? Back in the day? Or when you weren't gluten free? We have this wonderful restaurant in our area called The Melting Pot that only makes fondue and it is TO DIE FOR!! My favorite of the 3 fondues you get is the appetizer, or cheese fondue. It's very similar to this beer cheese dip. So everything that's normally served with cheese fondue can be served with this dip:
- Gluten free soft pretzel bites
- Tortilla chips
- Apple or pear slices
- Gluten free bread chunks, such as my artisan bread, Italian bread, or sourdough bread
- Hard gluten free pretzels, such as Snyders of Hanover Gluten Free Pretzel Sticks.
- Raw or blanched vegetables
- Steamed baby new or Yukon gold potatoes
- Charcuterie meats, such as salami and pepperoni.
- Kielbasa or any other type of smoked sausage
Can Beer Cheese Dip be Made in Advance?
Yes! It will firm up when it cools or is refrigerated, but with some gentle heating and stirring on the stovetop it'll come back to its drippy dippy delightfulness! Haha!!
I'm gonna let you in on a little secret for keeping the sauce in a liquid state when it has cooled down or even is cold. It's something called sodium citrate and it's one of those molecular gastronomy ingredients that seem foreign to us lay people, but it's really very ordinary when you look into it.
Sodium citrate is just the salt portion of citric acid. It's derived from fruit and it can taste both sour and salty, and hence is often called sour salt. Sodium citrate is used in many things (club soda for one) and in a cheese sauce it helps to emulsify the cheese and keep it smooth and non greasy. Adding just ¼ teaspoon to the beer before whisking it into the sauce will make your beer cheese dip remain smooth and melty!
Don't let another Superbowl go by without partaking in this gluten free beer cheese dip!
Gluten Free Beer Cheese Dip
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp (42 g) butter
- 3 tbsp (26 g) Kim's gluten free xanthan gum free flour blend (see below)
- ½ cup plus 2 tablespoon (150 ml) gluten free beer, such as Redbridge
- ¼ teaspoon sodium citrate , optional
- 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk
- 1 teaspoon grainy Creole style mustard (or regular dijon mustard)
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 3 cups (249 g) shredded cheddar cheese (preshredded or shredded from a block)
To Make Just 3 Tablespoons of Gluten Free Xanthan Gum Free Flour Blend
- 16 grams superfine white rice flour
- 6 grams potato starch
- 4 grams tapioca starch
Instructions
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the flour mixture and whisk until smooth. Continue whisking for about one minute and add in the spices and Worcestershire. If using the sodium citrate, add this to the beer and stir gently to dissolve. Pour the beer into the roux while whisking constantly.
- Continue whisking and slowly add the milk in increments, whisking after each addition, until smooth. Add the cheese and continue to whisk until cheese is melted.
- Pour into a serving bowl and serve warm with dippers, or add to a fondue pot and keep warm over a low heat. This can also be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for a few days. Reheat over low heat, whisking until smooth.
Jennifer says
Just made these pretzels today, and they turned out really good. I have missed soft pretzels and a good cheese sauce for many years, but this totally satisfied that craving. The only thing that didn’t work out for me was dipping the pretzel in the baking soda water mixture. The dough started falling apart when I tried to pull it out. So I just decided to put them on the baking mat and use a brush to brush the baking soda water mixture on them. That worked well or seemed to. I also baked mine for 17-18 min.
Tabatha says
Hi Kim, do by chance have a cheese dip/ sauce for these pretzels, that doesn’t include beer? I know beer cheese is the typical way, it’s just my preference, and I was wondering if you had a non alcoholic version. Thank you. 🙂
Kim says
I don't (yet), but you could always substitute the beer with chicken stock/broth, apple juice (a little sweeter), or leave it out and add the same amount of milk back in.
Kasey Hall says
Can I still find the pretzel bites recipe that didn’t require the hours in the fridge?
Kim says
It's the same as my bagel recipe (although it still requires a good amount of hands off time).
bob says
just use corn starch