Sarah's Herb Bread

Three cups of self-rising flour, three tablespoons of sugar, one beer. That’s the foundation of this no-yeast bread that bakes up with a crunchy top and a dense, savory crumb. The beer provides all the leavening and liquid, so there’s no kneading, no proofing, and no waiting.

The herb blend of parsley, chives, granulated garlic, and celery seed gets blitzed in a blender before going into the dough. Blending breaks the herbs down fine enough to distribute evenly through the batter and releases their oils, which punches up the flavor significantly compared to just stirring them in whole.

Use room-temperature beer, not cold from the fridge. Cold beer won’t activate the leavening in the self-rising flour as effectively, and you’ll end up with a denser, heavier loaf.

Kitchen Tips

• Use a lighter beer like a lager or pale ale. Dark stouts and IPAs can overpower the herbs with bitterness.
• Don’t overmix the batter. Stir just until the flour is absorbed. A few lumps are fine. Over-mixing develops gluten and makes the bread tough.
• Butter the pan generously. Beer bread sticks more than yeast bread because of the sugar content.
• The bread is done when the top is deep golden and sounds hollow when tapped. Start checking at 50 minutes.

Variations

• Add shredded cheddar cheese to the batter for a cheesy herb beer bread.
• Brush the top with melted butter as soon as it comes out of the oven for a softer, richer crust.
• Use a hoppy IPA and swap the herbs for rosemary and cracked black pepper for a more robust loaf.