Pretzel Cheese Dip for Pretzels (beer cheese sauce)

Beer Cheese dip is great for pretzels, dipping bread into or slathered over a hot sandwich. Easy to make, super quick with pantry ingredients, this pretzel sauce is perfect for parties for a crowd or an easy cocktail appetizer!

We love to use this pretzel sauce with our Spicy Brisket Sliders and subbing in a pretzel bun for watching all the football games!

Pretzel cheese dip or in this case Beer Cheese sauce is velvety, rich with hints of spices in each bite. With football season just around the corner, this dip will be perfect for game-day snacking!

Sometimes you need a cheesy dip not made with the tried and true cream cheese. This beer cheese dip is my go-to for a rich velvety cheese dip that you can make in about 15 minutes.

Beer cheese is something I had when we were in Germany. It was often served at the local pubs alongside German Pretzels.

When I made the super fast version of soft pretzels bites this pretzel dipping sauce is what I made with them! Both done in less than 30 minutes!

My favorite part about this beer cheese dip is that it doesn’t have to be warm to be one of those dips that you can’t get enough of! While the texture changes a little bit, it works just as well served cold out of the fridge if you want to make it ahead and serve it with vegetables!

Not only does this soft pretzel sauce work for pretzels, but it is amazing over hot sandwiches (try it on pulled pork sliders) but it also works for dipping bread into on cold winter nights.

I’m told by many readers is like the Applebees Beer Cheese Sauce, I love copycat recipes you can make at home and save some money!

Grocery List for Beer Cheese Dip

• Cheddar Cheese (I mix both yellow and white) – shred your own instead of buying shredded cheese for faster melting, and avoiding the anti clumping issues with pre-shredded cheese. You can use sharp cheddar cheese or mild cheddar.
• Flour – all purpose flour works well
• Butter- salted or unsalted works fine
• Beer – Lager, Stout, Ale, IPA basically your favorite beer
• Cayenne Pepper- optional– if you don’t like spicy, omit it
• Pepper
• Worcestershire Sauce
• Oregano
• Mustard- dijon mustard, regular mustard or a grainy mustard will work

How to make Pretzel Dipping Sauce

• Start by making a roux, a butter mixed with flour.
• Let the flour mix cook for at least a minute to release the nutty flavor and let the flour really mix in.
• I like a lager but any beer will work. The beer adds a depth and tanginess to the cheese dip.
• Feel free to use 2% or whole milk either works fine. Skim milk doesn’t thicken as well so I try to avoid it.
• Let the flour, milk and beer get a thickness you like before adding all of the flavorings then remove from heat and add the cheese while stirring constantly to incorporate.

Tips for Making Soft Pretzel Dip Sauce:

• This cheese sauce uses flour to thicken, keep the temp lower and stir often so it doesn’t get grainy.
• I suggest a lager, but a light beer, a stout beer, an Ale Beer or an IPA beer will work. The lighter beers go great with vegetables and mild breads. If you use a stout or dark beer they pair really well with the strong flavors of the pretzel and more filling breads like rye bread.
• Make this pretzel sauce ahead of time, it keeps in the fridge in a sealed container for up to 5 days and just warm it up to save even more time.
• Serve this with homemade pretzels, crackers, soft pretzels, tortilla chips, vegetables or as a sandwich spread.
• This pretzel dip doesn’t freeze well, the texture changes too much and it becomes clumpy and grainy.
• Having a party and want to keep it warm. Use a mini crock pot like the ones I use here to serve directly from so it keeps it warm for a long time!

Common Questions from readers in making this Pretzel Cheese Sauce

Can I use Velveeta instead for the cheese sauce for pretzels? I want to say a hard no because I’m not a fan of the texture of Velveeta but it will work just fine. The flavor is more mild than cheddar but it will work.

I want this to be super spicy what can I do? Use some pepper jack cheese and add some jalapeños to the dip to get a Queso style Beer Cheese Dip!

Need other Dip Ideas? Check out all of our Party Dips!

More Dips for Parties

• 5 minute Crack Dip
• Shrimp Dip with Cream Cheese
• Cranberry Cream Cheese Dip for Crackers
• Pub Style Cheese Dip
• Pico De Gallo

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Yield: about 75 pretzel bites

Beer Cheese Dip for Pretzels

Print

Beer Cheese dip is great for pretzels, dipping bread into or slathered over a hot sandwich. Easy to make fast with pantry ingredients that is perfect for parties for a crowd or an easy cocktail appetizer!

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 1/4 Cup Butter
• 1/2 Cup Flour
• 1 Cup Whole Milk
• 1 Cup Beer (lager)
• 1 Cup Yellow Cheddar Cheese (packed tightly)
• 1 Cup White Cheddar Cheese (packed tightly) 
• 1 Teaspoon Grainy Mustard
• 1/2 Teaspoon Oregano
• 1/2 Teaspoon Pepper
• 1 Teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (mild, optional) add more if you like it spicier- 1/2 teaspoon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt 

Instructions

1. Grate cheese, and measure out all other ingredients and have them ready to go.
2. Melt butter in a heavy bottom sauce pan on medium high.
3. Sprinkle flour over the top, using a whisk continuously stir and cook for 2 minutes to get rid of flour texture.
4. Add mustard and slowly pour in milk whisking constantly until all lumps are gone.
5. Add beer and stir.
6. Bring to a boil and cook until it thickens (about 5-7 minutes.)
7. Once thickened add cheese and stir until melted.
8. Add salt, pepper, oregano and cayenne pepper.
9. Taste and add more salt and pepper to your own taste.
10. Serve immediately.
11. If you make this ahead you can warm it on low/ low medium heat until a nice even consistancy. If it gets too thick, you can thin with a tablespoon of milk. Be careful adding too much milk, it will get too thin quickly.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 236Total Fat: 17gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 49mgSodium: 274mgCarbohydrates: 10gFiber: 0gSugar: 2gProtein: 9g

This recipe was calculated using the exact brands and measurements I used to make this recipe. If you are following a strict diet please note changing anything will cause the nutritional info to change. Please calculate your own nutritional information if you want it exact to what you make and use my calculations as a guide only.

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