Quick and Easy Root Beer (or Real Beer) Bread

A simple dry bread mix and a bottle of root beer is all you need to make a loaf of Root Beer Orange Bread!

This is one of my all time favorite ideas for holiday gifts:  Fill a container with bread mix, attach a cute label and send it off with a bottle of good old fashioned root beer.  All your loved ones have to do is pour in the liquid and bake!

The bread on the right is the root beer orange bread I made last night.  It's moist and chewy, almost like the texture of a kneaded yeast bread with a bit of a crusty exterior.  And here's a bonus idea:  The bread on the left is a mix of self rising flour, onion soup mix and beer (the alcoholic version).  Both are really tasty hot from the toaster with butter!

 Making the bread mix couldn't be easier.  I've whipped up large batches of onion bread mix with herbs and given them out as holiday gifts along with a bottle of home brewed beer.

To do this, be sure to mix the dry ingredients really well, then measure out 3 and 3/4 cups of the mix into canisters, jars, or coffee sacks and label them with the recipe.


 Send them out with 2 bottles of beer and your loved ones can enjoy a drink while their beer bread is in the oven!

I will share with you basic recipes for root beer bread mix and onion beer bread mix.  Feel free to add herbs or other dry ingredients as a flavoring if you like, or experiment with other bubbly drinks in place of the beer (I'm thinking cream soda in the orange bread might be a hit?).  Just be sure to not go overboard on the dry stuff or the 12 ounce bottle of liquid may not be sufficient.  Otherwise, you can always add a little milk or extra beer if your batter comes out too dry.


Root Beer Orange Bread
Makes 1 standard loaf.

To make the mix:
3 1/4 cups self rising flour
1/3 cup Tang drink mix
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon orange zest

Whisk together and package up.

To make the bread:
Pour bread mix into a bowl.  Add one 12 ounce bottle of root beer and fold together just until the flour is absorbed.  Add a splash or so of milk or orange juice if it's too dry.  Pour into a greased loaf pan and bake at 350F for 40 to 50 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.  Cool on a wire rack before serving.


Onion Beer Bread
Makes 1 standard loaf.  Dark beer is really good in this bread!

To make the mix:
3 1/4 cups self rising flour
1 package dry onion soup mix
1/2 cup sugar (white or brown)
1/2 teaspoon dried herbs or spices (optional)

Whisk together and package up.

To make the bread:
Pour bread mix into a bowl.  Add one 12 ounce bottle of good beer and fold together just until the flour is absorbed.  Add milk if it's too dry.  Pour into a greased loaf pan and bake at 350F for 40 to 50 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.  Cool on a wire rack before serving. 

Enjoy!!!