Maple Bacon Stout, Crisp Bacon, fresh Jalapenos,and tasty Cheddar Cheese Bread.

This easy Beer Bread recipe has pieces of crispy smoked bacon, flavorful, mildly spicy jalapenos, and a generous portion of sharp cheddar, all wrapped up in a moist loaf with a buttery crust. It is really hard to stop eating this bread! Consider yourself warned. This no-knead loaf comes together quickly using almost any non-light beer. It freezes well, so make an extra loaf to enjoy in a couple of weeks.

Ingredients

• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 6 slices crispy cooked bacon coarsely chopped
• 3 tablespoons jalapeno pepper finely minced
• 2 1/4 cups grated cheddar cheese
• 1 Local Maple Bacon Stout beer (12 ounce) at room temperature
• 3 tablespoons butter melted

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan.
2. In a large bowl, mix flour, baking powder, salt, garlic powder, cumin, sugar, bacon, jalapeno pepper and cheddar cheese. Pour Maple Bacon Stout beer over the mixture and mix just until combined. Do not over-mix. Spoon into loaf pan. Pour melted butter over the bread.
3. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until set and lightly browned. Move to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and allow to cool for at least 20 minutes before cutting into the loaf.
4. Notes:
5. Use excellent quality bacon and cheddar.
6. Look for younger jalapeno peppers that are smooth and green all over with no striations or blemishes. These young green peppers are less stressed and more mild.
7. Use any non-light beer. Stay away from the flavored microbrews unless the flavor complements the bread.
8. Do not over-mix the dough.
9. The bread loaf is done when set and lightly browned. You can use the toothpick test on this bread, but it may come out with a little cheese on it and still be done.
10. Remove the cooked bread from the pan as soon as possible and let it cool for at least twenty minutes.
11. Other shredded cheese to try include Pepper Jack, Gouda, Colby, or Parmesan.
12. Try dried herbs like oregano or marjoram or fresh herbs like rosemary, thyme, or dill.
13. Store leftovers in a storage bag or airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
14. To freeze, first fully cool and then wrap in plastic wrap, then aluminum foil, then place in a freezer bag. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.