Beer Cheese Fondue + Game Day Snacks!

posted by Sara Lynn Hunt Broka on January 31, 2020 3 comments »

A quick and easy beer cheese fondue made with white cheddar cheese, Bavarian lager, and spicy mustard. Plus, fun Game Day snack ideas!

A skillet of beer cheese fondue surrounded by soft pretzels, fruit, pickled vegetables, brats, and beer.

A soft pretzel being dipped in a skillet of beer cheese fondue with fruits, vegetables, and beer surrounding the skillet.

All last weekend, I was out being social! I feel young again, except that I get tired way more easily. But, every time I felt like falling asleep into my red wine, I thought about Barney Stinson’s theory of making every night legendary, and I got over it. Now it’s the weekend of ‘the Big Game’, and I guess I’m going to have to do this all over again. Oy, I’m definitely going to need some soft pretzels and beer cheese fondue to get through this.

In terms of Sportsball, I really don’t have much of an opinion on anything, because I do not have a team. But, I’m from Vegas, so I guess my team is the…Raiders…now? I don’t really know how this works.

But, if you want to talk about Game Day snacks I am all ears, because that’s the only part that I care about! This Game Day’s flavor of the year is beer cheese fondue, because if liquid cheese dip isn’t American, I really don’t know what is.

An overhead shot of a skillet of cheddar dip on a white background. The skillet is placed on a wooden board, and surrounded by fruits, vegetables, pretzels, and beer. A man is dipping a pretzel in the dip.

Beer cheese fondue goes with all kinds of Game Day snacks!

Last year, I made Marc soft pretzels for Valentine’s Day. He is firmly #TeamMustard and I am firmly #TeamLiquidCheese, which has been one of the biggest riffs in our relationship, along with a longstanding disagreement on the importance of the Oxford comma. (They are important, and I will not back down on that). But, I digress. I went ahead with the mustard, because that’s what he likes. But, this year is my time to shine, and we’re going liquid cheese, ok?

Beer cheese fondue is a super quick and easy snack that can be kept warm on the stove (or in a small slow cooker!) until you’re ready to party. The beauty of beer cheese fondue is that it goes with pretty much anything! I like to create a smörgåsbord with all kinds of things! Here’s a few ideas:

Fresh or roasted veggies (brussels sprouts and broccoli are amazing!)
Boiled mini potatoes
Brats, sausage, or meatballs
Soft pretzels, bread cubes, crackers, or chips
Pickled things like cornichons, onions, or olives
Apples, pears, and grapes
Other dips! Create a huge dip buffet if you want to get crazy.

A man wearing a grey shirt dipping a soft pretzel into a skillet of beer cheese fondue, placed on a marble background. There is fruit, pickled vegetables, pretzels, and beer surrounding the skillet.

Ingredients for beer cheese fondue

White cheddar cheese: This is the main ingredient, so I would recommend splurging a little here. You don’t have to go crazy, but good cheese makes a big difference.
German/Bavarian Lager or Kölsch Ale: Any mellow beer will work here!
Spicy mustard: This just adds a little kick, but again, we don’t want it to overpower the cheese flavor. Dijon would also work!
Garlic Powder: I use garlic powder for a very smooth fondue. If you would rather use fresh garlic, just add one large, minced garlic clove.
White Pepper: Black pepper would totally work, but it will leave black specks in your sauce.
Flour: This is just to thicken the beer cheese fondue a bit! Cornstarch works too.

What beer is best?

I like going with a mellow, yet flavorful beer for this recipe. Basically, we want the beer flavor to shine through without overpowering the cheese flavor! I like German/Bavarian-style lagers or Kölsch ales. Something malty and slightly hoppy is perfect for this recipe! I have been using Sierra Nevada’s Bavarian-style lager.

On the other hand, I would not recommend any beer that is too mellow, such as Coors, PBR, or similar. Those beers are just too light and the flavor won’t shine through. I also do not recommend anything too crazy such as IPA or stout, which will overpower the cheese flavor!

Three overhead images of a metal pot on a marble counter; on the left, a woman is pouring beer into the pot. In the middle, she's stirring cheese. On the right, she's pouring spices into the cheese.

How to make the recipe

Do you have ten minutes and a wooden spoon? Then you can make beer cheese fondue!

First, you’ll have to shred your cheese. If you have a food processor with a shredding attachment, this is an excellent time to pull it out! Then, you’ll mix the cheese with the flour in a medium-sized bowl.
Next you’ll heat the beer in a small pot, until it starts to simmer. At this point, we’ll start adding the cheese, one cup at a time, stirring in a figure-eight pattern until it’s all melted. We want to add the cheese in batches so it melts evenly and doesn’t burn!
Lastly, we’ll remove the cheese from the heat, and add the Dijon, pepper, and garlic powder. After that, it can be refrigerated for up to three days or transferred to a fondue pot for serving!

Do I need a fondue pot to make beer cheese fondue?

Nope! You can keep it warm in a small slow cooker or on the stove. Just make sure to keep stirring the beer cheese fondue so it doesn’t get stringy! If you are going to be eating it right away, you can just dip it straight out of the pot, no heating required.

Can I make beer cheese fondue ahead of time?

Yes! Cook your cheese fondue, and let it cool to room-temperature, stirring it occasionally to keep the fondue from congealing. Pour the beer cheese into a bowl, and place a piece of beeswax wrap or plastic wrap against the surface to keep a skin from forming. Refrigerate the fondue for up to three days.

When you’re ready to reheat the beer cheese fondue, add the mixture to a small saucepan. Stir in a figure-eight pattern until the cheese is hot and melty.

A close up image of beer cheese fondue in a skillet, placed on a wooden board atop a marble background. The dip is surrounded by fruits, vegetables, pretzels, and beer.

A few quick tips for perfect beer cheese fondue!

Go low and slow with this recipe. When fondue is cooked too high, it gets stringy and turns into a ball of melted cheese.
If the fondue is too thin, add a little more grated cheese. If the fondue is too thick, add a splash of beer!
Sometimes, the fondue will separate and look thin/greasy. To fix this, add a small amount of cornstarch slurry and whisk quickly until the fondue is smooth. I use 1 Tbs. cornstarch + 1 1/2 Tbs. water whisked together. I wouldn’t add more than this though. The cornstarch can give the beer cheese fondue a weird texture.
If the fondue gets too thick and lumpy, try adding a splash of lemon juice or red wine vinegar and whisk vigorously.

Happy Sportsballing! 🏈

Other Game Day Snacks You might want to try!

Seedy Soft Pretzels + Bleu Cheese Mustard
Little Smokies in a Blanket with Puff Pastry
Tempura Fried Cheese Curds with Sriracha Mayo
Best Sicilian Pizza
Meatball Subs with Garlic Rolls

If you make this recipe, I would love it if you left a star rating and review! I read every single comment and love hearing what you think about my recipes. Thank you for supporting Sunday Table!

A side photo of cheese fondue surrounded by pretzels, beer, and fruit.

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