You will love the flavor and texture of this oatmeal beer bread. I made it with a porter, but a stout would work just as well.
If you enjoy baking with beer, try my double chocolate stout cake with vanilla porter toffee. For convenience, all of my bread recipes are collected on one page.
I made this with coffee porter and it turned out just scrumptious. Soft, springy, aromatic, and perfect for a thick slice with dinner or afternoon coffee. Second batch is already bulking.
Reader Jessica
Oatmeal Beer Bread
My partner and I stopped by a craft beer shop during a visit to Lafayette Village and I spotted an oatmeal porter that immediately inspired this recipe. I wanted a yeast-raised loaf — not a quick bread — that would pair the malty, bittersweet notes of porter with hearty oats.
As with many of my breads, this uses a modified straight-dough method: combine the oats, beer and part of the flour to hydrate the oats, then add the remaining ingredients and knead. If you like, fold in raisins or currants for a toasting bread perfect for breakfast.
Snapshots from My Old Neighborhood
Growing up, my neighborhood had a particular rhythm. We played flashlight tag and Kick the Can on long summer nights, joined a Fourth of July parade that ended at the swim club, and learned to kiss in Julie’s playhouse. We walked a mile to school and back, rode on friends’ bikes, and raided snack drawers full of Sunbeam and Roman Meal.
Birthdays meant slumber parties where we played “Light as a Feather, Stiff as a Board,” hypnotized each other, and shared oatmeal cream pies. Adults on our street felt like aunts and uncles; the neighborhood raised us collectively.
There were legends and mishaps — kitchen fires, strange mysteries, and losses that left scars. Still, the years were full of laughter and love. Even after decades apart, seeing people from that street still feels like coming home.
A Note About Measurements
I recommend weighing ingredients where possible for consistency, especially flour and molasses. A digital kitchen scale ensures reliable results when baking bread.
Questions?
If you have questions about this porter oatmeal bread or any other recipe, please leave a comment and I’ll respond within about 24 hours. For more urgent queries, email me and I usually reply within a few hours.
Old Neighborhood Oatmeal Porter Oatmeal Beer Bread
Equipment
- Stand mixer (or a bowl and elbow grease)
- Loaf pan (8½” x 4½”)
- Baking stone or sheet
- Cooling rack
Ingredients
- 17 oz bread flour (about 3 1/2–3 3/4 cups; I used King Arthur)
- 5.5 oz rolled oats (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 1 12-oz bottle porter (oatmeal porter or stout)
- 4 oz whole milk (you may use 2% or skim)
- 2 tsp active dry yeast
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 2 oz mild molasses (by weight)
- 1 oz melted butter
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar (about 1/2 oz)
To Bake
- 1 egg beaten with 1 tbsp milk (for egg wash)
- Rolled oats for topping
Instructions
- Place about half the flour (eyeball it), the oats and the beer in the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix until combined, cover, and let rest 30–45 minutes so the oats soften.
- Combine the milk and yeast, then add to the bowl along with the remaining flour, salt, molasses, melted butter and sugar.
- Using the dough hook, mix on low. The dough will be wet—continue working it.
- Increase to medium speed and knead until you have a sticky dough that clears the bowl sides but clings to the bottom in a roughly 2″ circle, about 10 minutes. Oil your hands to handle the soft dough.
- Form the dough into a ball, place it back in the bowl, spray lightly with pan spray, cover, and let rise in a warm, moist spot until doubled, about 2 hours.
- Punch down gently and divide the dough. Shape a 1½ lb piece into a rectangle, roll into a log, and fit it into a lightly oiled 8½” x 4½” pan. With the remaining dough, shape a smooth boule on parchment, oiling the surface lightly. Cover both and let rise until nearly doubled, about 90 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F with a baking stone placed one rack below center about 45 minutes before baking.
- Brush the loaves with the egg-milk wash and sprinkle rolled oats on top.
- Slide the boule (on parchment) onto the baking stone and place the loaf pan beside it with enough space between them.
- Bake 10 minutes at 400°F, then reduce heat to 350°F and continue until the crust is a deep golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 195–200°F. Cover with foil if they brown too quickly.
- My boule finished in about 30 minutes; the loaf in the pan took around 40 minutes. Remove to cooling racks, turning the loaf out of the pan after 5 minutes to prevent sogginess.
- Allow the bread to cool to below 140°F before slicing. If you can wait that long, it will slice more cleanly and taste best.
Notes
You can shape this into rolls, additional rounds, or a single large loaf. Toasted nuts or dried fruit are welcome additions. This bread is sturdy enough for dunking into stews or gravies—try it with lamb stew.
Nutrition
Hi, y’all! I hope you enjoyed the post and picked up a tip or two. If you like my style, consider signing up for my occasional newsletter, The Inbox Pastry Chef, for updates on new recipes and behind-the-scenes notes.
Thank you for reading. Enjoy the porter oatmeal bread and have a wonderful day.