I remember my mom making this Rosemary Bread for every major holiday growing up—including the day after Passover, if that counts. The heavy smell of rosemary and malt would flood the house, and my cousins and I would tear at this bread with our hands and slap it with butter, devouring the loaf within minutes. It was never, ever enough.
This was one of the first breads I learned how to make, and I still come back to it again and again, because it’s easy, delicious and a guaranteed crowd pleaser. The alcohol from the beer burns off during baking but it leaves behind a wonderful malty flavor that’s hard to resist with warm butter and rosemary.
For a bread with more crust, bake in a low 8×8-inch brownie pan, but a regular 9×5 loaf pan will work too. (Warm butter melted over the top before baking creates a crunchy, rustic crust that you’ll want to dip in leftovers for days—if it lasts that long.)
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INGREDIENTS
3 cups self-rising flour*
1 (12-ounce) bottle of light beer
1/4 cup butter, melted
3 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped*
directions
- Heat the oven to 350 F.
- In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar and rosemary.
- Pour in beer and stir until just combined.
- Pour batter into a greased 9×9-inch baking dish (or line with parchment) and smooth with a spatula.
- Pour melted butter over top of batter.
- Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until top is golden brown.
START TO FINISH: 1 HOUR, 30 MINUTES. SERVES 8.
*NOTES:
• If you don’t have fresh rosemary, substitute 1 tablespoon dried rosemary (or substitute another herb like dill)
• To make your own self-rising flour: For each cup of all-purpose flour, add 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
