Guinness Bread

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Hi Bold Bakers!

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE: My wholesome Guinness Bread will fool you! This malty, toasty loaf tastes like it took hours to make,  but it’s actually a quick bread that comes together in minutes. Inspired by classic Irish brown soda bread, this modern take uses the deep, malty flavor of Irish stout to elevate a traditional loaf, striking the perfect balance between sweet and savory.

I was determined to create the best Guinness Bread recipe on the internet, so I tested this loaf over five times until it delivered the exact flavor, texture, and rise I wanted. A few details truly matter: quick-cooking oats give the bread a hearty yet tender crumb—rolled oats don’t fully soften and stay visible in the loaf. Molasses, what we call treacle in Ireland, deepens the flavor and color, and if you can’t find it, I share an easy homemade substitute. Finally, once the batter is mixed, get it straight into the oven—quick breads rely on immediate baking so the raising agents don’t lose their power.

• One hour to fresh-baked bread: You gotta love a recipe that gives you almost instant gratification!
• No yeast, no kneading: Baking soda does all the work here.
• Guinness for the win: It gives toasty flavor with subtle notes of cocoa, caramel, and coffee.
• You’ll love the texture: This loaf is hearty, but has a soft, fluffy crumb.
• Pub vibes! Slice up a warm loaf, and serve it in a basket along with Irish butter for a homey treat.

This is just the type of recipe I love to share—a low-effort preparation that yields a huge return in flavor. My best tip for Guinness Bread is to mix it only until just combined—overmixing can make it too dense. For another oaty, rustic quick bread, check out my No Yeast Bread Recipe, and for more Guinness magic, you’ll love my Perfect Chocolate Guinness Cake.

IMPORTANT NOTE: This recipe was improved and updated on 2/26/2026, to include a NEW step-by-step tutorial video. 

Table of Contents

• What is Guinness Bread?
• Tools You Need
• Key Ingredients and Substitutes
• How to Make Guinness Bread
• Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips
• Make-Ahead and Storage Instructions
• What are Some Ways to Serve Guinness Bread?
• FAQs
• More Quick Bread Recipes

What is Guinness Bread?

Guinness Bread is a quick bread—a loaf leavened with baking soda or baking powder instead of yeast—that’s made with Irish stout. Oats give this bread heartiness, while buttermilk and Guinness keep the crumb soft. Its savory flavor is balanced by molasses and brown sugar, and the ale’s malty flavor. While whole wheat and oat quick breads are traditional, adding Guinness is a newer twist that complements and elevates the recipe beautifully. A basket of Guinness Bread is perfect on St. Patrick’s Day, and will make any brunch, lunch, or dinner special.

Tools You Need

• Mixing bowls
• Measuring spoons
• Measuring cups
• Glass measuring jug
• Kitchen scale (optional)
• 9×5-inch (23×12-cm) loaf pan
• Parchment paper
• Spoon

Key Ingredients and Substitutes

Fine whole wheat flour

• The whole wheat flour gives the bread structure.
• Using fine-milled flour here ensures the loaf won’t feel too heavy.
• Substitutes: Use the same amount of white whole wheat flour.
  • If you just have regular whole wheat flour, use half whole wheat and half all-purpose flour.

Quick-cooking oats

• Oats give the Guinness brown bread a hearty texture and a nutty, subtly sweet flavor.
• Importantly, oats create a delightfully rustic texture.
• Substitute: If you only have rolled oats, pulse them briefly in a food processor to give them the texture of quick-cooking oats.

Baking soda

• Baking soda reacts with the acidity of Guinness and buttermilk to create a rise.

Salt

• Salt enhances flavors and balances them.

Guinness stout

• Guinness Stout contributes moisture and carbonation, which gives the bread additional lift and notes of toasty, rich, sweet flavor.
• A stout is a dark, full-bodied beer with a creamy head known for its deliciously complex flavor.
• Substitutes: You can use another dry stout in place of the Guinness.
• The alcohol evaporates as the bread bakes, but if you’d still like an alcohol-free option, use a non-alcoholic stout.
  • You can also substitute an equal amount of club soda mixed with a tablespoon of instant coffee.

Buttermilk

• The buttermilk adds acidity, which helps create a soft texture in this Guinness soda bread.
• Additionally, the buttermilk adds a mild tang that complements the sweetness of the Guinness, molasses, and brown sugar.
• If you don’t have any buttermilk in the fridge, make my simple Buttermilk Substitute.
• Substitute: You can use an equal amount of plain yogurt thinned with milk.

Butter

• Butter adds richness and moistness.
• Additionally, butter’s flavor rounds out the bread’s acidic and sweet notes.
• Using melted butter here ensures that the dough is evenly hydrated.
  • It also helps the dough come together more easily, reducing the risk of overmixing.

Molasses

• Molasses amplifies the bittersweet notes of the Guinness.
• Importantly, molasses contributes to the bread’s rich color.
• Substitutes: Learn how to make my easy Molasses Substitute.
  • Use the same amount of dark treacle.
  • You can also use the same amount of honey or maple syrup, but the bread will be sweeter and less robust in flavor.

Dark brown sugar

• Brown sugar adds sweetness.
• Importantly, brown sugar contributes moisture.
• It’s a snap to make your own brown sugar with my recipe.
• Substitute: Use an equal amount of light brown sugar.

How to Make Guinness Bread

1. Prepare to bake: Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and butter and line a 9×5-inch (23 x 12 cm) loaf pan. Set aside.
2. Stir the dry ingredients together: In a large bowl, stir together the flour, 1 ¼ cups (3 ¾ oz/106 g) oats, baking soda, and salt.
3. Mix the wet ingredients: In a measuring jug, whisk the Guinness, buttermilk, butter, molasses, and sugar together.

4. Combine the wet and dry ingredients and add to pan: Mix the wet and dry until just combined, then spread into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the loaf with the remaining 1 tablespoon of oats.

5. Bake the bread: Bake for about 45 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.

5. Cool: Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

FULL (PRINTABLE) RECIPE BELOW!

Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips

• Use any stout beer if you don’t have Guinness.
• For a lighter beer taste, make this bread with a regular beer (not stout).
• For a non-alcoholic version, use non-alcoholic beer or mix club soda with a tablespoon of instant coffee.
• If you don’t have buttermilk, you can learn how to make your own here.
• Quick cooking oats will give this bread the best texture, but in a pinch, if you only have rolled oats, pulse them briefly in a food processor.
  • The oats should be well chopped but not ground into flour.

Make-Ahead and Storage Instructions

Make-ahead tips

• You can make this bread up to three days before serving—the flavor only gets better as it rests.
  • Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or store it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days.
  • If you want it to refresh before serving, wrap the loaf or slices in aluminum foil and heat at 300°F (150°C) for 10 to 15 minutes.

How to store leftovers

• Store leftover Guinness Bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days.
• It can also be wrapped and frozen for up to four weeks. Cool completely before wrapping and freezing.
  • Thaw (while still wrapped) at room temperature.
  • Refresh in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 15-20 minutes.

What are some ways to serve Guinness Bread?

• Keep it beautifully simple with butter and a drizzle of honey.
• This bread is also excellent with my Maple Pecan Compound Butter or Orange Honey Compound Butter.
• Use this bread to make a toasted cheese sandwich with a bit of honey mustard.
• This brown bread is lovely with my Peach Whiskey Jam.
• Serve a warm loaf of Guinness Bread with a savory Potato Soup.

FAQs

How do I make sure my bread is perfectly cooked and not gummy in the center?

• For the ideal texture, preheat the oven before baking, and measure all ingredients carefully.
• If your crust looks like it’s browning too quickly, tent the pan with foil so the loaf cooks completely without the crust getting overbrowned and too hard.
• The bread is done when a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.

What’s the secret to getting a perfect rise?

• Be sure to use bubbly Guinness here, not a bottle of Guinness that’s old, or one that’s been sitting open too long.
• Put your loaf in the oven immediately. The baking soda reacts with acidic ingredients right away, and it’s important not to let the dough sit out.

Can I make this recipe without alcohol?

• Yes, you can make this recipe without alcohol, but note that the beer’s alcohol evaporates during baking.
• However, if you’d like an alcohol-free option, use a non-alcoholic stout.
• You can also use an equal amount of club soda mixed with a tablespoon of instant coffee.

More Quick Bread Recipes

• Five-Minute Irish Brown Bread
• Best-Ever Pumpkin Bread
• Zucchini Apple Bread
• Traditional Irish Soda Bread
• Almond Flour Banana Bread

IMPORTANT NOTE: This recipe was improved and updated on 2/26/2026, to include a NEW step-by-step tutorial video. 

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