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Whip up an easy, unique, and utterly delicious cheese dip in minutes with my Obatzda recipe! This creamy German beer cheese dip is made using camembert, paprika and flavorful German beer. Perfect for a game day snack platter with soft pretzels for dipping!
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Beer Cheese Dip
If this is your first time trying Obatzda, you're in for a treat. This is a flavorful, easy-to-make Bavarian beer cheese dip that uses a mix of camembert, spices, onion, and beer for an irresistibly creamy texture and deep flavor. It's ready to enjoy in minutes following simple steps. Let me walk you through the process with expert tips on making the best obatzda!
Tools to Make Beer Cheese Dip
- All you need to make beer cheese dip is a mixing bowl and a tool to mix with, like a fork. This is a very simple recipe with no cooking involved!
Ingredients in Beer Cheese Dip
- Camembert Cheese: A mild version of classic brie, camembert is a soft, spreadable cheese that has a slightly funky, aromatic flavor perfect for pairing with beer. If you can't find camembert, use a young brie.
- Spreadable Cheese or Cream Cheese: You can either use spreadable cheese such as Laughing Cow brand cheese, or full-fat, non-whipped cream cheese.
- Butter: Make sure to use real butter! I recommend Kerrygold butter. It makes such a difference in flavor and tastes fantastic.
- Paprika: Sweet paprika is ideal for this recipe. Avoid smoked paprika, the flavor is too smoky for this dip.
- German Wheat Beer: Use your favorite brand, or another beer that you love. Keep in mind that this recipe involves no cooking, meaning the alcohol will not be cooked off. If you need the dip to be non-alcoholic, use an alcohol-free beer you enjoy.
- Onion: You can use almost any kind of onion, from yellow to red onions. I vary it based on what I have on hand.
- Fresh Chives: Fresh chives add a unique zing to this dish that goes great with the onion and camembert!
- Salt and Black Pepper: Season to taste. I like to add only a little salt, but a fair bit of pepper. I recommend using sea salt flakes or kosher salt and not fine table salt.
- Caraway Seeds (optional): Caraway is a classic flavor in German cooking, but you should only add them if you like caraway. It has a very strong flavor.
Obatzda Recipe
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 6 ounces Camembert cheese
- 6 ounces spreadable cheese wedges - (like Laughing Cow)
- 4 Tablespoons butter
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground caraway seeds - (optional)
- ¼ cup German wheat beer - or beer of choice
- salt
- pepper
- ¼ cup onion, finely diced
- 2 Tablespoons fresh chives, finely chopped
Instructions
- Cut 6 ounces Camembert cheese into pieces and bring it to room temperature along with 6 ounces spreadable cheese wedges and 4 Tablespoons butter. Make sure they are all very soft.
- Add the cheeses and butter to a mixing bowl and add in 2 teaspoons paprika, 1 teaspoon ground caraway seeds (if using), and ¼ cup German wheat beer. Use a fork to combine all of the ingredients. It should reach a creamy consistency and be completely combined.
- For the tastiest beer cheese dip, refrigerate for about 2 hours before serving to allow the flavors to meld. It can be served right away, but is best after chilling.
- Just before serving, fold in ¼ cup onion, finely diced and 2 Tablespoons fresh chives, finely chopped. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Notes
- NOTE: This recipe contains alcohol. If you would like to make your cheese dip recipe without alcohol, try using a non-alcoholic beer in place of the German wheat beer. Keep in mind that the alcohol does not cook off, as there is no cooking involved in this recipe.
- Serve your beer and cheese dip with a soft pretzel recipe, roasted vegetables, sausage, or crusty bread for dipping. This dip will last 2-3 days in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
Hi, I'm Isabel! I've been sharing my recipes online, in cookbooks, and in TV specials since 2012. The most important thing to me is Sunday supper with my family, and inspiring togetherness with my recipes!
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Expert Tips
- Mix the dip as thoroughly as possible to ensure all ingredients are combined. The resulting dip should have a creamy consistency with all of the flavors melded together well.
- If you prefer, you can make Obatzda using sharp cheddar cheese instead of camembert or brie. The flavor will of course be different, but this is a delicious option for mixing things up. I recommend freshly grating your own cheddar if you do this.
- Avoid freezing beer cheese dip. This combination of ingredients does not freeze well, especially with so much dairy. It lasts 2-3 days in the fridge, however, so feel free to make it a couple days ahead of time and allow the flavors to develop while it chills.
What to Serve with Obatzda
This is the best beer cheese dip for Homemade Soft Pretzels, sliced vegetables, warm bread, sausage slices, and pita chips. But I encourage you to get creative! It's great as a sandwich spread, too.
FAQ
Traditional Obatzda calls for German wheat beer, but you could also use another type of German beer or a non-alcoholic beer if you don't want to have alcohol in your dip. Note, the alcohol will not cook off. While there's only a tiny bit of alcohol per serving, you should still be careful serving it to children or any alcohol-sensitive loved ones.
You can store Obatzda in the fridge for 2-3 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Perfect for making it ahead of time for a get-together or party! It gets better the longer it rests, so I actually recommend making it ahead of time. Because this is a cheese dip with a lot of dairy, it will not hold up well in the freezer.
Krissy Allori says
This looks so good. I can't wait to make it for our next football party.
Em Beitel says
Thanks so much, Krissy! We love this recipe and hope you will as much as we do!
cheflolaskitchen says
The dip looks so amazing!
Em Beitel says
Thank you so much, Lola! It is SO tasty. Especially with soft pretzels!
Ashley says
What type of of spreadable cheese do you recommend? I see 'Laughing Cow', but which type? Swiss, cheddar?? There are more than one type of cheese under the brand. I would assume cheddar?
Thank you!
Em Beitel says
Hi Ashley! Yes, cheddar is the perfect choice for this recipe. Thank you so much for your question and enjoy!