Obatzda Recipe (German Beer Cheese Dip) (2024)

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Obatzda, a flavorful German Beer Cheese Dip, is a beer garden classic made with camembert cheese, butter, and beer! This easy cheese dip can be made ahead and makes a delicious appetizer or snack with pretzels or rustic bread. Perfect for your next Oktoberfest party!

Obatzda Recipe (German Beer Cheese Dip) (1)

Obatzda is a classic Bavarian dish that you can get in every beer garden, supermarket in Bavaria, or traditional Bavarian restaurant. But it’s super easy to make at home with ingredients you can get at your local supermarket! This easy recipe is perfect for making ahead.

There are many different ways to make this beer cheese spread but one thing they all have in common are the main ingredients: aged soft cheese like Camembert or Brie, good quality butter, and a small amount of wheat beer.

Obatzda or Gerupfter(Franconian name) is traditionally seasoned with paprika, caraway seeds, salt, and pepper. You can add chopped onions to the dip but I recommend adding them just before serving otherwise they could develop a bitter or soapy taste when you make the dip in advance.

I’ve tried many different variations of this beer cheese dip and the recipe below is my favorite way to make it!

Obatzda Recipe (German Beer Cheese Dip) (2)

Tips and Trick for How to make Obatzda

  • If you can’t have alcohol you can omit the beer or use a non-alcoholic beer.
  • Instead of wheat beer, you can also use any other German beer.
  • Using your hands works best to mix the ingredients together.
  • Take out all the ingredients from the fridge half an hour before starting to make this recipe. Cut the butter into small cubes, it will come faster to room temperature. Using room temperature ingredients makes it easier to mix everything together.
  • To make my beer cheese dipeasily spreadable even after sitting in the fridge overnight I add a spreadable cheese likeLaughing Cow Cheeseto the camembert cheese. A common problem with Obatzda, made only with cheese and butter, is that it gets quite firm in the fridge. Don’t use cream cheese instead of spreadable cheese wedges. The cream cheese flavor is not the right choice for this dip.
  • Add the sliced onions just before serving this way you can store the cheese dip longer.
  • Serve this beer cheese dip with pretzels, pretzel bread, or a rustic sourdough bread. MyBavarian Pretzelsare perfect to make with this recipe!
  • This recipe is perfect for your Oktoberfest party but also makes a great addition to every holiday appetizer buffet!

Obatzda Recipe (German Beer Cheese Dip) (3)

Looking for more German recipes? Try out these authentic recipes:

  • German Pork Hock (Schweinshaxe Recipe)
  • German Apple Cake (Versunkener Apfelkuchen)
  • German Cucumber Salad Recipe
  • Authentic German Potato Salad
  • Easy German Spaetzle Recipe

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Obatzda Recipe (German Beer Cheese Dip) (4)

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5 from 20 votes

Bavarian Beer Cheese Spread (Obatzda)

By: Julia Foerster

Obatzda, a flavorful German Beer Cheese Spread, is a beer garden classic made with camembert cheese, butter, and beer! This easy cheese dip can be made ahead and makes a delicious appetizer or snack with pretzels or rustic bread. Perfect for your next Oktoberfest party!

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes minutes

Servings: 8

Ingredients

  • 6 oz Spreadable cheese, like Laughing Cow Creamy Swiss
  • 7 oz Brie , or Camembert Cheese
  • 1/3 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 4 tbsp wheat beer
  • 1/2 tsp caraway, ground
  • 1 1/4 tsp paprika
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
  • 1/4 cup chives, finely chopped
  • 1 white onion, finely sliced

Cups - Metric

Instructions

  • Cut the Brie (or Camembert) Cheese into small cubes and add it to a medium bowl.

  • Add Laughing cow cheese, butter, wheat beer, ground caraway, ground paprika, salt, and freshly ground pepper and mix with a fork until combined and smooth.

  • Cover airtight and let it sit in the fridge for at least 3 hours or overnight.

  • Take it out of the fridge and let come to room temperature before serving. Garnish with chives and finely sliced onion rings. This dip keeps fresh in the fridge for about 3 days (without onions).

Nutrition

Calories: 211kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 55mg | Sodium: 423mg | Potassium: 65mg | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 615IU | Vitamin C: 1.7mg | Calcium: 51mg | Iron: 0.2mg

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Categorized as:
Appetizer Recipes, German Recipes

About Julia Foerster

Hi, I'm Julia! Born in Germany, I call Canada now my home and love to share my favorite dishes with you! Here you'll find hundreds of recipes, all made from scratch, with lots of tips and detailed step-by-step instructions.

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Obatzda Recipe (German Beer Cheese Dip) (2024)

FAQs

What is Obatzda made of? ›

Obatzda [ˈoːbatsdɐ] (also spelt Obazda and Obatzter) is a Bavarian cheese spread. It is prepared by mixing two thirds aged soft cheese, usually Camembert (Romadur or similar cheeses may be used as well) and one third butter.

What does Obatzda cheese taste like? ›

Obatzda, a popular German Cheese Spread enjoyed alongside fresh Brezel (pretzel) in Bavarian Biergartens, is a creamy orange dip with a delightful flavour. This delectable spread is primarily made with camembert cheese, complemented by butter and quark (fresh cheese) or cottage cheese.

What is beer cheese dip made of? ›

Beer cheese dip is typically made by heating beer with ingredients like garlic, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce in a saucepan until the beer reduces, mixing in cheese and milk, and continuing to cook until the cheese is melted. The resulting mixture is a cheesy spread that can be served warm or cool.

Where did beer cheese dip originate? ›

According to legend, it all started in the late 1930s on the banks of the Kentucky River near Winchester. The unique salty, spicy spread was created by Chef Joe Allman for his cousin Johnnie, owner of the Driftwood Inn, who served it as a complimentary snack to increase his customers' appetite for beer.

What is Obazda in English? ›

English translation: Obatzda [a Bavarian cheese delicacy, made of aged Camembert, Romadur cheese, Butter and spices]

What German cheese is like Brie? ›

Cambozola – patented and industrially produced for the world market by large German company Champignon in the 1970s. The cheese was invented circa 1900 and is still produced by Champignon. In English-speaking countries, Cambozola is often marketed as Blue brie.

What would you put on a German charcuterie board? ›

German Charcuterie Board

German ham, liverwurst (liver sausage) and Mettwurst (a strongly flavored pork sausage) are a must. Add in contrasting flavors like tangy sauerkraut, pickled beets and spicy mustard, and finish with slices of dark rye bread. And of course, don't forget plenty of German beer!

What brand of beer is best for beer cheese dip? ›

I used Fat Tire because that what I had on hand, but Budweiser, Bud Light, Coors Light, and Miller Lite are all good options. No need to use anything fancy! What brands of cheese do you recommend? For the Cheddar, you can use a good supermarket brand, like Cabot or Tillamook.

Why is my beer cheese dip grainy? ›

High heat makes the proteins and fat in the cheese separate, causing the sauce to “break” and turn into a lumpy mess. If this happens, it can be difficult (or impossible) to repair. You might be able to fix the cheese sauce by adding more cream cheese or Dijon, which are both emulsifying ingredients.

What state is known for beer cheese? ›

Beer cheese is a cheese spread most commonly found in Kentucky. Similarly named cheese products can be found in other regions of the United States, but beer cheese spread itself is not widely distributed. Despite this fact, the product is nearly ubiquitous in Kentucky.

What is another name for beer cheese? ›

Beer cheese is a form of cold pack cheese, sometimes called crock cheese or club cheese. It's usually made from processed cheese or a blend of cheddar and other cheeses along with spices such as cayenne pepper, mustard powder, and garlic.

Why is beer cheese so good? ›

Beer Cheese is one of our Wisconsin Cheeses along with Muenster, Brick, Limburger, and our American Cheeses. It is full flavored, salty and tangy; you won't be missing out on flavor if you try this cheese. Beer Cheese is a semi-soft combination of Limburger Cheese and Brick Cheese.

Is pub cheese the same as beer cheese? ›

Pub cheese is a type of soft cheese spread or dip prepared using cheese as a primary ingredient and usually with some type of beer or ale added. While beer cheese is made with beer, pub cheese can be made without alcohol. Pub cheese is a traditional bar snack in the United States.

Does beer cheese actually have alcohol? ›

Is there any alcohol in Hall's Beer Cheese? Yes. There is less alcohol content in beer cheese than there is in a non-alcohol beer.

What makes German beer German? ›

As one of the oldest alcohol-based beverages, beer's many stages of development go back to early times. But today's beer production has been perfected in Germany. For over 500 years, the German Purity Law has ensured clearly regulated ingredients: Water, malt, hops, yeast - and nothing else. Anything else is not beer.

What is beer cheese Prague? ›

The beer cheese you get at Czech restaurants is served sliced, sitting on a large plate surrounded with little piles of butter, onions, sardines, mustard, paprika, and black pepper along with a shot of black beer.

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