Featuring two flavorful cheeses and your preferred Belgian beer, this dip is sure to curb your craving for the beloved restaurant appetizer!
Here’s Our Copycat for Applebee’s Beer Cheese
Updated on Sep. 30, 2024
If you love re-creating restaurant favorites at home as much as we do, you’ll want to add this recipe to your repertoire. Our copycat Applebee’s Beer Cheese recipe is creamy, packed with flavor and perfect for sharing.
The Applebee’s cheese dip uses Blue Moon, which is a Belgian-style witbier. For this version, you can use any kind of Belgian beer. I recommend blonde ales to add a crisp, light flavor. You can also use dark ales for a toasty, malty flavor and just a touch of bitterness.
Editor’s Tip: With a few simple ingredients, you can also make the best-ever homemade Applebee’s spinach artichoke dip.
First: Choose the Right Kind of Cheese
Using the right kind of cheese is key in creating a silky-smooth beer cheese dip. You don’t want to use whatever’s lingering in your cheese drawer! When choosing the best cheeses to use, look for these characteristics: flavor and meltability. Pick a cheese that you would enjoy alongside a beer. Skip the pre-shredded stuff because it doesn’t melt well.
The best cheeses for an Applebee’s-style beer cheese dip are:
- American (offers great texture, but not a lot of flavor)
- Cheddar
- Emmental (aka Emmentaler)
- Gouda
- Gruyère (it’s a cheese worth keeping on hand—here’s why)
- Young cheddar
Just like Applebee’s, I used plenty white cheddar in the recipe below, but you can definitely try different combinations.
How to Make Applebee’s Beer Cheese Dip
This recipe takes 20 minutes to make and yields about 2½ cups.
Ingredients
- 2 cups Gouda, shredded
- 2 cups white cheddar, shredded
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1¼ cups Belgian beer of choice
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne
Step 1: Prep the Cheese
In a large bowl, toss cheeses and cornstarch together. (The cornstarch will thicken the dip and keep it from separating into a greasy puddle. See what other magic you can work with cornstarch.)
Step 2: Melt and Stir
In a saucepan, heat your beer, garlic, mustard and pepper over medium heat until simmering. Reduce the heat to medium-low, add a handful of the cheese mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until completely melted.
Continue adding cheese a handful at a time, allowing cheese to melt completely between additions.
Step 3: Finish and Garnish
Once all of the cheese has been added and melted, stir in cayenne and season with salt. Serve with warm Soft Giant Pretzels or Soft Beer Pretzel Nuggets.
But we couldn’t stop there…we also re-created Applebee’s unique Blond Brownies a la Mode and their out-of-this-world Garlic Mashed Red Potatoes, among others. Enjoy!
More Applebee's Copycats to Make ASAP
Fajita Burger WrapsThis combo gives you a tender burger, crisp veggies and a crunchy shell, plus fajita flavor. Kids love it. —Antonio Smith, Canal Winchester, Ohio
Editor's Tip: With a few simple ingredients, you can also make the best-ever homemade Applebee's spinach artichoke dip.
Spicy Shrimp and Penne PastaThis spicy shrimp and penne pasta recipe is fast, fiery and full of flavor—the weeknight dinner you didn't know you needed.
Grilled Veggies with Mustard VinaigretteI make this healthy and inviting side dish whenever friends come over for a cookout. The honeyed vinaigrette lets the veggies shine. —Shelly Graver, Lansdale, Pennsylvania
Spicy Beef Stir FrySpice up your dinner rotation with our 30-minute beef stir fry recipe. Tender sirloin and crisp veggies meet a fiery coconut-lime sauce for a quick and delicious meal any night of the week.
Â
Bacon & Swiss Chicken SandwichesI created this chicken sandwich recipe based on a meal my daughter ordered at a restaurant. She likes to dip her sandwich in the extra honey-mustard sauce. —Marilyn Moberg, Papillion, Nebraska
Asian Chicken SaladOur Asian chicken salad transforms the classic American chicken salad into a vibrant, Asian-inspired dish in just 25 minutes, combining familiar flavors with exciting textures and tastes.
Crispy Sage Chicken TendersOne of my mom's favorite chicken recipes used fresh sage. Her version was smothered with gravy, but we like these panko-crusted tenders as they are. —Deb Perry, Traverse City, Michigan
Soft Giant PretzelsThis giant pretzel recipe creates big soft pretzels that are perfect for any Oktoberfest celebration. Pair the bread machine pretzels with an ice-cold lager and a side of beer cheese sauce for dunking.
Best HamburgerThis is the only hamburger recipe you need! We'll walk you through how to make hamburger patties that grill up to juicy perfection.
Glazed Chicken WingsI received this easy wing recipe from a cousin on Vancouver Island during a visit there a few years ago. They're an appealing appetizer, but also a favorite for Sunday lunch with rice and a salad. —Joan Airey, Rivers, Manitoba
Four-Cheese Chicken FettuccineAs a cattle rancher, my husband's a big fan of beef. For him to comment on a poultry dish is rare. But he always tells me, "I love this casserole!" I first tasted it at a potluck; now, I fix it for my family (we have a 3-year-old daughter) once or twice a month, and I'm asked to take it to most every get-together. —Rochelle Brownlee, Big Timber, Montana
Chicken CapreseIf you can pan-fry a chicken breast, you can upgrade to chicken Caprese with ease. It’s a quick, flavorful weeknight recipe with a pleasant combination of sweet, sour and salty.Â
Sweet Mustard SalmonLemon juice, mustard and brown sugar add something special to this salmon dish. —Cortney Claeson, Spokane, Washington
Artichoke Chicken PastaThis artichoke chicken pasta combines tender chicken, crisp veggies and a creamy sauce for a delicious meal that feels restaurant-worthy, all made in your kitchen. It's easy to customize with your favorite vegetables and can be adapted for various dietary needs.
Eggs Benedict BurgersTo feed my daughter’s hungry cowboy friends after a rodeo, I created these with leftover burgers, hollandaise and bacon. They were a huge hit! —Bonnie Geavaras-Bootz, Scottsdale, Arizona
Spinach DipNeed a dip for a party or for game day? Spinach dip is the answer, because nothing beats a classic.
Grilled Honey-Lime ChickenMake-ahead marinade is your best friend when feeding a crowd. This one for grilled chicken is good to know and very easy to memorize. —Marybeth Wright, Maitland, Florida
Crispy Fish & ChipsA British pub classic turns crown jewel when you add horseradish, panko and Worcestershire. You can also try it with a white fish like cod or haddock. —Linda Schend, Kenosha, Wisconsin
Chicken QuesadillasThese stuffed chicken quesadillas pack impressive flavor, but they couldn't be easier to make. Finish them with sour cream and guacamole or your favorite Mexican-inspired toppings for a quesadilla feast that'll satisfy that craving.
Grilled Shrimp ScampiWhen I was in second grade, my class put together a cookbook. I saw this recipe from one of my friends, and I thought my mom would like it. —Charlotte Roos, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Grilled Southwestern Steak SaladPasta salad loaded with steak, peppers and onions makes both my boyfriend and me happy. Plus, it’s versatile! We serve it hot, room temperature or cold. —Yvonne Starlin, Westmoreland, Tennessee
Chicken Tortilla SoupThere's nothing quite like an easy soup recipe on a busy night. This flavor-packed chicken tortilla soup will warm up your kitchen (and then your belly) in just 30 minutes.
Cilantro Beef TacosWhen I have leftover steak, it’s time to make cilantro tacos. Set out bowls of toppings like lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, avocado and salsa. That’s a fiesta. —Patti Rose, Tinley Park, Illinois
Baby Back RibsSlow-cook the ribs during the day and they will be ready to finish on the grill when you get home. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
Chicken & Onion Caesar SaladMy Caesar with grilled chicken is a healthier alternative to heavy meat and potatoes dishes. After grilling the kabobs, we serve them family style. —Melissa Adams, Tooele, Utah
Turkey Club Sandwich with ChipotleWe’re crazy for turkey club sandwiches. A nearby roadside stand carries gorgeous tomatoes every summer. We load up, then stuff our sandwiches with the usual suspects, plus smoked turkey and cheese. —Pamela Shank, Parkersburg, West Virginia
Brownie Affogato SundaesWe can’t resist brownie sundaes. I combined an affogato (coffee-based beverage) idea with a brownie to get this decadent sundae that mixes it all in there: warm, cold, sweet and salty. —Julie Merriman, Seattle, Washington
Bruschetta Chicken WrapsAs an Italian American, I love, love, love garlic, tomatoes and basil, all of which are musts for good bruschetta. This recipe was created in celebration of the first tomatoes to come out of our home garden this year. —Gina Rine, Canfield, Ohio
