18 Awesome Spent Grain Recipes for Your Baking Needs

Unsure how to utilize your leftover spent grains from your brew? Do you need a break from making the same old dishes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert?

You’ve come to the right place!

We’ve got all the ingredients and components for these delicious spent grain recipes you should try out.

Who knows? Your local brew store might enjoy some of our favorite recipes.

A Complete List of Spent Grain Recipes

Spent Grain Bread Recipe

Ingredients

• Spent grain (1 and 1/2 cups)
• All-purpose flour (1 and 1/2 cups)
• Whole wheat flour (1/2 cup)
• Baker’s yeast (1 teaspoon)
• Brown sugar, honey, or agave (2 tablespoons)
• Unsalted butter (2 tablespoons)
• Kosher salt (1 teaspoon)
• 1 egg
• Stand mixer

Instructions

Making the Dough

1. Combine the spent grains, two flours, yeast, butter, honey, milk, and egg by placing them on the stand mixer.
2. Mix these ingredients using low speed until they form into a ball-shaped structure (5 minutes).
3. Place the newly-formed bread dough onto a LIGHTLY FLOURED pastry board.
4. Keep kneading until it becomes FULLY SMOOTH and ELASTIC.
5. Transfer it to a LIGHTLY OILED bowl.
6. Turn each side ONCE and cover the bowl with plastic foil.
7. Let it rise until the size doubles (1 hour).

Shaping the Spent Grain Bread

1. Divide the bread dough in half to produce 2 SMALL LOAVES (12 ounces for each loaf). If you want a LARGE LOAF, leave it as is (1.5 pounds).
2. Place your spent grain loaf on a loaf pan (NOTE: Remember to coat the pan with cooking spray to avoid the loaf from sticking).
3. Cover both the loaf and pan with a MOIST kitchen towel or GREASED plastic wrap.
4. Let it rise until the size doubles (1 hour).
5. Place the spent grain loaf in the oven IMMEDIATELY.

Baking the Spent Grain Bread

1. Slash the TOPMOST part of the loaf.
2. Place the bread in the oven and bake for approximately 40 minutes until the inner temperature reaches 200 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. Remove the spent grain bread from the pan and cool it on a wire rack for proper air circulation.
4. After 30 minutes, start slicing your spent grain bread.

Spent Grain Flour Recipe

Ingredients

• Baking sheets (as many as you need)
• Fresh spent grains
• Wooden spoon
• Flour mill or grain mill attachment

Instructions

1. Put your spent grains in the freezer to dry them up.
2. Eliminate excess moisture to ensure you have DRY spent grains. You can do this by squeezing the water using a cheesecloth or colander.
3. Spread out your spent grains into THIN LAYERS (NOTE: Make sure to place them above baking sheets to prevent germ penetration.).
4. Set your oven to the LOWEST temperature settings (150°F).
5. Place your spent grains in the oven to let them dry. Keep each grain there for about 4-6 hours.
6. Use a wooden spoon so that your spent grains dry out FASTER and MORE EVENLY.
7. Once your spent grain is 100% DRY, gently remove the sheets from the oven to cool off NATURALLY.
8. Utilize your flour mill or grain mill attachment to grind your dried spent grains. You can also use a food processor or blender.
9. Place your spent grain flour in an airtight container for proper storage.
10. HAVE FUN using this beer grain flour in the other recipes we have in store.

Spent Grain Banana Bread Recipe

Ingredients

• Spent grain flour (one cup)
• All-purpose flour (3/4 cup)
• Sugar (3/4 cup)
• Salt (one-half teaspoon)
• Baking powder (2 teaspoons)
• Pecans/walnuts (one-half cup)
• 2 very-ripe and peeled bananas
• Butter (5 tablespoons)
• 2 Lightly beaten eggs

Instructions

1. Set your oven to 350°F.
2. Mix the butter and sugar in a bowl until it becomes a WET MIXTURE. Afterward, include the bananas and eggs.
3. Sift the baking powder, salt, and flours ALTOGETHER.
4. Incorporate the sifted mixture into the batter.
5. MIX EVERYTHING!
6. Add nuts (pecans or walnuts).
7. Transfer the newly-formed banana bread batter into a cake or loaf pan (NOTE: Make sure to surround the pan with butter).
8. Bake for ONE HOUR and let the banana bread cool for a few minutes.
9. Devour your delicious banana bread!

Spent Grain Sourdough Recipe

Ingredients

• OPTION A: Strong starter (200 grams)
• OPTION B: Strong/weak starter (150 grams) and active dry yeast (1 teaspoon)
• Spent grains (250 grams)
• Salt (16 grams)
• Bread flour (450 grams)
• All-purpose flour (450 grams)
• Room temperature water (630 grams; 70% hydration)

Instructions

Day 1: Preparing the Bread Starter

1. Remove the sourdough bread starter TWO DAYS BEFORE bread creation.
2. Discard half of your starter so you can apply 25 grams of whole wheat flour and 25 grams of water (ROOM TEMPERATURE) on the next day. Do this BOTH in the morning and at night.
3. Wait for one day before making your bread.
4. Discard half of your mixture from the previous day.
5. Add 25 grams of whole wheat flour and 25 grams of water in the morning. This time around, add 90 grams of flour and water at night.
6. Keep the starter UNTOUCHED overnight. We highly suggest placing it on the countertop.

Day 2: Creating the Sourdough Bread

1. Include all the ingredients EXCEPT your spent grains in a large bowl. Stir EVERYTHING and let it rest for around 30 minutes.
2. Remove the sourdough mixture from the bowl and transfer it to a wet countertop for folding.
3. Be sure to fold ALL the corners. Do this around 10-12 times.
4. Place it back in the bowl and wait for an hour.
5. Split the dough into two and place them on the lightly dusted counter.
6. Fold each half 6 times, flip it, and create a ball-shaped structure. Use the countertop’s tension as support to tighten the ball.
7. Rest the two balls for an hour. Make sure to cover it with any cloth.
8. Flip both balls over and fold the dough four times. Flip it again until you make a tight ball.
9. Place the two balls in a banneton (follow the seam side up pattern) and leave it uncovered and untouched for 2 hours.

Day 3: Baking the Sourdough Bread

1. Put the pizza stone in the oven. The temperature SHOULD be about 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Place a pan with hot water BELOW the oven.
3. Cut the bread’s TOPMOST part using a razor.
4. Put your sourdough on the pizza stone for 15 minutes.
5. Lower the oven temperature to 375°F.
6. Bake for about 15-25 minutes until the bread becomes GOLDEN BROWN. (NOTE: Bread containing spent beer grains usually takes longer to bake than those without.)

Spent Grain Pretzels

Ingredients

• Spent grains (1 cup)
• All-purpose flour (4 cups)
• Melted butter (6 tablespoons)
• Warm water (13 and 1/2 cups)
• Brown sugar (2 tablespoons)
• Dry active yeast (2 and 1/4 teaspoons)
• Kosher salt (3 teaspoons)
• Baking soda (3/4 cup)
• Milk (1/4 cup)
• 2 eggs
• Vegetable oil

Instructions

1. Combine 1 and a half cups of water, butter, yeast, and 2 tablespoons in a bowl.
2. Add flour, salt, and spent beer grains from your brew to the wet mixture. Wait for about 5 minutes for it to smoothen out.
3. Add vegetable oil to an empty bowl.
4. Form dough balls and carefully add them to the bowl.
5. Use a damp cloth to cover the bowl. Leave it in a dry area for 1 hour.
6. Add the remaining 12 cups of water and baking soda into a large pot for boiling.
7. Beat the 2 eggs and combine them with 1 tablespoon of cold water. Use these to coat the pretzels.
8. Divide the dough EQUALLY. It’s up to you how you want to fold and shape your pretzels.
9. Boil the pretzels in the pot for around 30 seconds.
10. Insert the boiled pretzels on a baking sheet.
11. Coat the pretzels with beaten eggs and kosher salt.
12. Insert these in the preheated oven and bake for 15-20 minutes.
13. ENJOY your delicious spent beer grain pretzels!

Spent Grain Pie Crust

Ingredients

• All-purpose flour (2 cups)
• Spent grain (1/2 cup)
• Salt (3/4 teaspoon)
• Water (6 tablespoons)
• Cubed and chilled butter (1 and 1/2 sticks)
• Brown sugar (2 tablespoons)
• Food processor
• Plastic bags

Instructions

1. Use a food processor to combine the two flours, sugar and salt.
2. Mix it with butter and push these ingredients until you form a COARSE MEAL.
3. Add ice water until you see clumps starting to form.
4. Turn the dough into a ball and divide it into two EQUAL parts.
5. Convert the two balls into two flattened disks.
6. Wrap it in plastic bags and put it in the freezer for two hours or overnight.

Spent Grain Pizza Dough Recipe

Ingredients

• Olive oil
• Warm water (one-half cup)
• Dry yeast (1 package)
• Spent grain (3/4 cup)
• Flour (1 and 1/2 cups)
• Salt (1 and 1/2 teaspoon)

Instructions

1. Combine the yeast with warm water in the bowl area of the standing mixer. Wait for it to form bubbles (5 minutes).
2. Include the remaining ingredients (including your spent grains) and knead them using the dough hook (8-10 minutes).
3. After removing the dough from the bowl, add some olive oil.
4. Place the pizza dough back in the bowl to coat it with olive oil.
5. Cover it with a towel and let it rest for about 2 hours.
6. While waiting, preheat your oven at 475°F (NOTE: You may go HIGHER if you want).
7. Let the pizza dough rise again (30 minutes).
8. Remove it from the bowl and insert it in a half-sized sheet pan.
9. Stretch the dough EVENLY over the pan using your hands.
10. Surround your pizza crust with TOPPINGS (meat for protein, cheese, veggies, tomato sauce, etc.).
11. Bake until the pizza crust turns GOLDEN BROWN.

Spent Grain Granola Recipe

Dry Ingredients

• Dried spent grain
• Flaked coconut
• Chopped pecans and nuts
• Roasted pepitas
• Rolled oats

Wet Ingredients

• Malt syrup
• Honey
• Kosher salt
• Vanilla extract
• Coconut sugar
• Cinnamon
• Natural peanut butter

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven at 300-325°F.
2. Mix each wet ingredient using a wooden spoon.
3. Combine the wet and dry ingredients, but DON’T include the apricots or any dried fruit.
4. Spread the “gooey”/liquid granola mix in two separate pans.
5. Bake the granola mixtures for about 30-40 minutes.
6. Stir and rotate the pans ONCE every 10 minutes.
7. After baking, sprinkle dried fruit EVENLY onto BOTH granola mixtures.
8. Let it cool NATURALLY.
9. Keep it in an airtight container at ROOM TEMPERATURE.

Spent Grain Granola Bars Recipe

Ingredients

• Dried spent grain and spent barley via brewing (one cup)
• Oats (one cup)
• Dried fruit (1/2-3/4 cup)
• Raw almonds or nuts (1/2-3/4 cup)
• Salt (1/2 teaspoons)
• Butter (4 tablespoons)
• Honey (1/2 cup)
• Brown sugar (2/3 cup)
• Vanilla extract (2 teaspoons)

Instructions

1. Set your oven to 400°F.
2. Mix your oats and raw almonds and toast them (6-7 minutes). Don’t forget to stir during the halfway point to avoid burning.
3. Surround the baking dish with an 11×13 wax paper and apply the non-stick spray.
4. Simmer the brown sugar, butter, honey, and salt in a saucepan.
5. Mix the cooled oats and almonds with spent grain and dried fruit.
6. Pour some brown sugar into your spent grain mixture.
7. Let it rest and cool for 2-3 hours. Cut your granola mix into bar-shaped figures.
8. Congrats! ENJOY your delicious granola bars made out of spent grains!

Spent Grain Crackers Recipe

Ingredients

• Spent grain (1/2 cup)
• All-purpose flour (2 and 1/2 cups)
• Salt or kosher (1 teaspoon)
• Beer (one cup)

Instructions

1. Set your oven to 350°F.
2. Assemble your beer, spent grains, flour, and kosher. Mix these in a standing mixer (NOTE: Make sure the dough is intact but NOT dry.).
3. If it’s still too dry, add 1 extra tablespoon of beer.
4. Form a ball-like shape and wrap the bowl in plastic bags for resting (30 minutes).
5. Transfer the cracker dough from the bowl to the chopping board.
6. Add some flour to the dough and rolling pin.
7. Cut into 4 EQUAL SERVINGS.
8. Roll each portion into thin sheets (THICKNESS: 1/8 to 1/16th of an inch)
9. OPTIONAL: Add lemon zest or coriander if you want a sour taste.
10. Bake for 15-20 minutes (NOTE: Make sure to bake it ONE AT A TIME). Repeat this step with the other three portions.

Spent Grain Muffins Recipe

Sponge Ingredients

• Spent grain flour (1 and 1/4 cups)
• All-purpose flour (2 cups)
• Baking powder (2 and 1/2 teaspoons)
• Salt (1 teaspoon)
• Chopped nuts (1/2 cup)
• Cranberries (1/2 cup)
• 3 eggs
• Unsalted butter (4 tablespoons)
• Wet spent grain (2 cups)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Whisk the flours, baking powder, and salt. Add the nuts and cranberries.
3. Keep these DRY INGREDIENTS in a large bowl.
4. Gently whisk the eggs into a different bowl. Afterward, include the honey, butter, and wet spent grain.
5. Combine the WET and DRY INGREDIENTS.
6. Add 1/4 cup of batter in each muffin cup.
7. Bake for about 15-20 minutes.

Spent Grain Cookies Recipe

Ingredients

• Unsalted butter (3/4 cup)
• 1 egg
• 1 egg yolk liquid
• Vanilla extra (1 teaspoon)
• Butterscotch chips (1 cup)
• Chocolate chunks (1 cup)
• Light brown sugar (1 cup)
• Sugar (1/2 cup)
• All-purpose flour (1 and 1/2 cups)
• Spen grain flour (1/2 cup)
• Sea salt (1/2 teaspoon)
• Baking soda (1/2 teaspoon)

Instructions

1. Set your oven to 350°F. Don’t forget to place your cookie sheet inside.
2. Heat your butter in the saucepan until it has a caramel or brownish color.
3. Combine the flours, baking soda, and salt.
4. Beat the cooled butter and sugar in a stand mixer (3-5 minutes).
5. Beat the eggs and vanilla (3 minutes).
6. GENTLY add the spent grain flour to the liquid mixture, then incorporate your chocolate chunks and butterscotch chips.
7. Use a cookie scooper to transfer the cookie batter to the cookie sheet.
8. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until you get that GOLDEN BROWN color.
9. Store the baked goods in an airtight container if you have a large amount.

Spent Grain Oatmeal Cookies Recipe

Ingredients

• Oats (2 and 1/4 cups)
• Spent grain flour (1 cup)
• Baking soda (1/2 teaspoon)
• Baking powder (1/2 teaspoon)
• A pinch of salt
• Softened butter (1/2 cup)
• Brown sugar (3/4 cup)
• 1 egg
• Chocolate chips (1/3 cup)
• Vanilla (1/2 teaspoon)
• OPTIONAL: cinnamon (1/2 teaspoon)

Instructions

1. Set the oven to 350°F and have your cookie sheet ready.
2. Combine the spent grain flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. Beat the brown sugar and butter. Make sure you get a light and fluffy texture.
4. Whisk the egg PROPERLY.
5. Include the vanilla and chocolate chips.
6. Use a cookie or ice cream scooper to place the oatmeal cookie batter on the cookie sheet. Ensure the cookies have a 1-inch space.
7. Get it in the oven and bake for 12-15 minutes.
8. Cool the newly-baked goods on the pan and cooling rack.

Spent Grain Pancakes Recipe

Wet Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• Vegetable or olive oil (2 teaspoons)
• Almond milk (1 and 1/2 cups)
• 1-ounce molasses
• 1-ounce honey liquid
• Vanilla extract (1/2 teaspoon)

Dry Ingredients

• Spent grains (1 cup)
• Whole wheat flour (2 cups)
• Baking powder or baking soda (1 teaspoon)
• Cinnamon and salt (1 teaspoon EACH)

Extra Toppings (Optional)

• 1 banana (cut into smaller pieces)
• Unsalted butter (make sure it’s at ROOM TEMPERATURE)
• Maple syrup (ORGANIC)

Instructions

1. Separate the WET and DRY INGREDIENTS by placing each set in 2 different bowls.
2. Carefully combine the dry ingredients with the wet ones.
3. Add your banana slices into the liquid mixture.
4. Surround your pan with butter or oil (make sure to operate with LOW to MEDIUM heat.).
5. Place your pancake batter on the pan (1/3 cup per pancake).
6. Cook both sides for 1-2 minutes each, then transfer it to your plate.
7. Enjoy with some butter and organic syrup.

Spent Grain Dog Treats Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• Spent grain (4 cups)
• Flour (2 cups)
• Creamy peanut butter (1 cup)
• Oven
• 2 baking sheets
• Rolling pin
• Cookie-cutter
• Bowl
• Beer (for dog owners)

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F.
2. Combine your spent grain, eggs, flour, and peanut butter into one large bowl.
3. Use your rolling pin to flatten the dough.
4. Create cute cut-outs and shapes using a cookie-cutter.
5. Place your treats on top of a cookie sheet and bake for 30 minutes.
6. Take out the dog treat from the oven.
7. Lower the temperature to 200°F.
8. Bring back your baked goods to the oven to dry them up for 2 hours.
9. Drink some beer while waiting.
10. Serve your spent grain goodies to your doggies.

Spent Grain for Chickens

There are NO spent grain recipes for chickens because you can serve the grains AS IS!

So if your chickens are starving and need food ASAP, head over to your local brewery or beer shop for a steady supply of spent grain.

However, be sure to know the RIGHT PROPORTIONS – NOT too much, NOT too little.

For chickens, we recommend supplementing their daily feed with 10 to 20 percent DRIED spent grains so that they can stay healthy and gain weight FASTER.

Spent Grain Horse Treats Recipe

Ingredients

• Spent grains (8 cups)
• Molasses (1 cup)
• Whole wheat flour (1 cup)
• Canola oil (1/4 cup)
• Oatmeal (2 cups)

Instructions

1. Combine ALL the ingredients (including the spent grains) and roll these into a ball (Recommended diameter: 1-1.5 inches).
2. Place your horse treats on top of a cookie sheet.
3. Put these in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes.
4. Flip all treats to the other side and REPEAT STEP 3.
5. Let it cool for a while before serving to your horses.

Spent Grain Compost

If you’re not really into any of these spent grains recipes, that’s OK! We won’t force you to make granola bars, bread, or baked goods made out of spent grains.

However, what’s NOT OK is throwing your grains in the trash and letting them rot on the ground. Doing so may cause soil erosion, water pollution, etc.

COMPOSTING your excess spent grains is the way to go. There are MULTIPLE WAYS you can conduct home brew composting:

• Adding spent grains to your soil
• Placing your spent grains in a worm composter or compost bin
• Converting your spent grains to a mushroom compost

Whatever you do, DON’T put your spent grains to waste even if you’re done brewing your beer.

Let’s Familiarize Ourselves with Spent Grain

You might be thinking, “OK, these recipes seem oddly familiar, but I still don’t know what spent grain is or what it’s for?”

Well, you’ll be surprised at the many facts and benefits this beer grain has to offer.

Indeed, spent grains are so much more than just “leftovers” from the beer-brewing process.

What Is Spent Grain?

Spent grain is the brewing industry’s byproduct that contains barley grain husks and insoluble residues such as wheat or maize.

It may be a beer product, but it is actually healthy due to the presence of fiber and protein in every grain. We also can’t forget the low carbohydrate count spent grain possesses.

Let’s take a look at the SPENT GRAIN NUTRITION FACTS one by one.

Fiber

Ah yes, FIBER! You see it in granola, vegetables, and other healthy food products.

This food component is ESSENTIAL for lowering sugar levels, monitoring total calories, and maintaining proper body weight.

Take a look at some diseases fiber can combat:

• Hypertension
• Obesity
• Type 2 diabetes
• Heart disease
• Stroke

Lucky for you, a single grain is packed with fiber, so you’ll be doing your immune system a favor by introducing any of the spent grain recipes to your diet.

Protein

If you want to give your current diet a boost, these spent grain recipes are more than enough to provide the protein you need.

Still not convinced with adding spent grains into your recipes? Take a look at these BENEFITS protein delivers:

• Burns calories and fat faster
• Boosts muscle mass and overall strength
• Improves appetite and decreases hunger levels
• Regulates proper weight loss

Indeed, introducing spent grains to your palette means MORE protein and FEWER calories. How sweet!

Low Carbohydrates

Besides calories, carbohydrates is another deadly C-word in the health dictionary. It contributes to unhealthy weight gain and increases the risk of heart diseases.

We highly recommend going for LOW-CARB DIETS to improve insulin sensitivity and reduce the possibility of having cardiovascular diseases.

Fortunately, spent grain has LITTLE TO NO CABRS at all. That means you can incorporate any of the spent grain recipes into your diet.

Just be sure to take it easy on the nuts, granola, or any ingredient with tons of carbs.

How to Dry Spent Grain?

Keep in mind that recipes for granola, bread, etc., require dry beer grains. Here are some TIPS and METHODS for drying your grain products.

1. Preheat your oven to the LOWEST settings (170°F-200°F).
2. Place your grain to an ungreasy pan (NOTE: Make sure it’s EVENLY distributed.).
3. Heat your grain in the oven for 7 hours (OPTIONAL: You can use a dehydrator or freezer).
4. In the middle of heating (4-hour mark), pull out and toss the barley. Mix the grain using a spoon.
5. Place your dry grain in airtight jars for PROPER STORAGE.

The BEST way to determine whether your grains are 100 percent DRY is if there is NO MOISTURE left. Variables such as environment or oven settings can speed up or slow down the drying process.

Conclusion

The 18 spent grain recipes prove that you SHOULDN’T throw away your spent grains once you’re done brewing your beer.

Heck, you don’t even need to be a fan of all grain beer brewing to try out these recipes at home.

So we suggest going to your local brewery or brew shop, grabbing yourself a bunch of spent grains, and getting started with these delicious spent grain recipes!

Who knows? You can add these to your “favorite recipes” list.

Karl S: Lead marketer, brewer, dad, and husband. Pretty much an all-round awesome guy.