Slow Cooker Bread
This post may contain affiliate links. Read the full disclosure here.
Homemade Slow Cooker Bread is always much more delicious than store-bought, and this recipe couldn’t be easier. This simple white bread is easy to make and uses ingredients you probably already have on hand.
Once you make your first loaf of bread in the slow cooker you will want to make it every week. This bread recipe can be used as a base for so many different variations!
When you want homemade bread without much hassle, get out your trusted slow cooker! Enjoy slow cooker bread as an appetizer or side to any dish. It’s especially great with soup.
Out of all the bread I’ve made, this slow cooker version just might be my favorite.
I mean, who would have thought a loaf this gorgeous could be produced in a small appliance designed to slowly cook meats, vegetables, and soups. I just can’t get over how lovely it is.
I’ve dabbled in the slow cooker method before. I made slow cooker orange sweet rolls and slow cooker monkey bread. Each was tasty but nothing like today’s bread.
I’ve also made so many other variations of bread, from rosemary olive beer bread to the best ever banana bread, the list goes on and on. But, I am loving how slow cooker bread turns out.
It has the texture of a steam bun – so soft and moist.
This bread is possibly the easiest of yeast bread. The dough is prepped the night before simply by mixing all the ingredients together. Then, it sits on the countertop with plastic wrap over the top.
When you wake up the dough will have developed gluten and doubled, almost tripled, in size. And it will smell of wonderful yeast dough. I love that smell!
When you are ready to bake the bread, just turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and fold it over on itself a couple times. Shape it into a ball and place it in the slow cooker.
It takes around two hours to bake. The effort is minimal and the reward is great!
There’s no kneading and no waiting for the dough to rise before baking. It will plump up in the slow cooker and turn into a beautiful rustic bread.
Bread in the slow cooker will not brown. The crust will remain light in color. Because of this, I like to pop it under the broiler for about 5 minutes once it’s finished baking. This will give the crust a lovely golden color.
This is why I love baking! ⇓⇓
*Always double check your slow cooker’s manufacturer instructions before attempting this recipe. Some models require the pot to be partially filled with liquid to avoid safety or durability problems. Also, never leave the slow cooker unattended.
Slow Cooker Bread
Ingredients
- 3 ½ cups (455 g) bread flour
- 2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast, 1 envelope
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 1 ½ cups (360 ml) warm water, 105-115°F
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, yeast, and salt. Stir with a whisk. Slowly pour in the water. Stir with a wooden spoon until well blended and the dough forms into a ball. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it set on the counter overnight, 8-18 hours.
- Line the bowl of the 6-quart slow cooker with parchment paper.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. With well-floured hands, flatten the dough into a 9-inch circle, then fold it over onto itself and shape it into a ball. Place the dough into the prepared slow cooker. Place a double layer of paper towel under the lid to prevent condensation from dripping onto the rolls. Turn the slow cooker on high and cook for 2 hours or until the bread is cooked through. The temperature should register 190°F on an instant-read thermometer.
- Remove the bread by lifting them out with the parchment paper.
- The fully cooked bread will have a light, soft crust. If you desire a golden crispy crust, place the bread under the broiler for 5 minutes. Set the bread on a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
Notes
- Always double check your slow cooker’s manufacturer instructions before attempting this recipe. Some models require the pot to be partially filled with liquid to avoid safety or durability problems. Also, never leave the slow cooker unattended.
- All-purpose flour can be used in place of bread flour. But keep in mind there will be a slight texture difference. Bread flour contains more protein. This absorbs more moisture and creates a chewy texture that is well known in bread. All-purpose flour has less protein and will not absorb as much of the water. This will affect the overall texture.
- Active dry yeast can be used in place of instant yeast. You must activate it in the warm water with a pinch of sugar first. Let it sit for 5 minutes. If it doesn’t foam up, you will need to try again with new yeast.
Nutrition
The nutrition information provided is for convenience and as a courtesy only. It is not guaranteed to be accurate because nutrition information can vary for a variety of reasons. For precise nutritional data use your preferred nutrition calculator and input the exact ingredients and brands you used in the recipe.
I would like to try making bread that’s so easy but I’m wondering, doesn’t the yeast need some sugar?
The dough is an overnight recipe and doesn’t require sugar.
“Some models require the pot to be partially filled with liquid to avoid safety or durability problems” f that is the case, what are our options?
Unfortunately, you won’t be able to use that model if it requires water and will need to make a different recipe.
This is the easiest bread ever. Sliced up nice. And taste really good.
Thanks for sharing! Can’t wait to try this. What temperature do you broil at? I wouldn’t want to over cook it in those 5 min
Use the high setting but keep an eye on it because the broiler can also burn the bread in the blink of an eye.
You might also want to try taking the lid off the crockpot for a few minutes before removing the bread. That might ( should) brown the top of the bread. I do this with meats, and other things, I would think it would work with bread.
This sounds great! Can I make this with gluten free flour? I usually substitute Bob Mills 1 to 1 flour and it usually works. Haven’t tried to make bread with it.
Thanks!
That should work okay. I haven’t tested it though.
Should the slow cooker be preheated or started cold?
No need to preheat.
Perfect quick bread recipe. I’ve taught myself how to make bread many many years ago and came upon this recipe. Its quick, tasty, and effortless. Thank you for sharing. Its a keeper! As a matter of fact, I will make a couple loafs and keep them on hand to make delicious stuffing for my turkey!
Fantastic! I’m thrilled you enjoyed the bread, Mavis!
Do you have recipe for this bread for a 4 quart crock pot?
I’m sorry, I don’t.
This was fantastic. I mixed the dough at 8AM and put it in my slow cooker as instructed. I set the timer for the cooker to start at 3 and shut off at 6 (I multiplied the recipe by 1.5)
the dough rose and cooked perfectly! Hubs tossednit in the oven on broil for 4 min and I came home from work to baked bread! My family of 4 went crazy and ate 75% of it!
I’m so happy to the recipe was a success!
Can you use reusable silicone mats instead of parchment paper?
I’ve never used a silicone mat in a slow cooker so I’m really not sure if it will be good with this recipe.