Slow Cooker Bread
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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 am no chef! Oh the horror stories from my kitchen… But, the bread was super simple to make and tastes great! The instructions are easy to follow, and I can’t wait to try variations. Thank you!
Is there a difference between regular flour and “ Bread flour”?
Yes! Bread flour contains more protein (gluten) which gives the bread a chewy texture.
My mix looks very dry. I have mixed it up, and covered it with plastic wrap, but it is very crumbly.
Double check your measurements. It seems you may have used too much flour or too little water.
Some recipes call for sugar. This one does not. What does the sugar do? Thanks.
Yeast feeds on sugar. Adding sugar is helpful to ensure the yeast is active and the dough rises. My recipe doesn’t call for sugar because it’s an overnight dough. There’s enough natural sugar in flour for the yeast to slowly feed on overnight.
I made this last week and loved it! This week, I wanted to add some cheese as another reader suggested, so proofed it in the fridge. Will I need to remove from the fridge and let it get to room temp before putting in the slow cooker?
It is best to let it warm slightly, otherwise, you’ll need to add to the baking time. If you put the cold bread in the slow cooker, add a few extra minutes for cooking.
So excited to make this today! Being on lockdown with a 7 month old means I’m doing lots of baking to kill time! Could you possibly add herbs or cheese before adding to the slow cooker to make different flavored breads?
You’ll add the herbs and cheese in step 1. And since you’re adding cheese, the dough will need to proof in the refrigerator overnight instead of on the counter.
Refrigeration retards dough, so you’ll still need to let it proof some after you remove it. Depending on the cheese you use it would be fine out on the counter for some time.
You don’t need to proof the bread since it’s cooked in the slow cooker. The slow cooking process also proofs the bread. But, putting refrigerated dough into the slow cooker will require a longer cook time.
This looks easy to make. Can I place a tea towel instead of paper towel under the lid to absorb the condensation?
That should work okay.
I don’t have bread flour , and can’t go out to get it. Does this recipe work with all purpose flour, either unbleached or bleached?
All-purpose flour won’t absorb as much liquid as the bread flour so you may need a little extra but it will work.
Excellent recipe. I only had plain white flour and in the morning realised that the mixture was a little sloppy so put a large handful more flour into the mix and used dough hooks to mix it a make a soft ball. The family loved the fl
avour that an 18 hour proving gave to the loaf. THANKS !! (From a family in lockdown in Portugal)
I’m glad to hear it worked out! Stay safe.
Hi, would wholemeal flour work?
I haven’t tried making this with wholemeal flour so I’m unsure how it will turn out. I imagine the bread would be a but dryer though.