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 could not find bread flour so I tried regular flour twice, and sifted second time. But neither worked can out chewy and dense.
It’s always best to use the exact ingredients called for in the recipe.
Do you have a similar slow cooker recipe for sour dough bread?
I’m sorry, I don’t. I haven’t experimented with sourdough yet.
Condensation appears in both proofing and crockpot baking. so which one do I put paper towel in? Thanks
The recipe instructions state to put the paper towel under the lid of the slow cooker.
can I use regular presided flour?
Bread flour is going to give you the best results.
Hi I’d love to try making this, Ive never made bread before, but the only yeast I could find anywhere was pizza dough yeast. Will that change anything in how I make it?
Pizza yeast is not recommended for bread baking.
How cn i tell if its done?
It should be done after 2 hours in the slow cooker. If you need reassurance, use an instant-read thermometer. The temperature should register 190°F.
I’ve used the plain (basic) flour. Cooked 2h 45 min. Bread is beautiful – crusty on the outside and soft inside. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Hello I’d like to try this but I have a ninja foodi and I’m not able to put any paper towels under the lid to stop condensation is there anything else I can do ?
Adding paper towels under the lid is the only way I know to prevent condensation from dripping on the bread. If you can’t do this with the Ninja Foodi, you might just have to skip that step altogether. Be sure to broil it at the end to help dry out any excess moisture from the condensation. I’d even lower the rack so you can leave the bread in the oven for a few minutes longer without burning it.
Would I cook on `low, medium or high?
Thanks
The recipe instructions state to cook on high.
Hi!
I used wheat flour (it’s all I had in my pantry during quarantine!) It came out dense, which is fine, but also overly salty. Ideas of how to improve?
Thanks!
You’ll get a better texture using bread flour instead of whole wheat. Whole wheat absorbs quite a bit of moisture which is why the bread came out dense. You can try cutting back on the salt since you found it too salty.