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.
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If the slow cooker requires water will the recipe still work.
You can try putting the bread inside a baking dish that will fit in the slow cooker. A 9×5 loaf pan nestles nicely in oval slow cookers. Then add 1-2 inches of water to create a water bath. I’ve not tested this method, so I’m not 100% how it will work.
You can also try fashioning a little rack out of aluminum foil “sticks” in a tic tac toe pattern. Make sure it’s thick enough so the dough doesn’t sit in the water. And you’ll still want the parchment paper. Haven’t tried the recipe yet but I’m intrigued!
Just outstanding! The taste, texture and ease of this bread cannot be beat. In fact, I see quite a few recipes on this website that I plan to try, so thanks!
Just wondering:
1. Would regular (non instant) yeast work as well, since the rise time is so long anyway?
2. Could this recipe be shaped into two smaller loaves, separated on their own little parchment nests, and baked side by side in the crockpot?
Instant yeast works best for this recipe because it doesn’t need to be activated first. Regular dry yeast needs to be activated in warm water and sugar before using. I’ve not tested the recipe with 2 little loaves in the crockpot.
Wondering if it is possible to make a gluten free slow cooker bread?
I’m not sure. I’ve never tried to make gluten-free yeast bread.
Hello,
I just finished the two hours in the crockpot. When I opened it, it the bread looks a bit undercooked. My crockpot is a Hamilton Beach. Is it supposed to be like that?
It still smells amazing though!
Thanks!
The bread will be pale in color. You have to broil it afterward if you want to brown it. Check for doneness with an instant-read thermometer. It’s done when the internal temperature reaches 190°F.
It was cooked after all. It was just me thinking it looked undercooked. It worked out nicely. After popping it in the oven, we enjoyed it with spaghetti. It was delicious!
Thank you for your recipes!
Do you know how to change this to a gluten free loaf? Thanks in advance It looks awesome!
I’m sorry, I don’t. I’ve never made a gluten-free yeast bread before.
Can I use reg yeast??
Instant yeast is going to give you the best results.
I just realized I don’t have parchment paper!! What would you suggest instead? Thanks!
Parchment paper makes the bread easier to remove from the pot and also prevents it from sticking. You can lightly flour the bottom of the pot where the bread will sit and just take great care removing it.
Hi. Loved recipe turned out prefect. Only now can get active dry yeast and all purpose flour. Will these work ?
You’re going to get the best results using bread flour with instant yeast.
Thank you for this recipe! Happy to make bread at home even without an oven. Today is the 2nd time I have followed this recipe and both times, the dough is sticky and wet after overnight proofing. Followed everything correctly but still comes out sticky. Should I just keep adding flour until it becomes a bit dry?
The dough should be sticky and wet looking after 8-18 hours of proofing. Please take a look at the video in the post above. I would not add more flour as this can cause the bread to come out dense and heavy.