You’re about to become the baker you always dreamed of with this Slow Cooker Bread. With a perfectly fluffy inside and a beautifully crispy outside, making homemade bread has never been easier!
Slow Cooker Bread
I think we can all agree that homemade bread is always better than store bought bread. Are you with me? This homemade slow cooker bread only has 6 ingredients (one being optional) and it’s very likely you’ll already have them in your pantry! I mean who would have thought that this gorgeous loaf could be prepared in the same appliance designed to slowly cook meats, vegetables, and soups! It’s quite exciting if you ask me!
Out of all the bread I’ve made, this slow cooker version may very well be my favorite. And I’m telling you, when you realize how easy it is, you’re going to want to make it again and again! The best part is that this white bread recipe now becomes the base for any other variation of bread you may want to make in the future! Because trust me – you will.
How Does This Work Exactly?
Cooking temperatures will vary from slow cooker to slow cooker, but typically they reach a high of 200 degrees. Coincidentally, this is also the ideal internal temperature for baking most breads! Essentially, you just want to let your bread hang out in the slow cooker until it cooks all the way through – undercooked means gummy, not so tasty interiors.
There is also no need to let the dough rise before it’s put into the slow cooker because it’s going to both, bake and rise – you got it, at the SAME time! Think about it, the slow cooker really does have the ideal environment for dough to rise and bake at the same time. It’s genius.
How Long Does It Take To Cook Bread In A Slow Cooker?
After some trial and error – oh yes, plenty of that around here – average cooking time is about 2 hours. The first time you bake, it may be wise to check after an hour, and then every half hour, and then a little more frequently until it gets close to finishing.
You’ll know the bread is done when the bottom is slightly brown and the top no longer feels spongy. If you’re able, you can also check the internal temperature, which should read between 190 – 200 degrees.
Ingredients You’ll Need For Slow Cooker Bread
- Water – We need lukewarm water to assist with the texture of our dough.
- Sugar – White, granulated sugar.
- Active dry yeast – This is our leavening agent that will help our bread rise. Instant yeast can be used as well.
- Salt – Not only does salt give a boost to the flavor of our bread but it will also helps add strength to the dough.
- Flour – Today I used all-purpose white flour – you’re welcome to try using other options of flour, but based on this recipe it may jeopardize the integrity of your bread.
- Cheese – I’m using some grated parmesan cheese for some extra flavor – this is optional! I’ve made it both ways and I can honestly say, not much difference.
How To Make Bread In A Slow Cooker
- Preheat: Turn the slow cooker on high and allow it to preheat. Line the slow cooker with parchment paper; close the lid.
- In the mixer: Add the water, yeast, and sugar and let the mixture rest for about 10 minutes until the yeast activates – you’ll notice it starting to rise in the mixer bowl. Next, add the salt, flour, and parmesan cheese and mix with the dough hook until well incorporated. You will know it’s ready when the sides of your bowl are clean.
- Knead the dough: Transfer the ball of dough to a lightly floured surface and knead only a few times until it is smooth. Finally, form the dough into a ball and place it into the preheated slow cooker; close the lid.
- Bake: Bake on high for 2 hours, checking occasionally.
- Brown the bread: Preheat your oven to 450 F degrees. Once finished in the slow cooker, place the bread with parchment paper onto a baking sheet and place in the oven for about 10 to 15 minutes to brown the top!
Tips For Making Slow Cooker Bread
- Prepare for some trial and error: You may not nail this recipe the first time you attempt it and that’s okay! Making bread can be a labor of love so maybe consider your first loaf or two as experiments! For example the first time I tried this, I placed the bread under the broiler to brown it, and it just didn’t come looking great. I found that 15 minutes at 450 F degrees is the perfect way to brown it.
- Line the slow cooker with parchment: This is going to make life so much easier when it comes time to remove the bread from the slow cooker onto a baking sheet. You want to handle the loaf as little as possible. Plus no cleanup!
- Minimally handle the bread: Handling the bread before it’s fully cooked can cause dimples and crush the crust – so keep it to a minimum if you can!
- Brown it in the oven: Ultimately, slow cooker breads don’t brown well or develop a crust the same way as oven-baked loaves, so you’re going to want to use the oven to get that aesthetically pleasing bread! . You can also brush a bit of butter on it to help it brown up!
What To Do With Leftovers
Homemade bread is not going to last as long as store bought bread! It’s going to be best to store it at room temperature in a cool dry place and in an airtight plastic bag, to last 2 -3 days. Unfortunately placing it in the fridge will not extend the life as the bread will become stale. Also keep in mind, that heat and humidity will cause the bread to mold.
If you want to freeze your slow cooker bread, you can wrap it in plastic wrap and it will last up to 3 weeks.
More Great Bread Recipes To Try:
- Old Fashioned Lemon Bread
- Cranberry Quick Bread
- Zucchini Bread
- No Knead Bread
- The Best Pumpkin Bread
- Skillet Irish Soda Bread
- Naan Bread
- Banana Nut Bread
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Slow Cooker Bread
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 1/3 cup water lukewarm
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp active dry yeast
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese grated, optional
Instructions
- Preheat: Turn the slow cooker on high and allow it to preheat. Line the slow cooker with parchment paper; close the lid.
- In the mixer: Add the water, yeast, and sugar and let the mixture rest for about 10 minutes until the yeast activates - you'll notice it starting to rise in the mixer bowl. Next, add the salt, flour, and parmesan cheese and mix with the dough hook until well incorporated. You will know it's ready when the sides of your bowl are clean.
- Knead the dough: Transfer the ball of dough to a lightly floured surface and knead only a few times until it is smooth. Finally, form the dough into a ball and place it into the preheated slow cooker; close the lid.
- Bake: Bake on high for 2 hours, checking occasionally.
- Brown the bread: Preheat your oven to 450 F degrees. Once finished in the slow cooker, place the bread with parchment paper onto a baking sheet and place in the oven for about 10 to 15 minutes to brown the top!
Video
Recipe Notes
- Homemade bread is not going to last as long as store bought bread! It's going to be best to store it at room temperature in a cool dry place and in an airtight plastic bag, to last 2 -3 days.
- Unfortunately placing it in the fridge will not extend the life as the bread will become stale. Also keep in mind, that heat and humidity will cause the bread to mold.
- If you want to freeze your slow cooker bread, you can wrap it in plastic wrap and it will last up to 3 weeks.
Pat swift says
Can I double this receipt (slow cooker bread)?
Jo Cooks Team says
As long as you have a slow cooker big enough to fit double the recipe. Keep in mind you want the dough to have lots of room to rise in the slow cooker.
Aliza Fried says
Joanne,, I must tell you how much I enjoy having your romanian recipes. My mother, who was from there, died relatively young, and never gave me her recipes. I wasn’t very interested in cooking back then.
Later, I tried to get romanian recipes in English, but they never had the level of detail that yours have. I’m so happy I’ll finally start to make Ciorba, Kozonak, etc. I miss those flavors. It was so good to discover you!
jo says
I’m so happy to hear this, do let me know how you like the recipes you try. 🙂
Steven C. Garthwaite says
Do you have lid on or off?
jo says
On!!
Valerie says
Can the bread be made in the 3 quart crock pot? Any adjustment to the baking times?
jo says
It might be a bit too small, so when the dough rises, it might touch the lid. You could reduce the recipe and make it a bit smaller.
Valerie L Klobuchar says
I’ll cut it in half and see how it goes!
Connie LaFrainer says
I loved this recipe, was so easy and the bread was delicious! Will become a regular at our house! Thank you so much!
Renee says
This might be a silly question, but, what is the best way to mix by hand/wooden spoon, if you don’t have a mixer with bread hook? Would it be too difficult? Thanks.
jo says
Not a silly question, you’ll have to knead it by hand, a wooden spoon will not work to knead it all the way, just knead it on a floured surface until smooth and comes clean from the surface.
Fran says
A stupid question for a newbie is this Fahrenheit or Celsius?
jo says
Fahrenheit. 🙂
Claudia says
I haven’t tried this yet but I will with my low carb flour. Using the low carb flour I have to add wheat gluten or it turns out very gummy. I’m still experimenting with the low carb flour (Carbalose) and haven’t found the perfect recipe yet. I would really like to see some low carb recipes for diabetics since both my husband and I have had to go on low carb sugar free diet. I can usually adjust your recipes to fit but it would be nice to have it all written out for me. Thanks.
Jo Cooks Team says
We’ve never used that type of flour before! If we come across it we’ll give it a try.
Mary says
I saw this and went and bought my yeast, can’t wait to make it. Seems simple enough and delish since I have never made bread before
jo says
Super simple! You’ll do fine. 🙂
Mihaela says
Wow, never heard of slowcooker bread and definitely going to make it as my husband is a big bread eater and 2 hrs to make it is a fast one. But I have some questions before I will make it.
1. Instead of parchment paper can the plastic liners be used?
2. Can it be kneaded in the the stand mixer?
3. For how long do you preheat the slowcooker as mine doesn’t have this function?
Tya.
Jo Cooks Team says
As long as the plastic liners are non-stick, that should work. The dough was mostly kneaded in the stand mixer- you only have to knead with your hands a couple times to shape it! Our slow cooker doesn’t have a pre-heat function either, for step one you just simply turn the slow cooker onto high and let it warm up on its own.
Mihaela says
Thank you. I can’t wait to try it this weekend.