Fresh, homemade bread is easier than ever—just mix, set, and let your slow cooker handle the rest!
We all rely on our trusty slow cookers for our most beloved comfort foods—soups, stews, and chilis. But who knew we could use it to make one of the greatest comfort foods of all time: homemade bread!
It’s true. You can make a delicious homemade loaf of white bread with a chewy crust and a soft, fluffy center in your slow cooker! Everything we love about this magical device comes into play here, which is basically putting the ingredients in it, setting the timer, and getting on with our lives while it does its thing. This recipe for slow-cooker bread is so easy that you’ll be able to have homemade bread all the time. As we all know, delicious bread makes the very best companion to so many other foods we love.
Chances are good that you already have all of the necessary ingredients for slow-cooker bread on hand: flour, olive oil, sugar, salt, a packet of yeast, and water. And there’s no kneading required! Really, this could not be easier. Everything gets mixed into a bowl, which you’ll then set in a warm place so it can rise. Next, you’ll punch the dough down (I find this part so satisfying!) and then the dough goes into the parchment-lined slow cooker. Set it to high, and two hours later, you’ll have this most excellent bread. If you like your crust a bit crispier, pop it under the broiler for a few minutes.
The Best Reasons To Make Bread In Your Slow Cooker
Let’s start this list with the fact that you don’t have to turn on the oven. That makes slow-cooker bread perfect for the summer months, when you’re probably looking for recipes that don’t require heating your kitchen up. Next, a lot of things we do when making bread the traditional way are not necessary here, like the double rising.
Usually, bread proofs for a couple hours in a warm place, and then proofs again after you’ve shaped it into a loaf. But slow-cooker bread requires only an hour’s rise in a bowl (or until doubled in size) before it goes into the slow cooker. As for the second rising, the slow cooker will do all the work. Because you line it with parchment, there is virtually no clean up. And perhaps the very best reason to make bread in your slow cooker is that it’s so easy, you can indulge in this homemade goodness as often as you want!
FAQs & Tips
How Do I Store Leftovers?
Store slow-cooker bread in an airtight plastic bag at room temperature for 2-3 days. You can also freeze it, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap for up to 3 weeks.
Can You Use Other Kinds Of Flour In This Recipe?
Sure. Bread flour is a good choice if you have it on hand. You can also use whole wheat flour, but it will make the bread more dense. You can also mix together 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour and 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour.
Any Flavor Variations For Slow-Cooker Bread?
Many! Adding dry herbs, such as a mix of rosemary and thyme, or the earthy fresh taste of dill, will bring lots of delicious flavor to this bread. You can also add garlic powder and a cup of your favorite grated cheese (my family loves Parmesan or cheddar) for a yummy garlic-cheese bread!
Serving Suggestions
Toasted slices of slow-cooker bread make the most wonderful breakfast, topped with Whipped Butter and Orange Marmalade. For a more savory option, spread the toast with Bacon Jam and top with a Sunny-Side-Up Egg. For lunch, any kind of leftover meat, like Oven-Roasted Beef Brisket or Roasted Turkey Breast, makes the best open-faced sandwich on slow-cooker bread, topped with this delicious Brown Gravy.
And, of course, warm slices of slow-cooker bread are the perfect companion to soups or stews, like Broccoli Cheddar, this wonderfully flavorful Lemon-Lentil, and this Beef Stew In Red Wine Sauce.
Slow-Cooker Bread
Ingredients
- 1 1/3 cups warm water
- 2 1/2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
- 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- Combine water, sugar, and yeast in a large mixing bowl and let sit for a few minutes until foamy.
- Add salt and flour to the yeast mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon until combined, then mix in the olive oil.
- Cover the dough loosely with a kitchen towel and let it rise in a warm place for about 1 hour or until doubled in size.
- Punch down the risen dough and shape it into a smooth round loaf. Place a piece of parchment paper in the slow cooker and place the dough on top.
- Cover the slow cooker with its lid. Set the cooker to high and cook the bread for about 2 hours, or until a thermometer reads 190°F when inserted into the middle of the bread.
- For a crispier crust, after the bread is done in the slow cooker, place it under the broiler for about 2-4 minutes.
- Remove the bread from the slow cooker and let it cool on a wire rack before slicing.
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