Did you know you can make bread in a crockpot (slow cooker)? This easy crock pot bread recipe is incredible and super easy to make.
Why might you want to make bread in a crock-pot? Well for a variety of reasons. Maybe you have a small flat and don’t have room for an oven. Maybe you have an RV and don’t have an oven in there. Or maybe you just don’t want to turn on the oven. Whatever the reason is you can make bread in your crockpot. It is a fun experiment and oddly satisfying. This method for baking homemade bread should work fine with any bread dough that you make. If I can do it, you can do it. Let’s get started!
Step 1: Gather the ingredients and tools
First, gather up your ingredients and tools. In order to make crock pot bread you first need some awesome homemade bread dough. I am not going to go into all the steps for making the bread dough, just choose your favorite and use it. Here are the ingredients for my favorite bread dough:
- Water
- Yeast – I usually use active dry yeast.
- White Granulated sugar
- Oil (Canola or Vegetable oil)
- Bread Flour (you can use all-purpose)
- Salt
Tools
- Crockpot (Slow Cooker)
- Wooden Spoon
- Bowls
- 8×4 inch bread pan, if you want a classic looking loaf, or don’t use a pan at all.
- Whisk
- Fork
- parchment paper, if not using a bread pan
Step 2: How to make homemade bread in a crock pot (slow cooker)
Start by making your bread dough. Use this recipe or one of your own. Follow all the same steps, allowing the dough to rise twice. Once after kneading, and then after placing it in the bread pans. Or if you aren’t using a bread pan you will place the dough inside your parchment paper-lined crockpot.
Step 3: Using the crock pot
Divide your dough into two loaves or you could make one giant loaf by forming the dough into a ball and then placing it into the crockpot. Use a bread pan that is small enough to fit inside your crock pot. Or use parchment paper. I will use 8×4 pans because those fit very nicely in my slow cooker. After placing the dough in the crock pot cover it with the lid. Next, turn the crockpot on “High”. You will bake it for 2 to 3 hours depending on the size of your loaf. You can put a little bit of water in the crockpot as well to created more steam. Bake it until it is golden brown on the top. Or if you like you can check the internal temperature of the bread with a thermometer. The temp inside should be around 200 F. (93 C)
Step 4: Remove the loaf of bread from crockpot
After the time is up, take off the lid and avoid getting blasted by the steam. Or place your face over it and get a free facial. Use oven mitts and dig out that bread loaf pan. Or grab the parchment paper and lift the larger loaf out. Then let the bread cool on a wire rack. There you go easy crock pot bread.
How does a traditional bread loaf compare to a crock pot bread loaf?
Let’s do a side-by-side comparison. Using the same exact dough I baked one loaf in the oven, which is the traditional method. And then I baked the other loaf in my crock-pot.
The first thing you will notice is that the crockpot bread takes much more time to bake in the oven than a traditional loaf. The sides of the loaf of the crockpot bread are a bit browner than the other loaf. Your results will vary.
The tops of the bread look a bit different as well. This is because of how much steam is created in the crockpot. Again results will vary depending on the loaf.
After cutting into each loaf you will notice a big difference. The crockpot bread is a bit darker with more airy holes.
How does it taste?
Slice up the bread and give it a taste. It is amazing how different the two loaves of bread turned out. However they still both taste yummy. This crockpot bread is a little crunchy on the outside but nice and soft on the inside. Amazing.
It’s your turn!
Now it is your turn to try baking a loaf of bread in a crockpot. Good luck and have fun!
Easy Crock Pot Bread
Equipment
- Crockpot (Slow Cooker)
- Wooden spoon
- Bowls
- 8×4 inch bread pan
- Whisk
- Fork
Ingredients
- 1 cup of water 235ml
- 2 1/4 tsp. of active dry yeast 7g
- 1/3 cup of granulated sugar 66g
- 2 Tbsp. of Canola or Vegetable oil 30ml
- 3 cups of Bread Flour you can use all-purpose (360g)
- 3/4 tsp of salt (4g)
Instructions
- First, prepare your bread dough. Add the water to a bowl and heat it to 100 to 110 degrees F. Then add in a pinch of your sugar. After that add the yeast and let the mixture sit until it gets nice and foamy. About 5 to 10 minutes.
- Next add all but 1 cup of the flour, the rest of the sugar, the salt, and the oil. Mix it with a stand mixer or wooden spoon until the dough comes together. The dough will be tacky. Pour it out onto a floured counter or table and knead the dough for 8 minutes. Adding more flour as necessary. Once the dough is kneaded place it in a bowl that has been lightly sprayed with kitchen spray, cover it, and let it rise for one hour or until doubled.
- After the dough has risen, divide it in half and place it in 8×4 bread loaf pans. Or form the whole amount of dough into a ball. Place a piece of parchment paper in the crockpot and then add the dough to that. Cover the loaf pans or crockpot and allow the dough to rise again, for about 1 hour.
- Place the loaf pan in the crockpot and cover it with the lid. Some people will also add a bit of water to the bottom of the crockpot. If you are doing the whole loaf method without the pan, then you won't add any water. Turn the crock pot on high and allow it to bake for 2 to 3 hours. It will be done when it is nice and golden brown on the top. Or check it with a thermometer. The internal temp should be around 200 F. (93 C).
- After the bread is done, using hot mitts remove the bread from the crockpot and place on a wire rack to cool completely. Then slice into it and eat! Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Do you like the recipe? Please give it a rating and comment down below, I really appreciate it. If you make it tag me on Instagram @inthekitchenwithmatt. Also, sign up for the newsletter so you won’t miss out on any of my new posts and recipes.
Made this and it turned out great. It’s a dense sweet bread that was liked all around. I made it as a solid ball rather than loaves and rubbed it with olive oil. I did add water to the bottom and it stayed moist. The bread cooked from the bottom up and the top stayed raw way longer than the bottom that turned crispy. Next time low setting instead of high. I also added rosemary, but this simple recipe can be adapted for anything. I’d add pictures if I could.
So glad you tried it!!! You can show the pictures on my Facebook page. It would be awesome to see it! https://www.facebook.com/inthekitchenwithmatt/
my crock pot cooks really hot even on low,so would you still cook on hi,I don’t want to ruin it. Thank you
You can try it on low instead. 🙂 You also may want to put a cup of water on the bottom, if the bread dough is in an 8×4 pan, or smaller pan, but if you are just using parchment paper and the dough is going to sit right on that, with no bread loaf pan, you won’t be able to add any water.
Made this and it turned out great. It’s a dense sweet bread that was liked all around. I made it as a solid ball rather than loaves and rubbed it with olive oil. I did add water to the bottom and it stayed moist but it blacked the dough. That could have just been the heat from the base of the crockpot too. The black dough tasted great. The bread cooked from the bottom up and the top stayed raw way longer than the bottom that turned crispy. Next time low setting instead of high. I also added rosemary, but this simple recipe can be adapted for anything. Mix in herbs or spices and there you go. I’d add pictures if I could. Are there any suggestions fkr making this less dense?
So awesome, Michael!! Glad you gave it a try and liked it. Another option for a less blacked bottom, is to use a mini grill, like the kind that comes with air fryers, and then use a round pan for the dough, which sits on top of the grill, so the dough is actually up off the bottom of the crockpot. The density has to do with the dough, make sure to let the dough rise twice. Did you use my dough recipe or another?
Just a tipp for all who try this recipe. I found that if I let my dough rise in a warm space then knead it thoroughly and repeat SAME 2 more times before following the baking steps, the bread has much more taste to it, then not proofing it at all. Researching this phenomena even professionals agree…whereever I looked, I read that the repeated proofing/working of the dough in between will make a world of difference in the taste. So my tastebuds die not betray me! If you have the time to proof your dough 3 times (I allowed 45 minutes resting time in between) before baking it…give it a try, you will taste the difference, and you will love it….❤…to me kneading/working my doughs is very satisfying/therapeutic almost, maybe you too will enjoy it!
Hey there, yep it all depends on the type of bread that you want. For instance a pizza dough, you only let it rise once. But if you want a very fine texture for your dough, 3 times is great. If you have the patience for three times, hahaha. Glad you tried it and liked it. And yes I have been hand kneading dough for over 30 years and still continue to hand knead, it is awesome.
I am so happy with this! I live in South Florida and bake once or twice every week. It’s August now, so this method is much easier on the air conditioner! I have your recipe baking now, can’t wait to try them I Bahamas pineapple bread!
Awesome! 🙂
Does this method work with any recipe, like a classic Italian bread perhaps? The above recipe looks like a white sandwich bread. Thanks, anxious to try it!
Yep, the recipe I used is my classic white sandwich bread recipe. It should work with any bread, although I haven’t tried it yet with my Italian bread. 🙂 Give it a shot, at any rate it will be a fun experiment. One of my favorite things to do in the kitchen, haha. 🙂
Never knew bresd could be made in a slow cooker. Now that I do I cannot wait for this weekend to try making a loaf or two!!!
Yes, please give it a try and let me know what you think. Maybe you can make enough dough for two loaves and bake on traditionally in the oven and the other in the crockpot, so you have a comparison. 🙂
Would letting the dough rise on the warm setting work before baking or is that too hot?
Honestly, you really don’t even need to let it rise first. Since it stays in the crockpot much longer than the traditional oven. But yep you can totally let it rise on the warm setting. 🙂 Maybe put a little water in the bottom so the dough doesn’t dry out. 🙂
Could you use a crock pot liner instead of the parchment? Wanting to make today but have no parchment
I think a liner would work, or just don’t use a liner and spray it with kitchen spray. If you do use a liner, I would spray it as well, so the bread doesn’t stick to it. I haven’t tried a liner yet, so I am not certain of the outcome. 🙂 Let me know how it turns out.