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    Home » Bread » Slow Cooker White Bread

    Published on Feb 4, 2021. Modified on Feb 6, 2021 by bakingqueen74. This post may contain affiliate links. 4 Comments

    Slow Cooker White Bread

    19 shares
    Jump to Recipe

    This slow cooker white bread recipe is simple and delicious and perfect for when you want to bake at home, producing a crusty round loaf with soft white bread within.

    A white bread loaf with two slices cut out, on a white cloth.

    I do love to make bread in my slow cooker and in fact you’ll find a lot of different recipes for bread made with yeast as well as without yeast in the crockpot on my website.

    Sometimes I run out of plain white bread so I need an easy white bread recipe to use at those times, and for me the easiness factor always involves convenience.

    Convenience for me means leaving the loaf to bake while I get on with my work or go on a long walk. The slow cooker is the perfect solution for this!

    A round white loaf on a white striped cloth, with plum tomatoes on the side.
    Jump to:
    • White cob loaf
    • Ingredients
    • Step by step
    • FAQ
    • More to try
    • Recipe
    • Reviews

    White cob loaf

    This recipe makes a plain crusty white bread loaf that is perfect for sandwiches, dipping into soup, serving with casseroles, stews or salads, or as toast.

    The rounded shape of this bread makes it a cob loaf or boule, in other words the dough is shaped into a round before baking.

    A round loaf of bread on a metal cooling rack.

    You don’t need a tin for this type of loaf, making it ideal for beginners at bread-making. You’ll find all my tips for shaping the dough into a round in the post below.

    What’s more, all the colour on this loaf is achieved in your slow cooker – I didn’t need to put this bread in the oven at all. This is perfect for saving the pennies as you don’t need to switch on your oven at all!

    The bread still has a nice crust to it even without going near an oven. How great is that!

    Side view of round white loaf with two slices cut out.

    Ingredients

    To make this simple slow cooker white bread loaf you just need a few store cupboard ingredients.

    Just check out the recipe card at the bottom of the post for the quantities you will need.

    • strong white flour/bread flour – this type of flour is made with hard wheat varieties and has more gluten than other flours. This makes it more elastic and allows it to rise well.
    • fast action yeast (also known as instant yeast) – I keep a few sachets of this in my baking cupboard, it is useful in case I run out of bread and seems to last pretty long (even past the expiry date I’ve found it to work well).
    • salt – salt adds flavour to bread, if you ever leave it out by accident you’ll find the bread tastes very bland.
    • olive oil – olive oil makes dough easier to knead and the bread easier to slice.
    • water – water is vital for hydrating your dough, the salt and yeast will dissolve in the water, it is needed for the yeast to ferment, and is an important factor in the consistency of the bread.
    A round loaf of bread on a white striped cloth, with tomatoes next to it.

    Step by step

    I use my large oval slow cooker for this slow cooker white bread (5.7 litre / 6 quarts).

    You could also make this loaf in a smaller (oval) slow cooker e.g. 3.5 litre / 3.5 quarts) – just bear in mind that if you do, you might find that the loaf takes on the shape of the slow cooker pot more as there is less room to expand, so the overall shape would be oval rather than round.

    1. Put the strong flour in a large bowl, add the yeast on one side of the bowl then the salt on the other side of the bowl.
    Flour, salt and yeast in a white bowl.

    Pour in the warm water then the olive oil.

    Water and oil poured into flour mixture in a white bowl.
    1. Stir the liquid into the flour mixture to form a dough. Use your hands to bring the dough together so all the flour is incorporated, then shape the dough into a rough ball and transfer to your work surface.
    Rough ball of dough before kneading, on a black work surface.
    1. Knead the dough for ten minutes (by hand or alternatively you can use a dough hook in a stand mixer) until it is smooth and elastic.
    Ball of dough on a wooden board.
    1. Form the dough into a round ball shape by folding the four edges into the centre in turn, as if making an envelope, then flipping the dough over so the folds are on the bottom. Next you need to drag the dough towards you creating tension against the surface which rounds it more.

    If you are a beginner at making bread, this video has a good demonstration of how this is done and this guide has useful step by step explanation and instructions.

    1. Put the ball of dough on a piece of baking paper, in your slow cooker pot.
    Ball of dough on a sheet of baking paper in slow cooker pot.
    1. Cook on low for 1 hour, with a tea towel/dish cloth under the lid to stop drips falling onto the bread. During this time the dough will prove and it should double in size.
    Ball of dough in slow cooker, doubled in size from previous image.
    1. Next, switch your slow cooker to high and cook for 1.5 hours approx. Now you are baking the bread and it will start to cook and brown on the underside through contact with the hot slow cooker pot.

    After the 1.5 hours, flip it over to brown the top of the bread (you’ll see the brown bottom of the bread as shown here).

    If you like you can remove the sheet of baking paper to increase contact with the pot, for better browning.

    Bread with brown bottom in slow cooker pot, flipped over so the base is at the top.
    1. Cook for a further 30-45 minutes until the top has browned. You can flip the bread back over (using an oven glove) to check the level of browning.
    Baked round loaf of bread in slow cooker pot.

    Remove from the slow cooker using oven gloves, allow to cool then slice and enjoy!

    Sliced loaf of bread on white cloth.

    FAQ

    Can you prove bread in a slow cooker

    Yes as seen in this recipe, the proving stage can be done in the slow cooker, using the low setting. This allows the bread to rise on a gentle heat so it doesn’t rise too quickly.

    Can I use self-raising or self-rising flour to make bread

    In this recipe which uses yeast you need to use strong bread flour rather than self-raising/rising flour. There are other types of bread recipe that use self-raising flour which you can make in your slow cooker or oven. My mozzarella and herb slow cooker bread is one of my most popular slow cooker bread recipes, and that is a no rise bread recipe that is made with self-raising flour.

    How do you line a slow cooker

    To make bread I put a long piece of baking paper/parchment in the base of the slow cooker pot. This is useful as you can pull the bread out of the slow cooker using the edges of the paper without burning your fingers.

    More to try

    If you have caught the bread baking bug and want to make other kinds of bread in your slow cooker, you might like:

    • Slow Cooker Tomato Paprika Bread
    • Slow Cooker Cinnamon and Raisin Bread
    • Slow Cooker No Knead Bread
    • Slow Cooker Spinach and Feta Focaccia

    Pin for later

    Image of sliced white bread with text overlay reading "slow cooker white bread".

    Recipe

    Loaf of bread with two slices cut out, showing the soft centre, on white striped cloth.

    Slow Cooker White Bread

    This slow cooker white bread recipe is simple and delicious and perfect for when you want to bake at home, producing a crusty round loaf with soft white bread within.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate Save Saved!
    Course: Baking, Side Dish
    Cuisine: American, British
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 3 hours 15 minutes
    Kneading Time: 10 minutes
    Total Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
    Servings: 12 slices
    Calories: 173kcal
    Author: Lucy Allen | BakingQueen74

    Ingredients

    • 500 g strong bread flour
    • 1 tsp salt
    • 7 g fast action yeast (1 sachet or package)
    • 300 ml water lukewarm
    • 2 tbsp olive oil
    UK Measurements – US Measurements

    Equipment

    large oval slow cooker
    mixing bowl
    cake liners

    Instructions 

    • Put the strong flour (500 g / 3 cups + 2 tbsp) in a large bowl, add the fast action yeast (1 sachet, 7 g, ¼ oz) on one side of the bowl then the salt (1 tsp) on the other side of the bowl.
    • Pour in the warm water (300 ml / 1 ¼ cups) then the olive oil (2 tbsp).
    • Stir the liquid into the flour mixture to form a dough. Use your hands to bring the dough together so all the flour is incorporated, then shape the dough into a rough ball and transfer to your work surface.
    • Knead the dough for ten minutes (by hand or alternatively you can use a dough hook in a stand mixer) until it is smooth and elastic.
    • Form the dough into a round ball shape by folding the four edges into the centre in turn, as if making an envelope, then flipping the dough over so the folds are on the bottom. Next you need to drag the dough towards you creating tension against the surface which rounds it more.
    • Put the ball of dough on a piece of baking paper, in your slow cooker pot.
    • Cook on low for 1 hour, with a tea towel/dish cloth under the lid to stop drips falling onto the bread. During this time the dough will prove and it should double in size.
    • Next, switch your slow cooker to high and cook for 1.5 hours approx. Now you are baking the bread and it will start to cook and brown on the underside through contact with the hot slow cooker pot.
    • After the 1.5 hours, flip it over to brown the top of the bread (you’ll see the brown bottom of the bread).
    • If you like you can remove the sheet of baking paper to increase contact with the pot, for better browning.
    • Cook for a further 30-45 minutes until the top has browned. You can flip the bread back over (using an oven glove) to check the level of browning.
    • Remove from the slow cooker using oven gloves, allow to cool then slice and enjoy!

    Notes

    Shaping the dough
    If you are a beginner at making bread, this video has a good demonstration of how this is done and this guide has useful step by step explanation and instructions.
    Slow cooker size
    I use my large oval slow cooker for this recipe (5.7 litre / 6 quarts).
    You could also make this loaf in a smaller (oval) slow cooker e.g. 3.5 litre / 3.5 quarts) – just bear in mind that if you do, you might find that the loaf takes on the shape of the slow cooker pot more as there is less room to expand, so the overall shape would be oval (or the shape of your slow cooker if it isn’t oval!) rather than round.
    Can you prove bread in a slow cooker
    Yes as seen in this recipe, the proving stage can be done in the slow cooker, using the low setting. This allows the bread to rise on a gentle heat so it doesn’t rise too quickly.
    Can I use self-raising or self-rising flour to make bread
    In this recipe which uses yeast you need to use strong bread flour rather than self-raising/rising flour. There are other types of bread recipe that use self-raising flour which you can make in your slow cooker or oven. My mozzarella and herb slow cooker bread is one of my most popular slow cooker bread recipes, and that is a no rise bread recipe that is made with self-raising flour.
    How do you line a slow cooker
    To make bread I put a long piece of baking paper/parchment in the base of the slow cooker pot. This is useful as you can pull the bread out of the slow cooker using the edges of the paper without burning your fingers.
    Did you try and love this recipe?Then please leave a review and rating in the comments at the bottom of the post. If you post your creation on Instagram, tag me @bakingqueen74 or use hashtag #bakingqueen74!
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Ian says

      August 22, 2021 at 11:07 am

      Baking paper all stuck to the bottom of the bread when I turned it over for the final 30 mins cook time!
      Why?

      Reply
      • bakingqueen74 says

        August 22, 2021 at 3:01 pm

        I’d try using non-stick baking paper next time!

        Reply
        • Ian says

          August 23, 2021 at 3:04 pm

          Didn’t know I’d bought wrong paper! Will try again. Bread was great though! Thanks for replying x

          Reply
          • bakingqueen74 says

            August 23, 2021 at 5:59 pm

            I hope it helps for next time. Another tip I read was to wet the paper if it is stuck to bread, and it helps it to come off a bit. I’d also say look out for the dough being a bit sticky as that could cause this, maybe add a little more flour to stop it being too sticky.

            Reply

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    Hi, I'm Lucy! I'm a slow cooker addict, food blogger and also a busy working mum of two. I hope you'll enjoy the recipes I create and post which are perfect for busy families.

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