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Loaf of bread with two slices cut out, showing the soft centre, on white striped cloth.
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5 from 6 votes

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.
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

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

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.
    500 g strong bread flour, 7 g fast action yeast, 1 tsp salt
  • Pour in the warm water (300 ml / 1 ¼ cups) then the olive oil (2 tbsp).
    300 ml water, 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 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.

Nutrition

Calories: 173kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 196mg | Potassium: 47mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 7mg | Iron: 1mg