Life upgrade alert! You can “bake” bread in a slow cooker. Whole wheat Crock Pot Bread. Not only is slow cooker bread more hands free than bread you’d bake in the oven, you don’t even have to wait for it to rise before you begin the cooking process. Mix up your dough, place it into the crock pot, and in 2ish hours, you’ll have a loaf of fabulously fluffy, homemade whole wheat bread ready to be devoured.
I’ve long been attracted to homestead-y activities like bread baking (thanks to Rosemary Olive Oil Bread for beginners).
Others on the list: Gardening. Canning. Raising chickens. Other industrious, crafty things.
The canning and the chickens have never come to pass. I blame city regulations and a general lack of motivation.
Thanks to Crock Pot Bread, however, a homemade loaf of fluffy, honey whole wheat bread is never more than a few cups of flour away.
Homemade Bread that ANYONE (Yes, That Means YOU!) Can Make
If you’ve been nervous to try baking homemade bread or consider it only something for serious, accomplished home bakers (or people with too much time on their hands), Crock Pot Bread will prove you wrong. (No Knead Focaccia will too!)
This whole grain crock pot bread recipe is essentially foolproof.
Further, as anyone who has ever made homemade bread will tell you, there is no such thing as subpar homemade bread.
Your homemade bread on its worst day will far outshine anything that comes from the store in a plastic sleeve.
Baking bread from scratch is also deeply satisfying.
Biting into a warm, butter-smeared slice of bread you’ve knit together from start to finish doesn’t just taste better. It feels better.
While I experience a connection to food whenever I cook from scratch, homemade bread is special.
It nourishes more deeply than I can describe, more than other recipes.
Please make this Crock Pot Bread just so you can experience the connection too.
How To Bake Bread in a Slow Cooker
I read about the idea of baking bread in the slow cooker years ago, and it’s been tangled in the back of my mind since.
With our house heating up for the summer, now seemed like the perfect time to leave the oven off and give Crock Pot Bread a try.
While using an oven to make bread does have some benefits over the slow cooker, the largest being that the cook time is more certain, the oven forms a better outside “crust,” and the bread is more puffed and domed, overall, I was really pleased with how baking bread in the crock pot turned out.
Despite not being as tall as oven baked bread, the texture of the bread was still soft and fluffy, the loaf sliced nicely once cooled, and it made some of the best toast I’ve eaten in ages.
Crock Pot Bread also has its own advantages.
My favorite: you don’t need to wait for the dough to rise prior to shaping and baking the loaf.
With most homemade bread recipes, you mix the dough, let it rise for about an hour in the bowl unshaped, then shape it and let rise a second time prior to baking.
Crock Pot Bread skips the fuss. As the slow cooker heats, the dough will complete all of its necessary rising. All you do is mix, shape, and bake.
You can leave the bread in a free form boule-style loaf as I did.
If you prefer a more structured shape like classic sandwich bread, as long as your slow cooker is large enough, you can actually still put the dough in a loaf pan, then place the loaf pan directly inside of the slow cooker and bake the bread that way.
Crock Pot Bread does take some trial and error.
- Bread is done when it reaches an internal temperature of approximately 200 degrees F, which is conveniently the max temperature most slow cookers reach when set to HIGH.
- Depending upon how quickly your slow cooker warms, and its exact HIGH temperature, you will see some variation in the cook time.
- Your best bet is to treat your first loaf as a tasty experiment. Once you know how long your specific slow cooker needs to bake it, you won’t need to watch future loaves as closely to tell when the bread done.
The easiest way to tell when a loaf of bread has finished baking is to take its internal temperature with an inexpensive digital instant read thermometer like this one. When the center of the bread hits 190-200 degrees F, it’s good to go.
The recipe I’ve included here is for a simple whole wheat crock pot bread.
From what I’ve read, however, you can make any bread recipe in the crock pot.
If you have your heart set on a no knead crock pot bread, crock pot cheese bread, slow cooker sourdough bread, or another, feel free to try this method. Prepare your dough up to the point of its first rise, then follow the directions I’ve included here.
More Crockpot Recipes for Breakfast
Don’t miss my full list of the Best Crock Pot Recipes for Any Meal!
It includes other slow cooker breakfast favorites like Slow Cooker Steel Cut Oats , Crock Pot Granola, Crockpot Breakfast Casserole, and more.
Crock Pot Bread
Ingredients
- 3 cups white whole wheat flour plus additional for kneading
- 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast 1 packet; see notes if using dry active yeast
- 1 cup lukewarm milk any kind you like (the milk should be warm but not hot)
- 1/4 cup lukewarm water
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
Instructions
- Prepare the bread dough: In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and yeast. Add the milk, water, olive oil, honey, apple cider vinegar, and salt. Mix on low speed or by hand until the dough begins to leave the side of the bowl. If time allows, let the dough rest for 25 minutes to allow the liquid to absorb (this makes for the easiest kneading, as it gives the flour time to absorb the moisture from the liquid ingredients).
- If using a standing mixer, switch to the dough hook. If kneading by hand, transfer the dough to a lightly greased work surface. By hand (lightly oil your hands to prevent sticking) or on medium speed with the mixer, knead the dough for 6 to 8 minutes, or until it is smooth and supple. This dough should be soft, yet still firm enough to knead. If the dough is too sticky at any point, add flour 1 tablespoon at a time. If it is too dry, add water 1 tablespoon at a time. The amount of liquid or flour you need can vary based on the weather, humidity, and the flour’s mood that day.
- Place the dough in the center of your work surface (if you’ve been using a mixer, lightly oil the surface first) and shape it into a tight, round ball. Place the dough in the center of a large piece of parchment paper. Using the parchment like handles, transfer the dough to a slow cooker (you can use any size of slow cooker that comfortably holds the dough). Flatten the parchment paper as much as you can against the slow cooker’s bottom and sides.
- Cover the slow cooker and turn it to HIGH. Bake for 1 to 2 1/2 hours, until the loaf reaches an internal temperature of 190 to 200 degrees F when tested with an instant read thermometer. The top will feel soft but not spongy or squishy, the bottom will be hard and slightly golden, and the loaf will sound hollow when the bottom is tapped. The cook time will vary depending upon your slow cooker. If it is your first loaf, consider it a bit of a test. Once you know how long your slow cooker needs, every subsequent loaf will be similar.
- Remove the loaf from the slow cooker by lifting it out with the parchment. If you’d like to darken or toast its crust, place it under the oven’s broiler for 3 to 4 minutes, watching it VERY carefully so that the bread does not burn
- Remove the bread from the oven, and place it on a wire rack. Let cool completely before slicing…or tear right into it and smear it with butter. Your secret is safe with me.
Notes
- If using dry active yeast, before starting the recipe, heat the 1/4 cup water called for to the temperature specified on the packet (usually it should be bathwater warm, but not hot). Dissolve the yeast in the water and let sit 5 minutes until it’s foamy and increases in size. Add to the recipe as directed.
- Store leftover bread tightly wrapped in plastic at room temperature for 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
- If your slow cooker is large enough to hold a loaf pan, instead of using parchment paper, you can also shape the dough into a loaf, spray the loaf pan with nonstick spray, place the dough into this loaf pan, then place the pan into the slow cooker. Cook as directed.
Nutrition
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My crockpot temperature for high is 300. Should I cook on low?
Hi Sue! I think you can still cook it on HIGH, but it will likely be done early. Unfortunately, I don’t have any way of knowing how quickly it will finish, as I’ve never baked bread in a model that reaches that temperature. You should check early, then you can note the final cooking time for next time. The first loaf of bread in the slow cooker is always a bit of an experiment, but if you decide to try it, I’d love to hear how it goes!
I’ve been making this bread for many weeks now and we love it. However as it cools the center sinks significantly. What should I do differently? Thanks!
Hi Sue, I’m so happy that you’ve enjoyed this recipe! Unfortunately, I can’t say for certain without being in the kitchen with you, but it sounds like it could be caused by a slight mismeasurement (too much yeast, too much liquid, not enough flour) or old flour. I hope this is helpful!
Thanks for this recipe. Our oven is out of commission and this recipe let me do some baking without it until the landlord fixes it. I added some shredded Mexican cheese to the dough to make it a little cheesy. I was worried because I put it in a loaf pan which wouldn’t go to the bottom of the slow cooker; it sort of hung mid air. But it was fine.
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it, Gerry! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
My family really liked this bread. It was super easy and not heavy. The bottom was a bit dark and hard though. Could the loaf be flipped over half way through, or what is your recommendation for a better bottom crust?
I’m so happy that you enjoyed this bread, Julie! I’d recommend checking the bread a little earlier next time so you can take it out before the bottom darkens too much.
I love this recipe! Thank you for sharing it :)
Do you have any tips to avoid the parchment paper sticking too much on the bread?
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it, Linda! Thank you for sharing this kind review! You could try lightly greasing the paper with some nonstick spray or oil. I hope this helps!
This bread was so delicious and so easy. I will be trying other seeds and herbs.
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it, Dorothy! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
This is a great recipe! My husband and I loved it. I put rosemary in it as well. The bread was so soft and delicious.
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it, Sheri! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
Can you use bread flour for this recipe?
Thank you.
Hi Julie! While I haven’t tried this swap myself, another reader has reported success with it. She shared some of her tips in the comments, so I’d recommend checking those out for suggestions. I hope you enjoy the recipe if you try it!
Haven’t tried this yet but has anyone used gluten free flour to make it?
Hi Laurie! I’ve only tested the recipe as written, so I am not able to advise if it would work with gluten free flour. If you decide to experiment, let me know how it goes!
I’ve made this recipe 3 times now and love the flavor and texture. However, while it rises beautifully early in the bake, the rise always falls before it is done. I’d really like to know why. (I’m using a glass loaf pan in an oval crock.)
Hi Del! It could be a few things. You might have to knead the dough a little more or check the temperature of your milk to make sure it’s not too hot. Hope this helps!
Hi there!
Very excited about this recipe! I’m trying it for the first time and I t’s in my crockpot as we speak!! I will update you later on how it turns out.
I wanted to ask you this while I was thinking about it. Have you tried doubling this recipe? If so, do you still cook it for the same length of time on HIGH? I’d love to know :-) Thank you!
Hope you enjoy it Dana! No, I’m sorry, I have not tried to double it.