Baking bread in the slow cooker AKA Crock Pot

[Marianne]

I have now 'baked' three loaves of bread in my small oval slow cooker. The first two were oatmeal/wheat bread and they turned out great! The last loaf I tried was a white bread with cinnamon swirl. Not so great there.

Obviously they don't brown on the top, so the darker flours are more appealing. You use a little extra yeast, but don't let it rise. Just knead and plop into the oiled crock. Set on high and cook for 2-3 hours. Mine was done a bit before 2 hrs. My other slow cooker is hotter, so I'd try low heat on that one.

I vented the lid with a toothpick on the first two, but forgot to do that on the last one. That one raised clear to the lid! I had to bake it longer so it'd be done in the middle, but then the outside had a burned area that I had to cut off and the top was a bit gummy. (It was good toasted.) Looked pretty anemic, too.

Every slow cooker is different, so there's a learning curve. But we liked it better than when I use the bread machine (mine must be pretty crappy, but I don't foresee a new one any time soon). And now I can have fresh bread in the summer without heating up the house. I usually use my slow cooker outside when the a/c has to run.

OOPS! I should have put this post somewhere else! So sorry, feel free to move, moderator.

 

[i_am2bz]

Very interesting! We only have a small crockpot; I wonder if you just use 1/2 the recipe & get a tiny, 2 person loaf...?

 

[Marianne]

I don't see why you couldn't.

The recipe I found called for 1 T of yeast for the one loaf! I used two teaspoons (proofed, of course) on the last loaf and it raised up really high, too high. But I had also forgotten to vent the lid with the toothpick. The next loaf I am going to use one tsp yeast, let it sit in the crock for just a bit and then turn it on. I'm okay with experimenting.

 

[pinkfox]

ooo thank you for this...
uim going to have to try some recipies, i have a tiny crock pot that this would be perfect for as i cant eat much bread so a normal loaf goes stale before im even 1/2 done lol

 

[TammyTX]

I made quick bread in the crockpot before. Boston Brown Bread.

You pour the batter into a greased coffee can and then fill the crockpot up with water around it. The steam cooks the bread. It is very good, especially with cream cheese!

I haven't done it in a while and I am going to the grocery later.....hmmmmm.

 

[calendula]

I made quick bread in the crockpot before. Boston Brown Bread.

You pour the batter into a greased coffee can and then fill the crockpot up with water around it. The steam cooks the bread. It is very good, especially with cream cheese!

I haven't done it in a while and I am going to the grocery later.....hmmmmm.

That sounds really good! I have had a hard time finding metal coffee cans anymore though. There are other things that I have wanted them for, but it seems like coffee only comes in plastic now.

 

[R-Lawrence]

I love my slow cookers. I have 2 singles and a double, and have my eye on a triple.

So... I need your recipes! Never thought about making bread in the crockpot. I don't have coffee cans (I drink instant) but have a few cans of things like green artichoke hearts. I don't like using the cans tho because of BPA. Is there something else I can use?

I don't have much counter space which is why I use my bread machine. And my Teen is gluten-free.

So what's the easiest bread I can make for 1 person? For the crockpot?

 

[Emerald]

I love my slow cookers. I have 2 singles and a double, and have my eye on a triple.

So... I need your recipes! Never thought about making bread in the crockpot. I don't have coffee cans (I drink instant) but have a few cans of things like green artichoke hearts. I don't like using the cans tho because of BPA. Is there something else I can use?

I don't have much counter space which is why I use my bread machine. And my Teen is gluten-free.

So what's the easiest bread I can make for 1 person? For the crockpot?

I did a steamed bread in the oven in my one pint wide mouth mason jars. filled them with the batter and put them in a deep casserole dish with hot water filled up almost to with in an inch of the top of the casserole dish.
They worked out great the bread came right out.
I'd bet they would work fine in a crock pot.

 

[Marianne]

The Mason jar is a great idea. Using a wide mouth jar you know you could get the bread out easily. You could also use any oven proof container that fits into your slow cooker.

As far as bread recipes for one person, a quick Google search gave me...nuthin'! There was a recipe for one person banana bread, but that was it! Could you make an entire loaf and then just freeze half of it?

 

[R-Lawrence]

Yep, I guess I could freeze half. But the problem is I'm an overeater, and fresh homemade bread is one of my downfalls (along with brownies, cake with buttercream frosting, and ... ok, I'm stopping).

What's that steamed bread recipe? I'll have to give it a try. I think I have a short enough wide mouth jar that should work. And if it doesn't come out looking great, it's only me and I really don't care!!!