Slow Cooker Crusty Bread Loaf

Ever thought you could make a crusty bread loaf in a slow cooker? Me either! It's actually exceedingly simple. You can either choose to make your own dough or purchase pre-made dough (even easier). Here is how I made my loaf. Oh, also excuse the photos. They are from my cellphone because this loaf did not last enough time for a photo op.

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Slow Cooker Crusty Bread Loaf

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3 C warm water 1 T rapid rise yeast* 6 C all purpose flour 1 T salt or to taste Parchment paper 6-quart slow cooker** *Or regular, it will just take longer to rise **You might need to vary loaf size for a smaller cooker so there is room to rise and expand

In a very large bowl, add warm water and stir in yeast. Water should be warm enough to activate the yeast but not hot enough to kill it... read the yeast packet if you have doubts. Thoroughly mix in flour and salt. This will take a lot of muscle so you might want to use a stand mixer. Cover dough and let rise until doubled in size (a couple hours). Form a one pound loaf of bread on parchment paper and place into your slow cooker. Cook on high for 1 to 2 1/2 hours (depending on your cooker).  You can also check the internal temperature and remove when it is between 190-200°F. Mine took around two hours. You can check after the first hour to see if the bottom of the loaf is burning. I had no issues here. Pop into a pre-heated broiler for 2-5 minutes for a gorgeous browned top. Consume!

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Why don't you try...

• Buying pre-made dough and just popping it into the cooker on some parchment paper
• Adding herbs and cheese such as rosemary and cheddar to the dough
• Making dinner rolls instead of a loaf

This bread was awesome! I can't wait to try it with other types of dough. The one provided was just a basic loaf so go wild. Also, if you didn't know, you can make quick loafs in a slow cooker too like pumpkin and banana bread. You can bake them right in a loaf pan! 

Happy setting and forgetting!