I coudn’t believe it was possible to make delicious bread in a slow cooker, but now I’m completely converted, and this is my favorite bread recipe around. You’ll be amazed at how soft and airy the texture is, as if you’ve purchased the bread fresh from a bakery.
Ingredients
- 1 cup warm water
- 1 tablespoon quick-rise yeast
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
How to Make It
- In a small bowl, mix together the warm (not hot) water, yeast, and honey and let sit for a minute for the yeast to foam.
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and salt, then mix with the yeast mixture and olive oil, stirring with a wooden spoon until the dough comes together.
- Knead the dough for 5 minutes, either by hand or in the bowl of a stand mixer and fitted with the dough hook. Form the dough into a large ball.
- Line the insert of a 6-quart slow cooker with parchment paper and place the dough ball in the center.
- Place a long piece of paper towel over the top of the slow cooker and cover with the lid, leaving it very slightly ajar. This will help absorb some of the moisture so the top of your bread doesn’t turn out mushy and wet and the bottom crispy and hard.
- Cook on High for 1½ hours, or until the bottom of the bread browns. (You can just lift it out with the parchment to check how brown the bottom is.)
- Preheat the oven to broil. Remove the bread from the slow cooker and put it on a baking sheet. Broil for 2 to 3 minutes, or until it is the desired golden brown. Let the bread cool for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.
