Gluten-Free Crock-Pot Bread

YES, it you can also make gluten-free crock-pot bread! This is the “Not Rye (But So Very Close)” recipe from The New Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day. Check with your slow-cooker’s manufacturer before trying this, since some model’s instructions specify that the pot has to be at least partially filled with liquid to avoid safety or durability problems.  And never bake in a slow-cooker unattended.

Gluten-Free Crock-Pot Bread

1 pound gluten-free dough (G-F Not Rye p. 249, G-F Crusty Boule p. 236 or the G-F Cheddar and Sesame Bread p. 244) all from The New Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day. You can also look on the right side of the website, under “Categories,” and click on “Gluten-Free” for more dough formulas. The best place to look is our gluten-free book, Gluten-Free Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day.

Form the dough into a ball. If you are new to gluten-free dough, here is a video to show you how to work with it. Place the loaf on a sheet of parchment paper and sprinkle the top with caraway seeds. Place the loaf in your Crock-Pot. Turn the temperature to high and bake for 1 hour 15 minutes. (The timing may change based on your crock pot and the type of GF dough you are baking. Keep an eye on the loaf after 45 minutes to see if it needs additional time. You can gently press the top to feel if the loaf is well set.)

gluten-free crock pot bread

Remove the loaf from the crock pot and take away the parchment, then place it under the broiler if you want a darker, crisper crust.

g-f crock pot bread

Allow to cool completely before slicing with a serrated bread knife.

Note: BreadIn5.com is reader supported–when you buy through links on the site, BreadIn5 LLC earns commissions.

107 thoughts to “Gluten-Free Crock-Pot Bread”

  1. Recently diagnosed as gluten intolerant I know I already miss all the wheat breads I used to make with your other recipes, but was glad to know I had gf recipes I can make using the method I already know and love. I was hoping you might be able to give weight equivalents for the gf flours and starches that you use in Healthy Bread in 5, like you did for the other flours on pg 36. The GF grains and starches all seem to have such a huge range in density it would be great to have the weights included in case you needed to make a substitution. Also is it safe to assume you used the same scoop and sweep method for the gf ingredients as you do for all your other ingredients? Thanks!

    1. Carly: We do use scoop and sweep for everything. Unfortunately, we have not yet finished developing weight equivalents for the GF flours. That may eventually appear in an upcoming book, but nothing’s certain at the moment.

      1. I wonder if anyone else has discovered how easy it is to mix the dough up using a butter knife (I know it sounds crazy!) instead of a spoon?! In an ultimate lazy moment, I began to mix the dough with the knife I used to sweep the final measure of flour and found that the dough cam together in record time!

  2. Thanks!! I just formed my boule to let rest and was coming to check the instructions for regular dough…hoping it would work well with gf dough!

  3. As master bakers, Jeff or Zoe, do you know if Arrowroot powder would work as a replacement for the Tapioca starch/flour? I have Arrowroot on hand but not Tapioca and would like to get my dough going. I’m so excited to try this. We love your regular boule recipe and ate it often till a recent gluten intolerance diagnosis. 🙁

    1. am going to experiment and will let you know what my findings are…..thanks sooo much for all this info!

    2. I use arrowroot flour in another gluten-free yeast bread recipe, so it should work. I actually like it better than tapioca, when used with sorghum flour, as I think the flavor is better.

    3. I use tapioca starch and arrowroot powder interchangeably in my GF baking. Thus far it has worked without any problems!

  4. Hi,

    I’m wondering if a silicone baking mat would work in place of the parchment paper. Thank you! Can’t wait to try this recipe.

    1. Jill: Can’t vouch for that, because the manufacturers specify a temperature limit for each product. So, check with the manufacturer.

  5. Dear Jeff and Zoe,
    Thank you! I made three loaves of your basic bread recipe today! I am on a super tight budget with health disabilities. I was so thrilled with the bread that I baked and your generous tutorials on you tube.
    I did not have all the equipment and improvised where needed…ie…I used a plastic Rubber maid drinking pitcher and the top was turned to slightly vent the gases, the top of a cast iron dutch oven became my pizza stone, the flat surface of a pie tin became my pizza peel and a stainless steel measuring cup was used to hold the water in my toaster oven! With all that said, my bread came out perfect!
    Next month, I am planning on buying your first book. Until then, you have another fan to add to your long list.
    God bless both of you and your families!

    1. Thank you CJ,

      We are thrilled that you baked the bread and enjoyed it! I am happy to know that the toaster oven produced a great loaf!

      Cheers, Zoë

    2. “I used a plastic Rubber maid drinking pitcher and the top was turned to slightly vent the gases”…. What a great idea! A problem I’ve had is with other family members putting something into the refrigerator ON TOP of my loosely placed lids! With your idea, they might still do this, but the vents will not be blocked. Hooray! TYTYTY 🙂

    3. I’m intrigued by this toaster oven idea! Can you share the setting or temp you used and how long it took? Great ideas, esp. the drink pitcher, LOL!

      1. Starting point would be whatever we say in the recipe you’re using, but then the question will be how accurate is the thermostat on your toaster oven. Best would be to check it with a thermometer like https://ow.ly/8CVPU . If temp’s accurate, timing should be the same.

        Most toaster-oven users have to do some experimenting. They do make small stones for these ovens, like https://amzn.to/1nvwHPe assuming 7 by 10-inch will fit into your toaster oven.

  6. I would like to try the Gluten-Free Olive Oil bread on page 238. However, I have a wheat and soy allergy. Is there a possible substitution for the soy flour in this recipe?

    1. Hi Kathy,

      Any bean flour will be a good substitute for the soy. We added it to give the loaf a bit of a protein boost.

      Thanks, Zoë

  7. Hi
    I just finished reading your instructions for the crock pot method….this may seem silly, but can I assume you placed a lid on the crockpot prior to baking?

    Thanks

      1. I use a wooden spoon under the edge of the lid to vent. The crust will be crisper this way. I have an old Rival bake and cake pan which has a vented lid and with it I do not have to vent the lid but make sure not to fill the pan over half full. Hope this helps.

  8. I just made 3 loaves of gf bread (GF boule recipe) in my crockpot for back to school. They took closer to 2 hours, so I’ll plan a longer time for next time. I topped one loaf with chia seeds, for a little colour and texture. I used the rest for the gf naan bread. Now we’ve got some food ready for lunch at school and playschool which start this week. Thanks!

  9. I can’t wait to try this.

    Three of my six children have been recently diagnosed with Celiac Disease/gluten issues. Your “sweet” tasting bread from the Healthy Bread book was my first attempt to find a bread that they could actually eat — as opposed to the store bought bread. It was a success!! Now my 10 year old PB & J -er can get back to having the lunches he loves. You have made an amazing difference in our lives and made three children (actually all six love the bread!) very, very happy to have a good bread again. Thank you, thank you, thank you!! From a very grateful mom

  10. Bought 5 minute artisan bread book just for glutenfreee chapter(OMG)after depression of having no cruchy bread, just made a batch of olive oil boule in crockpot 1 1/2 hour cook time and under broilerfor 10 min. I use chia seeds in water mixture instead of xanthian gum (broccoli rot)(glutenfree girl website has info on this). Thanks for remembering us

  11. Which or your GF breads do you recommend for sandwiches? My 17 year old high school son was just diagnosed and would like to take sandwiches to school. Can I make them in a bread pan and if so how long do I cook it? Do I put the pan on the stone still? Thanks!!

    Colleen

    1. Hi Colleen,

      Do you have HBin5, which has the gluten-free chapter? If so, I would start with the crusty boule, but you can bake it in a loaf pan and follow the directions for shaping and baking the g-f brioche, also in that chapter. You can make the brioche, but it is a touch sweeter. If you make the brioche, our readers have found it easier to mix in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, because it is a wetter dough.

      Thanks, Zoë

  12. Hi guys!

    I wanted to pick your brains on something. I did your bread in the slow cooker today and I want to make bread for my aunt — but she’s allergic to all grains, so even rice flour is out of the running! Gluten-free isn’t the solution. 🙁

    Do you have a grain free recipe in any of your books? Or can I substitute other flours (almond flour, etc) in place of regular flour? Does that work?

    Thank you so much!

    Clarice

    1. Clarice: Nut flour recipes are on our list to test, but haven’t done it yet. There are recipes out there, I’m told…

  13. Just wondering if you have to use the caraway seeds to top the bread? I’m not a huge fan of the taste so I was wondering if there are alternatives?
    Thank you so much for thinking of the gluten-free community!

  14. Love your books! I bake bread a few times a week, and have never had a problem with a recipe or even tweaking a recipe. However, we just found out my husband and son have to go gluten free (so tough for a house that usually smells like fresh baked bread). Anyway, right away I turned to the gluten free chapter in your book. But I can’t get the dough to work. I have tried a few of the recipes several times exactly as written but every time I end up with a bowl full of liquid goo. The gluten flours aren’t cheap so I am afraid to keep trying. Any ideas why the dough is liquid?

    1. Heather: Unfortunately GF flours aren’t quite standardized yet in the US, so people get different results. One thing, and we will modify this in future printings, is to standardize the way these flours are measured, we’re going to recommend that people pack them into the cup as their being measured, otherwise you get too little flour, and it’s too liquid-y. See if that works. Otherwise, you can just increase the flours a little bit each and that will certainly take care of the problem. You could even try that now– with the too-wet batch you have. Just work it in.

      1. Thank you. Packing the measuring cup did the trick. Also, the last liquid dough I had still baked up nicely in a loaf pan. it fell a bit during baking but the texture and flavor was fabulous!

  15. Just read your posts for first time…very interesting. Can you please explain what the heck “scoop and sweep” in bread making means? Thanks❤

    1. Hi Gayla,

      It refers to the way you get the flour into the measuring cup. You scoop the flour into the cup and then sweep the excess off with a knife. We specify, because many recipes want you to spoon the flour into the measuring cup and then sweep off the excess, which will result in less flour than we want.

      Hope that clears it up? Zoë

  16. Zoe and Jeff – Thanks for all the great recipes! I have made your focaccia bread several times using the master recipe with a little wheat flour included. Perfect every time.

    An new idea for keeping the onions from burning. Today I sliced the onions, submerged them in a little water with salt/sugar and microwaved them on medium for about three minutes to tenderize. Drained them and patted dry. Then tossed them in lemon olive oil and spread on the bread. Result? The oil not only covered the onions and kept them from burning during baking, but acted as the drizzle that was more evenly spread out over the top of the bread. Finalized with a little sea salt, pepper and rosemary on the top and the result was fantastic. Thanks for all you do!

  17. I had the same issue with gooey wet dough and ended up just throwing some on wax paper and put it in the crockpot. It took almost 4 hours to cook but it still turned out pretty good, just a very flat bread.
    I put the rest in the fridge overnight and am wondering if I can still add some of the flours now to make it a more solid consistency after refrigeration?
    Thanks so much, I’ve bragged about your books to numerous other bread-baking moms!

    1. Hi Helene,

      The dough may have tightened up after you refrigerated it. Are you mixing the dough by hand? With g-f dough, it is often more a matter of the dough needing to be mixed longer, which is easiest with a stand mixer. The dough emulsifies when it is thoroughly mixed.

      Thanks, Zoë

  18. I was thrilled to see that there are some gluten free recipes in the new book, as I have long been substituting spelt flour for regular in your recipes for my only-allergic-to-wheat child, but now I found out another child is gluten intolerant. However, he’s also allergic to eggs. Do you have any suggestions for substitutions for the eggs in your gluten free recipes?

    I often use Ener-G egg replacer in baked recipes for him, and I know some people use flaxseed, but I was wondering if you (or any of your lovely readers) had tried this in these recipes already and how it turned out? I hate to waste expensive gluten free flours experimenting if someone has already done it for me 🙂

    Thanks so much!

      1. Ah! How did I miss that one? Thank you so much, that was just what I needed. Off to mix some dough right away–you have made a 6 year old’s day!

        Thanks!
        Olivia

  19. I’ve been thinking about how to work with einkorn flour to make bread. You had mentioned that water needs to be adjusted for higher protein content in another post I’d read. I’m wondering if I adjust the water for the protein content and substituted xanthan gum for vital wheat gluten(supposed to be able to substitute 1:1) if you think that would work for the Master Wheat recipe on page 54 of Healthy Breads? I am new to baking bread in general and so don’t know anything about it except what I have read in your books Artisan Breads in Five Minutes and Healthy Breads . . .

    1. Hi Janet,

      You are leaving the comment on a Gluten-free post, but einkorn is not a gluten-free flour. I just want to make sure you know that, in case you are allergic to gluten.

      Do you want to try to reduce the amount of gluten, is that why you want to use xanthan instead of vital wheat gluten?

      The einkorn flour is very close to spelt or emmer flour. It is a low gluten developing flour, so you may need to use more of it. I have never tried using xanthan gum in place of vital wheat gluten, but you will need something to create the structure in the loaf. If you try the xanthan, please let us know how it works.

      Thanks, Zoë

  20. I have cut wheat product out of my life to improve my health. I won’t use xanthan gum because it is not natural. I read that you can soak chia and flax seed and use as a substitute for the xanthan gum to make wheat free bread.

    1. Hi Lisa,

      I have not tried using chia or flax in place of the xanthan, but my concern is the rising power of those substitutes. Please let us know how it goes if you give either one a try.

      Thanks, Zoë

  21. I have 50 year old crockpot recipes that call for cooking the bread in a metal coffee can inside the crockpot. It gives it form and contact edges for cooking.

  22. I just tried your GF Boule recipe for the crockpot for the first time. It is still baking now, but I was concerned as it did not seem to rise very much. I let it set an extra 45 min. as suggested then I went ahead with baking but it looks very small. I’m fairly certain I followed all the instructions exactly.

    1. Hi Susan,

      As you can see from my pictures the g-f loaf didn’t rise that much as it baked. The g-f breads don’t have the same elasticity, so they don’t tend to rise as much when baked, even in the oven. Have you baked our g-f breads the traditional way as well?

      Thanks, Zoë

      1. I have tested my gf recipe in the oven, bread maker and crock pot. The bread rose in the oven, but unevenly. In the bread maker it rose a lot. In the crock pot it rose some, but turned out a denser bread that was good.

      2. I should add that I used a USA natural silicon lined bread pan in a 6qt Crock-pot. When I first began this project I had a terrible time trying to figure out how to fit a loaf pan in a crock pot,finally found the right bread pan that wasn’t teflon and no handles and took that to the store to figure out which pot would work. Also, the banana bread took about 1 1/2 if I remember right. I also used the loaf pan for that bread.

    2. My first batch (I halved the recipe) did rise pretty well. It almost doubled in the bowl after sitting 2 hours. I packed the measuring cups with the flour(s) pretty firmly and leveled with knife, and I did add a little extra flour after the dough was mixed, because the dough was just so wet, more like batter. Maybe your dough was too wet? The gf flours are going to take some getting used to!

  23. I was looking through your gluten-free bread recipes, and wondered if there was any recipe that did not need yeast in it, or if I could substitute another rising agent?

    1. Hi Andrea,

      We’ve only developed yeasted breads for our books, so we don’t have any quick breads at this time.

      Thanks, Zoë

  24. This isn’t really a crock pot question; just a general gluten free question. (actually a ton of questions)

    I just put up the basic gluten free recipe for the first time. It’s rising as I type.

    It seems to be wetter than the basic whole wheat dough that I’ve put up in the past.

    I followed all the directions; weighed the flours.

    Is that how it’s supposed to be? Is it going to ‘tighten up’ as it rises? If not, will I be able to incorporate more flour into it after it rises? And, if so, which flour would I use? help :}

    1. It is very wet, and if it weren’t, it wouldn’t store well. Assuming you used Xanthan Gum, it’ll hold a shape despite the hydration.

      If it doesn’t hold a shape, then yes, you can add flour after the fact, then let sit again before using.

  25. I just made my bread maker recipe, put it in a loaf pan which I then put in the crock pot for about 2 1/2 hours. I then tried the same thing, but put it in the oven.

    Results: Bread maker is the best as the bread rises more, but it has a Teflon pan which is not healthy.

    In the oven the bread rose pretty well, but ended up a weird shape and the top was very hard.

    The crock pot bread did not rise a lot, but was definitely good.

    My banana bread turns out well in the crock pot also.

  26. Hi, thank you so much for these recipes! I have tried 3 loaves so far (same gluten free recipe) and it isn’t coming out quite right. Even with increased baking time in the slow cooker, my bread seems undercooked. It feels a little damp and is very dense. Any ideas on where I am going wrong?

    1. What brand of GF flours are you using? What temp on the slow cooker are you using? Do the doughs work in the oven? Could be your slow cooker– they’re all different.

  27. I am interested in purchasing the book that has the gf recipes in it after all the intriguing comments 🙂 BUT I’m also diabetic and can’t tolerate the higher glycemic flours like potato, tapioca, rice, etc. Do you have any of the gf recipes that use nut flours instead? Just don’t want to buy the book and then not be able to use any of the recipes. Thank you!

    1. The new book (Gluten-Free Artisan Bread in Five Min/Day) will use those, but just in one recipe– so you’ll be disappointed if that’s your main interest.

  28. My friend was just diagnosed with celiac, so I’m excited to try some gf crockpot bread. I’ve baked other breads in the crockpot and have always used a chopstick to vent the lid so it doesn’t get soggy. Is this something you recommend or have tried? I realize it probably lets heat out, but it works well with regular bread. You can also place some paper towels or a clean tea towel under the lid to absorb some of that moisture that collects in the lid.

      1. Give it a whirl! It was actually recommended in a crockpot cookbook when baking bread or cakes. 🙂

      2. Just baked some gf (gf crusty boule), and it turned out great. I sprinkled some sesame seeds on top, which added a nice flavor. I used a dish towel under the lid vs. a chopstick to vent, which I think preserves more of the heat. The loaf kind of spread out a lot in the crock and made for a very flat loaf, so the next one I’ll try in a pyrex bowl inside the crock. Thanks for the great idea — my girlfriend loved the bread!

  29. Do you (or any bread bakers here!) have recommendations for high altitude gf bread baking? Any tips for either crockpot or oven baking in the Denver area?

  30. OK, check the FAQ’s, but I think I need to revise my question…specific to gluten free bread, does anyone have tips for baking at high altitude either in crockpot or oven? The solution of using a higher gluten flour is obviously out. Would you need to add less yeast and let it sit longer or less time? Does the refrigerator rise still work with gf dough? Or, if making in a crockpot (so skipping the 2nd rise or rest), start it on low to slow it down? Hate to experiment if I don’t have to since the gf ingredients are so expensive. Thanks!!

    1. Correct, of course, no hi-gluten flour, sorry! I have to be honest, we live on the plains and have gotten little guidance from our mountain-area readers as to whether our tips for wheat at high alt are helpful here. I would guess that anything that slows the process is helpful, just as it is for wheat dough. Less yeast will mean a longer resting time for the first rise, yes.

      I’m guessing the refrigerator rise is going to be good with GF, yes. But I am guessing, so I apologize for the experiment—but there you have it. 5,000 feet is much less of an issue than 10,000. And if things are flattening– consider flatbread (see our GF naan recipe, search in the Search bar). That will be more reliable at high alt.

      1. Thanks! I’m in flat old IL myself, but I’m trying to “coach” my sister in law (in Denver) as she tries making some gf bread for my niece. I’ll report back if she has success!

  31. You guys ROCK….I as a HUGE fan of all your breads and made my own along with using it for Pizza dough….since finding out I am gluten and dairy sensitive I have been on a quest to find the BEST gf bread, to no avail….other recipes call for all kinds of weird ingredients or no subs or are really complicated, so this makes life more tolerable! I am wondering if you have a pizza dough in the new book coming out that rises more like the regular pizza dough? Thanks so much for making this GF girls life easier! xo

      1. Oh I have already put it on my calendar for my Kindle download!….Have the dough for a boule rising now, it will be my first loaf with this new recipe….SO excited! Thanks for making this possible for us! xoxoxoxo

  32. I found that using a mini bread pan has helped immensely with the crockpot method, but following the recipes is still yielding REALLY runny dough. More like cake batter. I pack the cups with the flour before leveling. Is anyone else finding this? Is it supposed to be that wet and gloppy? It doesn’t look that gloppy in your video… Wondering if this has been adjusted, or if there’s better measuring tips in the new GF book! Thanks!

    1. You’re welcome Paula :)I JUST made a loaf but did it with the steam and on my pizza stone like I used to do with the gluten bread recipes they have..before I had the problems diagnosed…..It came out AWESOME! I even cut a slice before it cooled…lol…couldn’t wait! I wish I could post a picture….it is perfect! and tasted fabulous! xo

  33. Actually, I’ve got the first version, not the “new” edition. Just plain old Healthy Bread in 5. Do those correction apply to the old book?

  34. OK, thanks. So is it safe to assume recipes in the new gf book will be good to go? Kind of higher stakes since the ingredients are so darned expensive. Now I’m a little nervous about pre ordering… I’m not usually an early adopter, LOL!

  35. Also, does anyone have the corrected recipe for gluten-free brioche? My version (original HB5, p. 252) calls for 1 cup brown rice flour, but I see the correction link above calls for 1.5 cups WHITE rice flour. Which is it, and which quantity? And now 4 cups of cornstarch instead of 3 3/4, and 1 cup melted butter instead of 1 cup neutral flavored oil? That’s a lot of corrections for one recipe, so I just want to make sure I’ve got the right quantities of everything else too. Where can I get the complete corrected recipe? The first (and only) time I made this, the dough was extremely wet, more like cake batter. I had to add a lot more flour, and it took over 2 hours to bake. Overall, it was a rather frustrating experience! Thanks!!

    1. Paula: The link you mentioned is dealing with a different book (The New Artisan Bread in 5 Min/Day, 2013). There were never any corrections for the Gluten-Free Brioche recipe on page 252 of Healthy Bread in 5Min/Day (2009).

      Every cookbook has typographical errors, and if you want to be absolutely certain about our upcoming release, wait a few months after our Oct 21 release date. The difference is that we address typos, and put up solutions here on the website, so hope to see you back here.

      1. OK, thanks — I am easily confused. 🙂 I have both of the books, so I appreciate that you’re posting updates.

  36. Baking in a slow cooker sounds very intriguing! Is there any chance you could share this recipe or another online, as a teaser? I can’t use any of the non-gluten-free recipes, so although the cookbook sounds wonderful, I couldn’t get enough value from it to justify purchasing.

    Or, if the newer all-gluten-free cookbook has some slow cooker recipes, please tell me and I’ll be more eager to get it. I just put it on my wish list today!

    By the way, Crock Pot is a trademarked name, and shouldn’t be used generically. That’s why I’m being careful to say “slow cooker.” =)

    1. For samples of our GF doughs, scroll down below to November 3, there are others on the site though– look on the right side, under “Categories” and click on “gluten-free.” The book does have crock pot instructions– one recipe, but you can make many of the doughs in there.

  37. I have a question re: dough storage containers. I’m looking for a non-plastic container to store my dough in the refrigerator. I was wondering if a stock pot would work, since it has a lid but is not airtight.

  38. can someone please give me a good gluten free, vegan, no yeast bread recipe? I know that’s a lot but it is really helping my husband and I on a whole lot of issues to steer clear of yeast and gluten. thank you do much!!!

    1. We have a whole book of GF recipes that are gluten-free, with a significant number of vegan recipes, but alas, we haven’t tested them with natural sourdough (in other words, what you’re calling yeast-free). Though it’d probably work. Our book’s at: https://amzn.to/1msOBmY Much of it can be done vegan, but as you probably know, eggs help GF breads to rise, so we have both.

  39. I don’t have an oven or grill to brown the bread, but it occurred to me that if one put toasted sesame or sunflower seeds on top, it would have a ‘browning’ effect

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.