Crock Pot Bread Baking (Fast Bread in a Slow Cooker)

Crock Pot Bread Baking (Fast Bread in a Slow Cooker) | Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day

Bread in a crock pot? Over the years there’ve been reader requests to develop a method of baking dough in a crock pot. The crock pot does indeed get hot enough, and it takes less time than using your oven, because the rising time is included in the baking. The crust, however, is very soft and quite pale when it comes out of the slow cooker, but just a few minutes under a broiler and you get a gorgeous loaf. It is just perfect for summer baking when you don’t want to heat up your oven. You could even amaze your friends at work by baking a loaf under your desk! Check with your crock-pot’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 crock-pot unattended.

1 pound dough (Click here for my No-Knead 5-Minute Bread Recipe. Pictured here is the Peasant Bread from The New Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day, but the recipes from Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day would also work.)

Form the dough into a ball and place it on a sheet of parchment paper. Lower the dough into the Crock-Pot (Slow Cooker), this one is a 4-quart, but any size works. Fresh or refrigerated dough both work well.

Crock Pot Bread Baking (Fast Bread in a Slow Cooker) | Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day

Turn the temperature to high and put on the cover. (Not all crock pots behave the same, so you should keep an eye on the loaf after about 45 minutes to make sure it is not over browning on the bottom or not browning at all. You may need to adjust the time according to your machine.)

Crock Pot Bread Baking (Fast Bread in a Slow Cooker) | Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day

Bake for 1 hour (this will depend on your crock pot, you may need to increase or decrease the time. If you are using a 100% whole grain dough, you may want to go for a bit longer as well). You will have a fully baked loaf of bread, but the crust is very soft, almost like a steamed bun. To check for doneness poke the top of the loaf; it should feel firm when done. Before it is fully baked it felt soft and almost mushy. You won’t get much browning.

Crock Pot Bread Baking (Fast Bread in a Slow Cooker) | Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day

The bottom crust should be nice and crisp, but the top of the loaf will be quite soft. Some folks desire a softer crust, so you will love this loaf. If you want a darker or crisper crust…

Crock Pot Bread Baking (Fast Bread in a Slow Cooker) | Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day

Stick the bread under the broiler for 5 minutes or until it is the color you like, with the rack positioned in the middle of the oven.

Let the loaf cool completely before slicing. Cutting into a hot loaf is tempting, but it may seem gummy and under-baked.

Sandwich made with Crock Pot Bread | Baking (Fast Bread in a Slow Cooker) | Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day

Related Posts:

Gluten-Free Crock-Pot Bread – another surprise from the slow cooker

Herb Crock-Pot Dinner Rolls – Making room in your oven at the holidays

Sweet Brioche in a Crock-Pot – in the mood for something sweet

*Check with your crock-pot’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 crock-pot unattended.

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959 thoughts to “Crock Pot Bread Baking (Fast Bread in a Slow Cooker)”

  1. Here I was thinking that I was going to be able to bread from scratch in my crock pot only to find that I need a packet product. Guess I will stick to my bread maker

    1. Hi Suzanne,

      Sorry if we gave you that impression, nothing is farther from the truth. Our recipe is just flour, water, yeast and salt. It is super easy and fast.

      Thanks, Zoë

      1. The recipe above specifies a one-pound ball of dough, is that what you meant?

      2. You mentioned the simple ingredients, but other than having to buy one of both of the books you recommended, what are the quantities? I read and reread and cannot find any mention.

      3. You have to click on the active link that reads “Click here for our No-Knead 5-Minute Bread Recipe.” That will take you to a sample dough recipe. A limited number of our recipes are available free here on the site.

    2. Suzanne – the “packet” you saw in the recipe page is the YEAST. Please check it out again, the recipe is there. 🙂

      1. There is a title “Mixing the dough:” and beneath it is an enlarged picture of a packet of yeast which is confusing Suzanne it seems. Perhaps the picture should be moved.

      2. Very good point, I’ve switched the position of that photo so lets see if that clarifies it for folks. Thanks!

    3. what are you talking about ? put your dough in the crockpot and bake.
      can make cakes etc no need for a “box” mix.
      we also cover the top of the crocKpot with a sheet of foil then put the lid onwhen using iy for baking.
      –but being you already have a bread maker–why bother with the crockpot for this ?

      1. Rita – Personally I’m trying this because I simply do not turn on my oven in the summer. The crockpot can be put on the deck and doesn’t heat up the kitchen.
        Hmmm, for that matter – sticking the dough in a cast iron pan on the grill would probably also work??

      2. Yes, check these posts out:
        In a Cast-Iron Pan or Dutch Oven: https://artisanbreadinfive.com/2013/07/26/kicking-off-the-outdoor-baking-season-with-a-boule-on-the-gas-grill
        Baguette on the grill: https://artisanbreadinfive.com/2011/07/26/new-video-barbecued-baguette-on-the-gas-grill-for-the-dog-days-of-summer
        Grilled pizza: https://artisanbreadinfive.com/2008/06/24/grilled-pizza-for-summer-in-san-francisco-and-st-paul
        Grilled pizza video: https://artisanbreadinfive.com/2014/07/03/five-rules-for-making-great-grilled-pizza-outdoors-with-red-star-platinum-yeast-new-video
        Grilled pizza on charcoal grill: https://artisanbreadinfive.com/2013/08/12/grilled-pizza-on-a-charcoal-grill#more-5930
        Grilled flatbread: https://artisanbreadinfive.com/2009/07/13/grilled-flatbread-my-workhorse-summer-bread
        Limpa on the grill in a cloche: https://artisanbreadinfive.com/2009/06/15/swedish-limpa-rye-bread-in-a-cloche-on-the-grill-and-announcing-winners-of-free-books
        Pumpernickel done on the grill: https://artisanbreadinfive.com/?p=245
        Rustic fruit tart on the gas grill: https://artisanbreadinfive.com/?p=267
        Brioche on a grill: https://artisanbreadinfive.com/?p=294
        Bread on a Coleman stove while camping: https://artisanbreadinfive.com/?p=318
        Kohlrabi Greens Pizza right on the grates: https://artisanbreadinfive.com/2009/08/17/kohlrabi-greens-pesto-for-grilled-pizza
        Fruit pizza on the grill baked with the stone: https://artisanbreadinfive.com/?p=248
        Fourth Of July berry pizza: https://artisanbreadinfive.com/2013/07/01/star-spangled-berry-pizza-on-the-grill-a-gold-medal-flour-post

  2. Can you use home made bread dough or do you have to get the pre-made dough? I have a recipe that was handed down from my Grandmother for bread..This would be a really cool way to cook it.

    1. Hi April,

      The dough we use is homemade, it isn’t one that is pre-made. Our recipe is just water, flour, salt and yeast, very simple, but delicious. You can try your Grandmother’s recipe, but I’ve only baked our dough in it, so I’m not sure how long it might take?

      Thanks, Zoë

      1. Poor Zoe! some just didn’t read it…you were very clear…go here, to get recipe etc…and some just seem a little mean 🙂

    1. Hi Karen,

      We’ve posted many, many of the doughs in the books, but our publisher has begged us not to publish all of them. If you don’t want to buy the books, you can find them at the library.

      Cheers, Zoë

      1. Zoe – I just took the book out from the library for a test run!! LOL Definitely seems like a “gotta buy” to me!

      2. Zoe and Jeff, you guys rock! I don’t know why you wouldn’t want to own these books. I love having the book ( artisan Bread in 5 minutes a day) and exploring the different recipes and breads. It’s an adventure! We used to buy pizza dough. Now we have fresh yummy pizza dough. I look forward to trying the crockpot method. My only complaint about your book is that I eat wy too much bread now! So yummy! Keep up the good work.

  3. if you are using refrigerated dough, does it need the 90min recommended rise before going into the crock pot?

  4. I am going to share this with all the teachers I know! When I worked in an elementary school library, I’d bring in different foods to match the books I read to kindergarteners. Imagine how heavenly the library (or classroom) would smell with bread baking!

  5. HI!

    I’ve used this method several times with varied recipes and my whole family loves it! But I have found that I don’t care for the overly cooked bottom crust, so I experimented. I placed my stainless steel vegetable steamer in the bottom of my crock pot, (the kind that expands to fit various pots, and has small post on the base.. as a kid I always thought they reminded me of a ufo 😉 ) Then I placed my oiled parchment paper on top of that. This elevated my dough enough that it did not get as hard, but still turned out nicely golden. It did leave my bread with a slightly rounded bottom due to the shape of the steamer basket, but this will still be my favorite way to prepare it. -Thank you!

  6. Thank You to both of you for your kind and generous spirit. I love your site/blog (?). Would you please recommend which one(es) of the recipes will be the correct texture to add cranberries and walnuts?

  7. There is a bread ‘pan’ made for use in the crock pot. You can find them on E-bay. Bread from the crock pot goes back to the ’70s.

    1. This is true – just be aware that these inserts were made for the older crocks, which were round. I kept mine when I gave my older pot away, only to find that it wouldn’t fit in the newer oblong crocks.

  8. Thank you for sharing! I do banana bread, and apple cinn. bread all the time in crock pot. Can’t wait to try this!

    1. Hi Cat,

      Most zucchini breads are “quick” breads, so they will behave very differently than a yeast bread. It may work well, but the timing will likely be very different.

      Thanks, Zoë

  9. I tried this recipe tonight, but it was not exceptional. Very, very flat, no dome whatsoever. I made the no-knead dough and let it sit 90 minutes to rise, then shaped it in a ball and put it in the crockpot and set it to high.

    Left it an hour, it didn’t rise. 🙁 What did I do wrong? Does the dough have to sit in the refrigerator for a day?

    The flavor is fine, but it’s just… Not at all fluffy. Halp?

    1. Hi Chelsea,

      Did the dough rise over the initial resting time? You may need to let it go the full 2 hours before shaping. This will give the yeast all the time it needs to create the gas.

      Was your dough fully baked through?

      Have you baked our bread in a traditional oven or is this your first experience with it?

      Thanks, Zoë

  10. So, after you mix the dough you don’t have to refrigerate it.. you can just put it into the Crock-Pot, right? Thanks!!! I can’t wait to make this bread!!

    1. Hi Sharla,

      I have tried mixing it and putting it right in the crock pot, but I like the results better if you give it the initial 2 hour rise and then shape and bake it. If you are in a huge rush then give it a try without the 2 hour rise for the first loaf and then let the rest of the batch rest and refrigerate!

      Cheers, Zoë

      1. In a hurry to rise? Try the microwave, with a small narrow container of 8oz water in the corner. Put in Lg nuf bowl, cover w/ wrap & nuke 10% (power 1) 3 minutes, rest 3min. Nuke again 3min, rest 6 min. Tada!

      2. I use something similar for the traditional recipes. I heat a bowl of water, stick it in the corner of the microwave then put my dough in. It rises much better than if I leave it on the counter. (Maybe because our house is pretty cool). I just have to remember not to use the microwave for a couple of hours 🙂 )

  11. Someone had a question about procedure, and I have to admit to some confusion as well. Once you mix the dough, do you put it in the bucket and let it rise before shaping and putting in the crock? You do mention doing that at one point. Or do you shape and crock immediately after mixing? If you’ve done both, which way did you prefer? Thank you.

    1. Mix the dough and let rise at room temp for two hours, then it’s ready to use or ready for storage in the fridge. Take it out and shape it, then straight to the crock pot. The slow warm-up allows you to do that.

      1. Thank you for the quick response! I’m going to give it a try, then try to make this work in my solar oven. Thanks!

      2. So I made the dough in my kitchenaid mixer bowl then let it sit two hours. It rose to completely fill the bowl. But when I went to shape the loaf, it was gooey and I had a hard time doing anything with it. I put half the dough in the crockpot, and it is currently in the warm up stage, but it has to be the most pathetically shaped dough ever. I am pretty much new to bread making. Any advice? The second half is in the frig. Thank you!

      3. Which of our dough recipes are you using? What brand of flour did you use? You can work flour in at this stage if it’s too wet, but let it stand on the counter for a couple of hours after doing that. See our videos on shaping the loaf (gluten-cloaking), at Gluten-cloaking/shaping: https://artisanbreadinfive.com/2010/03/08/new-video-shaping-the-ball-from-a-very-wet-dough. Gluten-cloaking/shaping with whole-grain dough: https://artisanbreadinfive.com/2010/02/16/new-video-how-to-shape-a-loaf-using-whole-grain-dough
        … and on measuring the flour if you’re not weighing: The Scoop-And-Sweep Technique: https://artisanbreadinfive.com/2010/04/28/how-we-measure-our-flour-using-the-scoop-and-sweep-method

    1. I will be happy to, but it may be awhile, as I have to do some adjusting to my solar oven!

      1. Denise – Thank you! I will look fwd to it! Have one but have not yet used it.

      2. I haven’t had the chance to try the bread yet, but have used a solar oven quite a bit. I highly recommend it, if it’s a good brand. We even took ours to the park with the kids and baked a u-bake pizza! Talk about attention-getting!

  12. I am a Canadian living near DC, so I am more familiar with your climate than this one. It will almost reach 90 already this Memorial Day weekend, so with sadness, I was thinking of putting away my book (The New …) for the summer, when I decided to drag the slow cooker (a huge oval one) upstairs. I have 2 favourites that are not normally free-form and am wondering if you have suggestions for adaptation.

    The first is the oatmeal (-maple) bread. (I actually do something closer to the original oatmeal recipe.) Can I do this without a loaf pan, say as the batard shape, or is there something about this dough that will not hold up? I also do this one as a cinnamon raisin swirl and am afraid this would be a really weird shape without some help.

    The other is the pecan sticky buns (usually made with Challah). Could I do enough to cover the whole bottom? How would I get them out of there without making a horrible mess?

    I’m really enjoying the breads and altering or inventing a bit too! I tried the raspberry ring as a heart for Valentines! Thanks for the help and inspiration,

    Kara

    1. Thanks Kara.

      The oatmeal-maple will work as a free-form, but the long duration of crock-pot baking may give that less-structured dough lots of time to spread sideways, as you’ve suspected. Worth the experiment.

      I think the pecan sticky buns may make a mess though, and be difficult to get out of the bottom of the crock. But again, may be worth the experiment.

      1. Thanks for the comments Jeff,

        I have a small standard sized silicone loaf pan that will fit, without much distortion, inside the liner. Do you think the slight insulation of the pan would be worse than the spread of the oatmeal without it, or might it just take a bit longer? For the buns, I have some leftover large paper Panettone molds that might fit.

        By the way, the mini-Panettones were a huge hit last holiday season and they baked more evenly than the big ones. Stollen next year!

        Thanks again for keeping me occupied,

        Kara

      2. I can’t think of any reason why you shouldn’t be able to put those pans into the crockpot, worth a try. As always, slow-cooker manufacturers won’t approve this sort of use of their product so we’re all on our own. Shouldn’t leave this baking unattended.

      3. Hi Zoe,

        I thought you might be interested in how my oatmeal maple loaves turned out from the slow cooker.
        I did a cinnamon raisin loaf in my silicone pan in my slow cooker and it cooked well, but is a really funny saddle sort of shape because I removed the frame in order to get it to sit flat on the bottom. So, fine for family, probably not to give away. I think without the pan, that dough would have spread even more, so overall a success.
        I also used a small amount to make some caramel pecan buns using the same dough in a paper panettone mold. These turned out great, but if anyone else is going to try it, the tiny little holes in the bottom of these paper molds will leak the caramel topping, so I put a piece of parchment underneath. Next time, I’ll do them in the silicone loaf pan and it will be even easier to clean up, but funny-shaped for presentation.
        Today I’m doing some oval peasant loaves for a brunch tomorrow.
        Thanks for the inspiration,
        Kara

      4. Hi Kara,

        This is so exciting, thanks for letting us know! I am thrilled that the sticky buns worked in the slow cooker, I have got to try it! 🙂

        Cheers, Zoë

      5. Hi Jeff and Linda,

        I have used parchment for loaf breads. I recently bought a pair of 9.5 x 3.5 serving platters that I can fit in the sides of my oval slow cooker and gives a really nice loaf shape, without distortion, with parchment lining (sort of semi free form). I would expect that getting the pecan buns in, cooking them and getting them out again with only parchment would lead to spillage, at least with my large cooker, so I sure wouldn’t skimp!

        Kara

    2. Hi Kara,

      You could try making a ‘pan’ out of heavy duty aluminum foil too. Roll a strip to the height of the pan side, join the ends in an envelope fold, shape it and stand it on a sheet of foil. Wrap the foil outside your ‘pan sides’ up and over them. Or bring them up & over the ‘sides’ so you don’t have an inside the pan seam.

      I hope that wasn’t too confusing. I’ve made rectangular pans from heavy foil and I can see how a similar ‘pan’ might work for you.

      1. Oops! Should have proof read – this might be clearer…

        Make the ‘pan sides’ by folding a strip of heavy duty aluminum foil (multiple layers to make it sturdy) to the height of the ‘pan side’, join the ends in an envelope fold, shape it and stand it on a sheet of foil. (You can use 2 or 3 strips to get the circumference of the pan you are making.

        Set your ‘pan sides’ on a piece of foil. Wrap the foil up and over the ‘pan sides’ to create the finished pan. Or tuck a sheet of foil into the circle/oval/rectangle of ‘pan sides’ and bring the foil up from the inside & over the ‘pan sides’ so you don’t have a seam inside your pan.

        If this doesn’t make sense, I found a YouTube – LindseyAnn is pretty sweet but she has good ideas.

  13. I accidentally placed my dough in the frig before I let it rise. I am letting it rise now but I am concerned I ruined my double batch… 🙁 Have you ever experienced that? I lobe the bread and the recipes. This is my second time making it and I hope it turns out okay, despite my error. 🙂

  14. Why not use a small metal cooling rack in the bottom of your pot. When I do a roast I use 1/2 potatoes to make a rack for the meat to sit on.

  15. Made 2 loaves yesterday in crockpot 1 plain & 1 with rosemary & garlic both turned out great! It did take longer in my crock (about 2 hrs) but maybe because I used a larger slowcooker. Just a few mins under the broiler before serving created a nice crispy brown crust! Whole family loved it so much I’m making another 2 loaves today to go with chicken Parmesan dinner tonight. I’m thinking garlic/basil and a cheddar/herb tonight. Thanks so much! It was great having fresh “baked” bread for dinner without heating the whole house on a warm summer day!!!

  16. I made a batch of the olive oil dough & have 4 small ham & cheese rolls in the slow cooker as I type! Love the book, love this site, love bread!

  17. We have a sailboat with very limited refrigerator space and a small unstable propane stove and oven. Oven space measures 13″x10″x6″. This past winter we spent our time at an anchor in the Bahamas . I refused to pay anywhere from $6.00 up for a loaf of bread so I made no-knead bread (different recipe)about every 3rd day. There is also no room for a pan of water in the oven but I keep a pizza stone(unglazed ceramic tile)in the oven for even heat distribution. I tend to bake the bread in a loaf pan. I do have your first bread book and have made it at home often. So I am wondering, since I have no storage for a bucket of dough on the boat, is the original recipe easily divided so that I can just make one loaf at a time? There is nothing like the smell of bread baking in an anchorage. I know the idea is to only spend 5 minutes a day, but there is a lot of extra time when you are swinging at an anchor with little else to do. I look forward to your response.

    1. Hi Leslie,

      Sure, you can divide the recipes in half or even quarter it to fit your needs.

      Enjoy, it sounds like a lovely place to bake!

      Cheers, Zoë

  18. I have a recipe from Gold Medal Flour bag that says to use 1 package regular or quick active dry yeast (2 1/4 TEASPOONS) All your other recipes on line or on YouTube say to use 1 TABLESPOON yeast. Which is correct?

    1. A tablespoon is equal to 3 teaspoons, and the difference isn’t enough to change the performance meaningfully. The smaller amount corresponds to the amount in one packet, for people who are using those rather than the jars.

  19. I was wondering if I bought a pre-made dough, like the kind you would purchase at Winco for making pizza, would that work also? Or should I stick to the recipe of a home made batch?

    1. Hi Angie,

      Our method of bread baking is so fast and easy that we never buy dough at the store anymore. I haven’t tried it with store bought dough, so I’m not sure. I hope you’ll give our method a try!

      Cheers, Zoë

  20. So I don’t have parchment paper but I have the rest….could I oil the crockpot instead or will it be bad times? I broke my foot a few months ago and things that don’t fit in a backpack are tricky to get up the stairs still since I am still using crutches and the hand rail.

    1. Hi Katie,

      Sorry to hear about the foot. You can try using foil, just sprinkle it with a bit of flour first. I tried baking the dough in the crock pot without foil or parchment and it stuck to the bottom.

      Thanks, Zoë

      1. Cool. I did manage to get the parchment paper last night, just got fewer things and left the backpack partially open. Very excited to try this! 🙂 Thank you for the response!

    1. Hi Lindsey,

      I’ve found that some brands stick more than others, but sprinkling it with cornmeal before you place the ball of dough on it helps a lot.

      Thanks, Zoë

  21. I would think that you could get around the issue the manufacturers have of dry baking in a crock pot by placing a cup of water in it and then using a crock pot liner to put the dough on for baking. You could probably reuse the liner though you might want to put the bread on parchment paper so it won’t stick to the liner.

  22. Loved the flavor – made it twice. First time didn’t refrigerate it. Used bread flour (same amount). My dough was not as gooey as what was in the photo. Had to bake it 3 hours!

    Second baking from refrigerator took 2 hours. The parchment stuck to the loaf – I can’t pull it off. What happened?

    1. What kind of parchment? Any chance it’s pastry parchment, which always sticks to bread dough? If that’s not it– probably due to the prolonged baking time. Next time– dust it more liberally with flour and you should be able to beat this problem. Or grease the paper itself before dropping the dough on there.

  23. Many years ago, when crocks were pretty new, (which means I’m pretty old), I had one that you could buy a round vented bread aluminum insert for it. It worked great. Also wondered, once it’s brown on bottom could you turn the loaf over to brown the top, say for the last 15 or 20 minutes? I’ve made apple butter in mine and love it with the fresh bread!

    1. Hi Katydid,

      Yes, someone wrote in to tell us that they did this and it worked great. I haven’t tried it yet, but will!

      Thanks, Zoë

  24. We love crock bread–any recipe (never store bought mix). Every loaf is perfect, whether we grease (butter, oil, etc) the crock walls or the loaf before baking on a foul/parchment sheet, or if we pit the loaf in a greased ovenproof bowl/pan atop a rack/crumpled foil w/a ¼ cup water poured in beneath for steam moisture. Having a 350°F tool makes all our cooking easier. Laughingly, we say ‘if I can’t crock or bread machine it, we don’t eat it’!

  25. Hello, brand new here, just got the revised first book…and wondering: What crock pot would be ideal for this process, since I don’t have one and would only get one if it was certain to be good at bread making your way? Or what features are essential, or deal-breakers?
    Thanks!

    1. Hi David,

      My slow cooker is over 25 years old and as basic as they come. It has a high and low temperature setting. I’ve made the bread in fancier crock pots and it works equally as well. Maybe some of our readers will speak of their experiences as well.

      Thanks, Zoë

  26. How awesome this is. I am a beginner, BUT I got this. Can’t wail to begin, going to get my ingredients soon. Have two crocks so doing two loaves. Thanks for sharing like ya’ll do. I have found a new place & I Love it. And I collect cookbooks, so this is exciting. Thanks sincerely.

  27. I’d love to try this but my crockpot (Rival) has only low and high settings. Is my crusty bread doomed even before a start?

    Your’s looks just like the kind I buy from the deli/breads section of my grocery store.

    Thank you.
    HG

  28. I have a sourdough that I’ve been making in the oven in a pyrex dish or dutch oven. Will it work, do you think, cooking it in the crockpot like this? I’d love to try it. Except I let my dough proof for a long time to make sure its properly fermented.

    1. You might want to let it go for that long rest prior to putting it into the crockpot then. But I bet it’ll work.

  29. Hello, I just wanted to let you know that I have cooked my first home made bread ever using your slow-cooker method and the 5-minute Artisan bread. I followed your recipe to a tee —the only difference is that my own slow-cooker takes 2 hours to cook the dough, this made me a bit wary but it ended up looking and tasting great. Thanks a lot! I am so proud to be able to make my own bread!

    1. Hi Lynn,

      We have only tested this with the dough from our books, so I am not sure how it will work with the frozen dough you mentioned. Worth a try, or you could always mix up a batch of our dough.

      Thanks, Zoë

  30. awesome….first loaf beautiful and so tasty. and yes, I have a bread maker but hey, only one to one and a half hours in the crock pot vs several hours in the breadmaker….so easy and so quick…making another one today and will probably every other day for the rest of my life….I am 80, so ….so much tasty bread…so little time…hahahhahaha

  31. All of you are overworking this. Get the Kindle book versions. Use these recipes all the time love them. Chef David.

  32. I have your books and love making this bread. I’d like to pin this crock pot method for later but don’t see a Pinterest link.

  33. Want to make hard crusted bread in La Cloche. Trick is I need a recipe with 100% fresh milled flour that I grind myself. Thank you for your help.
    Janet

    1. The issue isn’t exactly how you bake it; the trick is handling fresh-ground flour– see my post on that under the FAQs tab above, then click on “Fresh-ground grains: can I use them with this method?” Then type “cloche” into our Search Bar above, and you’ll see three posts on baking with a cloche. Which recipe are you working from (which of our books, which page number?)?

  34. Would taking the cover off towards the end help it bake, to let the moisture out? In the oven, I use Jim Lahey’s method with a Dutch oven, taking the cover off for the last 1/3 of the baking time–same idea.

    Or would letting the heat escape stop the baking process? I use a crock pot for braising, and the liquid transfers the heat. But I’m doubtful that the same thing would happen with air.

    1. Hi Darcy,

      Taking the lid off would allow the heat to escape. When baking in a Dutch Oven you have the heat of the oven browning the bread when you take the lid off, so it isn’t really comparable. Some folks have covered the lid with a paper towel, to collect the moisture. This would only work if you have a crock pot that is large enough that there would be no fear the paper would come in contact with the dough.

      Thanks, Zoë

  35. Thanks, that’s what I figured. And wow! That was fast–six-minute response time, a minute faster than the Dallas Police to a 911 call.

    And I just want to say that I love ABin5. I started with Lahey’s no-knead bread after reading Bittman’s recipe in NYT. Later I came across a piece on Serious Eats about Lahey’s bulk fermentation being too “short” (Short? 18 hours?) and how a longer fermentation in the fridge would improve the flavor. A few Google searches later, I found the book on Amazon and this website, and ABin5’s been my go-to resource for baking bread ever since. So thanks, Zoë and Jeff.

    🙂

    1. Hi Darcy,

      I really hope we’re not faster than 911. 😉

      So glad you found our method and are enjoying the bread.

      Cheers, Zoë

  36. hi,
    Just to say that here in Australia crock pots and slow cookers work very differently, the crock pots heat all around the sides, whereas slow cookers heat from the base only. What about yours? I’m guessing you use newer base heating slow cookers?

    1. You’re correct– the products sold here aren’t differentiated that way– as far as I understand, U.S. products all heat from the bottom, though the fact that it’s truly a ceramic holding vessel lets the manufacturers suggest that the heat conducts well to the sides and the temperature differential isn’t all that large. Do the Australian products actually have a heating element that goes up the sides?

      1. I don’t know about Australia, but here in the UK nearly all slow cookers seem to have elements round the sides and none on the bottom, including the US Crock Pot brand. as far as I know, only older models, and one or two outliers like a British made cast iron slow cooker, cook from the bottom.

        Are you sure slow cookers in the US still heat from the bottom? Side elements are much better, far fewer issues with things sticking in long cooking times.

  37. I’ve made this twice now but the dough is too sticky to touch. I got in a right state. I added loads of flour just so I Could touch the dough and make some sort of ball. Cooking in the slow cooker was fine when I eventually formed a ball and put it in. Recipe too messy for me.

      1. Yes I watched video first. But the dough was wetter then what was shown in video. It didn’t stay in a ball shape it kind of sank and spread out a bit.

      2. Hi Lisa,

        What kind of flour are you using? Are you using the scoop and sweep method of measuring or spooning the flour into the cup?

        Thanks, Zoë

      3. Scoop and sweep method and I used wholemeal bread flour today. Yesterday I used strong white bread flour. We don’t have all purpose flour in the UK. Both times the dough was very wet and sticky.

      4. Hi, I have had similar issues as Lisa, in that I would describe my dough as runny! I have tried to follow the video accurately and bought your book, Five Minute Bread and read it carefully.
        I too am wondering about the type of flour we have in the uk. In other posts the protein content of flour is mentioned and seems important. I would love to be able to find the specific brand of flour and also yeast to be able to make this successfully.
        Crockpots in the uk tend to just called slow cookers so I think they are the same, however my problems start before I get my dough to the slow cooker anyway.
        Thank you for your help.

      5. Hi Carol,

        When you are using the recipe do you use the weights or measuring cups? I know the folks at the publisher tested with Plain flour, but I don’t know what brand?

        Thank you, Zoë

      6. I tried the recipe again. It wasn’t runny this time. It was a lot thicker. It moulded into a ball perfectly. I haven’t tasted it yet as it’s still warm. But it looks good.

        I do have a couple of issues, it didn’t rise much in the two hours I gave it before refrigerator. I then looked over recipe and it said if using strong flour add an extra 1/3 cup of water. Will this make a difference?

        Also I got the impression that you could get a few loaves out of this recipe. I only got just over 2 grapefruit sizes. Is this right?

        Regards

        Lisa

      7. Hi Lisa,

        I’m glad the dough came out better this time. Are you using fresh cake yeast or dry? How warm/cold was the water. The temperature of the water can make a difference in how long it takes the dough to rise initially. Have you looked at this post to see if your dough looks like ours? https://artisanbreadinfive.com/2013/10/22/the-new-artisan-bread-in-five-minutes-a-day-is-launched-back-to-basics-updated

        Since your dough was so wet last time I hesitate to have you add more water, even though the flour is strong.

        Thanks, Zoë

      8. Hi Lisa,

        Which recipe are you using? Do you have our British edition of the book or are you using the US version? If you are using strong flour or wholemeal it should be resulting in a dry dough, not a wetter one. It’s a bit of a mystery.

        Thanks, Zoë

      9. Thank you for such a prompt reply. I used measuring cups last time but tomorrow I will use weights and report back.

      10. I have found weighing the ingredients to be most successful. Thank you for these recipes. I am enjoying “Five Minute Bread”.

  38. So excited to try this. I have been making the bread from the cookbook for several years now…I love it

  39. Forgot to say
    I have also tried some of the recipes from the Five Minute Bread book in the conventional oven. They have worked but I have always needed to a quite a bit more flour, so I must be doing something wrong.

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