Crock Pot Bread

Bake bread from scratch in your crock pot!
Crock Pot Bread
· 2¼ t. active dry yeast (or 0.25 ounce envelope)
· 1 t. sugar
· ¼ c. warm water
· 1 egg
· ¼ c. vegetable oil
· 1 c. lukewarm water
· 1 t. salt
· ¼ c. sugar
· 3½ to 4 c. all-purpose flour
· Egg wash: 1 egg plus 1 teaspoon water
· 1 T butter, melted

1. IMPORTANT: Do NOT pre-heat your slow cooker.

2. In a small bowl, combine the yeast, ¼ cup warm water, and 1 teaspoon sugar. Let
set for 10 minutes while it does its own thing and foams.

3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the egg, oil, 1 cup lukewarm water, salt, sugar,
and yeast mixture and beat with an electric mixer on low for about 2 minutes making
sure to scrape the sides down as you go.

4. Next, add 3 to 3½ cups of flour to the mixture and continue beating with the
electric mixer on low until it is well incorporated and gets “gummy”. Turn out onto a
lightly floured surface and add a little flour at a time while kneading by hand until the
dough becomes smooth and elastic (about 5 minutes). Keep in mind that the dough will
be a little sticky. This is normal. Form into a ball.

5. Line a 5-quart slow cooker with parchment paper. Place the ball of dough in the
center of the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high heat for 2+ hours. Not all Crock Pots
are the same, so after 1½ hours, check your bread for readiness. The bread will feel firm
when you gently press down on the top. If it isn’t done, check it every 30 minutes for
readiness. NOTE: It will not be brown on top. That’s normal. Remove when done. Also
note, some slow cookers cook unevenly. Mine does. So after an hour, I grab the edges of
my parchment paper and gently rotate it 180 degrees so it cooks evenly.

6. As mentioned, you’ll notice your bread top will not be brown. If you like a soft
crust, leave the bread as is, remove and brush with melted butter. If you like a crispier
crust, turn your broiler on high. Brush the top of the bread with egg wash, if desired.
Place the loaf on a cookie sheet under the broiler on the middle rack for 3-5 minutes or
until golden brown. Remove from oven and brush with melted butter.

7. Let the bread cool completely before slicing.

* Recipe inspired by Stephanie Ashcraft and Janet Eyring of
“101 More Things to Do With a Slow Cooker”