A system (1) and a method for cooling freshly baked bread under sub-pressure, which system includes: a sub-pressure chamber (2) which is adapted for receiving freshly baked bread for the cooling thereof; a sub-pressure source (3), such as a vacuum pump, which is connected to the sub-pressure chamber (2) for exhausting fluid from the sub-pressure chamber (2) and creating a sub-pressure inside it; a condenser (4) for cooling steam exhausted from the sub-pressure chamber and separate condensed water (19) from it. The system also includes a heating tank (5) with a first heat exchanger (6) in which the heat generated by the condenser (4) is used for heating water.