Name: Mary Berry White Bread Recipe
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 2 h 30 min
Ingredients: 500g strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting; 7g fast-action dried yeast (one standard sachet); 1½ tsp fine sea salt; 1 tsp caster sugar; 300ml warm water (approximately 38°C); 2 tbsp sunflower oil, plus extra for greasing; 1 tbsp plain flour, for dusting the top

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This Mary Berry white bread recipe produces a golden, soft-crusted loaf with a springy, open crumb that tears cleanly and smells of warm yeast straight from the oven. The crust gives a satisfying crunch when pressed, while the interior stays tender and light for days.

What sets this approach apart is its straightforwardness. The method is structured so that even those who have never worked with yeast before can follow each stage with confidence. There is no specialist equipment needed, no tricky temperature monitoring beyond what a kitchen thermometer handles, and the dough is forgiving enough for first-time bakers. It works equally well for a quiet weekend project or as a regular weekday bake. From start to finish, the loaf is ready in around 2 hours 30 minutes.

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Ingredients

For the Dough

500g strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting
7g fast-action dried yeast (one standard sachet)
1½ tsp fine sea salt
1 tsp caster sugar
300ml warm water (approximately 38°C)
2 tbsp sunflower oil, plus extra for greasing

To Finish

1 tbsp plain flour, for dusting the top
A little sunflower oil, for oiling the bowl and tin

Equipment

900g (2lb) loaf tin
Large mixing bowl
Clean tea towel or cling film
Wire cooling rack

How to Make Mary Berry White Bread

Prepare the flour base:

Measure the flour into a large mixing bowl and add the salt on one side and the sugar on the other. Scatter the yeast across the centre of the flour. Keeping the salt and yeast separate in the bowl before mixing prevents the salt from inhibiting the yeast’s activity before it has had a chance to activate.

Add the liquid:

Make a well in the centre of the flour mixture and pour in the warm water and sunflower oil. Use your fingers or a wooden spoon to bring everything together into a shaggy, rough dough. Turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface once the flour has absorbed the liquid.

Knead the dough:

Knead the dough firmly for 8 to 10 minutes by pushing it away from you with the heel of your hand, folding it back, and rotating it a quarter turn. The dough is ready when it feels smooth, elastic, and springs back when lightly poked. This develops the gluten structure that gives the finished loaf its characteristic springy crumb.

First prove:

Lightly oil the mixing bowl, place the dough inside, and cover with a clean tea towel or lightly oiled cling film. Leave the bowl in a warm, draught-free spot for 1 hour, or until the dough has doubled in size. A spot near a warm oven or in a lightly heated turned-off oven works well.

Shape the loaf:

Lightly grease a 900g loaf tin with sunflower oil. Turn the risen dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knock it back by pressing it firmly to expel the trapped air. Shape it into a rectangle roughly the width of the tin, then roll it up tightly and place it seam-side down in the prepared tin.

Second prove:

Cover the tin loosely with an oiled piece of cling film and leave to prove for a further 30 to 40 minutes, until the dough has risen about 2cm above the rim of the tin. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan, Gas 7).

Score and dust:

Carefully remove the cling film and dust the surface of the dough lightly with plain flour. Use a sharp knife or a baker’s lame to make one long cut along the top of the loaf. Scoring allows the crust to expand evenly during baking rather than cracking at the sides.

Bake the loaf:

Place the tin on the middle shelf of the preheated oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the top is a deep golden brown. To check that the bread is fully cooked, turn the loaf out of the tin and tap the base firmly. It should sound hollow. If it sounds dense, return it to the oven for a further 5 minutes directly on the rack.

Cool before slicing:

Transfer the loaf to a wire rack immediately after removing it from the tin and leave to cool for at least 30 minutes before cutting. Slicing into warm bread compresses the crumb and makes it gummy, so patience here preserves the light, open texture.

Tips for the Best Mary Berry White Bread

01 Why did my white bread not rise during the first prove?

The most common cause is water that was too hot, which kills the yeast before it can activate. The water should feel comfortably warm to the touch, roughly 38°C. If the kitchen is cold, place the covered bowl inside an oven that has been heated to 50°C and then switched off.

02 Why is my homemade white bread dense and heavy instead of light?

Dense bread is almost always a result of under-kneading. The dough needs a full 8 to 10 minutes of firm, rhythmic kneading to develop enough gluten to trap the gas bubbles created by the yeast. If the dough still tears rather than stretches after 8 minutes, continue for another 2 to 3 minutes.

03 Why did my bread collapse or sink after baking?

Over-proving is the usual cause. If the dough rises too far beyond double its original size during either prove, the gluten structure weakens and cannot hold up during baking. Watch the dough rather than the clock, and bake as soon as the loaf has risen approximately 2cm above the tin rim.

04 How do I stop the crust going too hard or too thick?

A thick, hard crust usually forms when the oven runs too hot or the loaf is left in for too long. Check the oven temperature with a separate thermometer, as home ovens often run 10 to 15°C hotter than their dial indicates. Once out of the oven, covering the loaf loosely with a clean tea towel as it cools keeps the crust from hardening further.

05 Why does my bread have large uneven holes running through the crumb?

Large air pockets usually form when the dough is not knocked back thoroughly enough after the first prove, or when it is shaped loosely with air trapped inside the roll. Press the dough firmly and evenly when knocking back, and roll the shaped loaf tightly before placing it in the tin.

Serving Suggestions

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Serve thick slices still slightly warm with good unsalted butter and a scraping of sharp marmalade for a classic British breakfast.

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Toast slices under a medium grill until pale golden, then top with ripe tomatoes, a drizzle of olive oil, and a pinch of sea salt for a light lunch.

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Use generous slices to build a proper afternoon sandwich with mature cheddar, sliced cucumber, and a thin spread of English mustard.

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Pair a warm slice with a bowl of homemade tomato soup, using the bread to mop up the last of the bowl.

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Cut a day-old loaf into thick cubes, toss in a little oil, and bake until crisp for croutons to scatter over a green salad or a bowl of thick vegetable broth.

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Storage

Up to 3 Days

Room Temperature

Store the fully cooled loaf in an airtight container or wrapped tightly in a clean beeswax wrap at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Up to 5 Days

Refrigerator

Wrap the loaf tightly in cling film or place it in a sealed bag and refrigerate for up to 5 days. Bring the bread to room temperature for 20 minutes before serving, or toast slices directly from cold, for the best texture.

Up to 3 Months

Freezing

Once fully cool, slice the loaf, wrap it well in cling film, and seal inside a freezer bag before freezing for up to 3 months. Defrost individual slices at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes, or place them directly into a toaster from frozen.

Nutrition

Calories

195

kcal per serving

37g

Carbohydrates

Protein

Fat

0.4g

Saturated Fat

290mg

Sodium

Nutrition values are estimates based on one slice (approximately one-tenth of the loaf) and may vary depending on the specific ingredients used and the exact serving size.

FAQs

01 Can I use plain flour instead of strong white bread flour?

Strong bread flour has a higher protein content than plain flour, which creates more gluten and gives the loaf its chewy, springy texture. Plain flour can be used in a pinch, but the resulting bread will be notably denser and softer in structure, and it will not rise as well. For best results, stick to strong white bread flour.

02 Can I make this white bread recipe ahead of time?

Yes. After shaping the loaf and placing it in the tin, cover it tightly and refrigerate it overnight rather than completing the second prove at room temperature. The next morning, take the tin out and allow the dough to come to room temperature and finish its prove, which takes around 45 to 60 minutes, then bake as usual.

03 Can I use fresh yeast instead of fast-action dried yeast?

Fresh yeast works well in this recipe. Use double the weight, so approximately 14g of fresh yeast in place of the 7g sachet of dried. Crumble the fresh yeast directly into the warm water and stir briefly to dissolve it before adding to the flour mixture.

04 Can I make this Mary Berry white bread recipe in a stand mixer?

A stand mixer fitted with a dough hook makes this recipe very straightforward. Mix the ingredients together on a low speed until combined, then knead on a medium speed for 6 to 8 minutes, until the dough is smooth and pulls away cleanly from the sides of the bowl.

05 Can I double this recipe to make two loaves at once?

This recipe doubles well. Simply scale all the ingredients by two and divide the finished dough evenly between two greased 900g tins after knocking back. Both tins can bake on the same shelf of a preheated oven, though the baking time may need an extra 3 to 5 minutes to account for the increased load.

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Conclusion

This Mary Berry white bread recipe delivers a reliably golden, soft-crumbed loaf with a satisfying crust every time. The steps are clear, the timing is straightforward, and the result, one beautifully risen 900g loaf cut into approximately 10 generous slices, is the kind of bread that makes the kitchen smell wonderful and disappears quickly. Whether baked for a weekend breakfast or as a household staple throughout the week, this loaf holds up well at room temperature, toasts evenly, and freezes without losing its texture.

If this recipe has found a regular place in the kitchen, share it with someone who has been meaning to try homemade bread but has not yet found the right starting point. Leave a comment below if there are any questions about the process or if the loaf turned out particularly well. For another reliable classic to follow this one, try the Mary Berry Sticky Toffee Pudding recipe, a deeply warming dessert that is just as satisfying to make from scratch.