Mary Berry Soft Bread Rolls Recipe

Mary Berry Soft Bread Rolls are a fluffy and versatile bake popular for their tender crumb and golden crust. Ideally, the dough should be kneaded thoroughly to stretch the gluten, ensuring the rolls rise high and keep their shape during baking.

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Mary Berry Soft Bread Rolls Ingredients

500g (1lb 2oz) strong white bread flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp caster sugar
7g sachet fast-action dried yeast
30g (1oz) butter, softened (or margarine)
300ml (½ pint) warm water (hand-hot)
1 egg, beaten (for glazing)
Sesame seeds or poppy seeds (optional, for topping)

How To Make Mary Berry Soft Bread Rolls

Combine dry ingredients: Place the strong white flour, salt, sugar, and dried yeast into a large mixing bowl. Make sure to place the salt on one side of the bowl and the yeast on the other, as direct contact with salt can kill the yeast.
Rub in the fat: Add the softened butter to the flour mixture. Using your fingertips, rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. This fat content enriches the dough and keeps the rolls soft.
Mix the dough: Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Pour in the warm water. Mix together with a round-bladed knife or your hand until the mixture forms a rough, shaggy dough that leaves the sides of the bowl clean. (You may not need all the water, or you may need a drop more).
Knead well: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead for 10 minutes by hand (or 5 minutes in a stand mixer with a dough hook). The dough is ready when it is smooth, elastic, and bounces back when pressed.
First rise: Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with cling film or a damp tea towel. Leave in a warm place to rise for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
Shape the rolls: Turn the risen dough out onto a floured surface and knock it back (knead gently to remove large air bubbles). Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces (for large rolls) or 12 pieces (for dinner rolls). Shape each piece into a smooth ball by tucking the edges underneath.
Second prove: Place the rolls on a baking sheet lined with baking parchment, spacing them apart. Cover loosely with oiled cling film and leave in a warm place for another 30 minutes until doubled in size and puffy.
Glaze and bake: Preheat the oven to 220°C (200°C Fan/Gas 7). Brush the tops of the rolls gently with the beaten egg (try not to deflate them) and sprinkle with seeds if using. Bake for 10–15 minutes until golden brown and sounding hollow when tapped on the base.

Recipe Tips

Water temperature: The water should be “hand-hot,” meaning you can hold your finger in it comfortably (about 37°C-40°C). If it is too hot, it will kill the yeast; too cold, and the rising will take hours.
Creating a soft crust: If you prefer a soft crust rather than a crispy one, brush the rolls with a little melted butter immediately after taking them out of the oven, or cover them with a clean tea towel while they cool to trap the steam.
Checking the rise: Don’t rush the proving stages. If the rolls haven’t doubled in size before baking, they will be heavy and dense.
Make ahead: You can freeze the shaped dough balls after step 6. To use, thaw them in the fridge overnight, then let them prove at room temperature until doubled in size before baking.

What To Serve With Mary Berry Soft Bread Rolls

These rolls are the ultimate all-rounder.

Soup: Perfect for dunking in tomato or vegetable soup.
Burgers: Flatten the dough slightly before baking for burger buns.
Dinner Parties: Serve warm with salted butter.
Sandwiches: Soft enough for bacon butties or cheese salad.

How To Store Mary Berry Soft Bread Rolls

Room Temperature: Store cooled rolls in a bread bin or airtight bag for up to 2–3 days.
Refresh: If they go slightly stale, sprinkle with water and warm in a hot oven for 3 minutes to revive them.
Freeze: Freeze baked rolls in a sealed bag for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.

Mary Berry Soft Bread Rolls Nutrition Facts

Calories: 180kcal
Protein: 6g
Carbohydrates: 35g
Fat: 3g
Saturates: 1.5g
Sugar: 1g
Salt: 0.5g

Nutrition information is estimated per roll (based on 12 rolls).

FAQs

Can I use plain flour?

No, you really need strong bread flour. It has a higher protein (gluten) content which gives the bread its structure and chew. Plain flour will result in cakey, flat rolls.

Why did my rolls spread?

If the rolls spread outwards instead of rising up, the dough might have been too wet, or you didn’t create enough surface tension when shaping the balls. Tuck the edges tightly underneath.

Can I use milk instead of water?

Yes, swapping half (or all) of the water for warm milk creates an even softer, richer crumb (milk bread style).

Try More Recipes:

Mary Berry White Bread Recipe
Mary Berry Millionaire Caramel Shortbread Recipe
Mary Berry Shortbread Cookie Recipe