Bread is a staple for nearly every meal, be it pancakes for breakfast or a roll to go with dinner.  Every culture around the world bakes its own unique type of bread, and sometimes, recipes for a particular baked good can vary between regions.  Such is the case with British bread as numerous styles can be found all over the country and regional favorites.  We’ve identified five great British breads we think you should try, and since this list is not an exhaustive one, you can share your own favorites with us in the comments.

English Muffin

Normally known as simply a muffin or a breakfast muffin, the English muffin is a breakfast staple in many parts of the world. These muffins can be found easily at the grocery store, restaurants, or even McDonald’s.  English muffins are a flattened, yeast-leaven style bread that is often sourdough, though that’s not the only recipe.  Most folks slice them horizontally and put either a sweet spread or something savory, like cheese or ham, in between the slices.  English muffins are also a key ingredient of eggs benedict. Additionally, if you’ve ever sung the nursery rhyme “The Muffin Man,” these are the type of muffins that the song mentions. 

Crumpet

Another great breakfast bread is the crumpet.  The crumpet is a griddle bread that is unsweet and either originated in Wales or with the Anglo-Saxons.  The name may have well originated with the Old English word cromphet or the Welsh word crempog (the latter being a Welsh pancake), though some places refer to this style of bread as picklets.  Despite being the same size, what helps to distinguish the crumpet from a muffin is that the former is made with batter while the latter is dough.  The crumpet doesn’t have as much of a following outside of the UK, however, but there are regional changes made to the recipe in Scotland and Ireland. 

Milk Bread

Milk bread might look like a traditional loaf, but that’s where the similarities end.  What makes this type of British bread different from its contemporaries is that it’s made with milk rather than water.  The final appearance of a loaf of milk bread can vary based on the cooking method or the bread pan used from having an S-shape to ridges to looking like several small loaves attached to one another.  The origins aren’t quite settled, with some legends stating it was created by British baker Robert Clarke in Japan in 1862, but milk bread tends to be especially popular in Blackpool, and Warburtons has offered milk rolls for sale since 1969. 

Welsh Cake

Looking very similar to an English muffin or a crumpet, a Welsh cake is much sweeter than its savory English counterparts.  Welsh cakes are normally made on a baking stone or a griddle, the latter of which has also lent them the name “griddle cakes.”  They’re normally made with flour, butter, black or red currants, eggs, milk, and spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg and can be served warm or cold and with a dusting of sugar.  Despite being pretty sweet and savory already, plenty of people enjoy adding butter or jam to them. 

Bap

Our final breakfast bread entry into this list is the bap.  The bap is essentially a bread roll that can either be eaten on its own or as the bread for a sandwich (be it for breakfast or any other meal).  Baps are traditionally made with milk, lard, and butter, which makes them the perfect companion for a fry-up.  Just about every country within the United Kingdomhas its own variation, including the Belfast bap and the Scottish bap.  No matter how you choose to eat it or with whatever you put between a sliced bap, you’re bound to have a great start to your day.