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Baking classes Bristol group making bread and pastry at Cooking It

Baking classes Bristol for bread and pastry

Hands-on bread, sourdough and pastry classes at Cooking It in Bishopston, Bristol. Adult prices start at £75, with ingredients and equipment provided.

Baking classes Bristol customers can join at Cooking It are practical, small-group sessions for bread, sourdough and pastry. The independent cookery school is at 37 Gloucester Road, Bishopston, Bristol BS7 8AD, a short bus ride from the city centre. You work with the ingredients and equipment provided, rather than watching a demonstration, and sit down to eat what you made.

Cooking It was founded and is run by Monica Worsley, and has been teaching for about ten years. The adult programme includes a Bread Masterclass, an Introduction to Sourdough class and a Perfect Pastry class. Adult prices start at £75 per person, and groups have a maximum of 12 people.

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What you'll cook in the bread and baking classes

The Bread Masterclass covers the route from flour to a finished loaf. You learn how flour, yeast, salt, liquid and time work together, then practise mixing, kneading, rising, knocking back, shaping, proving and baking. The class includes three breads such as seasonal herb focaccia, frosted cinnamon buns, flatbreads or soda bread. Check the class page for the session details.

The class covers dried and fresh yeast, and fresh yeast is available to buy. Bread uses a short list of ingredients, but the stages matter: kneading develops gluten, while proving gives the dough time to rise before baking.

For a slower style, the Introduction to Sourdough covers making and using a sourdough starter. You make sourdough bread, dessert and pizza while learning the same kneading, shaping, proving and baking skills. Sourdough uses a wild-yeast starter instead of commercial yeast and takes longer.

The Perfect Pastry class covers shortcrust, puff, sweet and savoury bakes. Shortcrust is crumbly, while puff pastry is layered with butter. Keeping the butter cold helps pastry work well.

  • Bread: mixing, kneading, rising, shaping, proving and baking
  • Three breads such as focaccia, cinnamon buns, flatbreads or soda bread
  • Dried and fresh yeast
  • Sourdough starter, bread, dessert and pizza
  • Shortcrust, puff, sweet and savoury pastry

How the class runs

The Bread Masterclass and sourdough session run for 3.5 hours. Adult classes usually run for 2.5 to 3 hours, and that time includes the cooking and the meal. Weekend daytime sessions start at 10:30 am or 12:30 pm, while evening sessions start at 6:00 pm. Check the individual class page for the start time of the date you want.

Everything is set up for you: ingredients, equipment and an apron. Dietary requirements can be accommodated where possible if you tell the school when booking. The classes are BYO, so bring a bottle if you would like a drink while you cook. Bring a container for leftovers, and recipes are emailed after the class on request.

The shape of every session is the same:

  • 1. Start hands-on with the ingredients and equipment provided.
  • 2. Cook hands-on with the ingredients and equipment provided.
  • 3. Sit at the long communal tables and eat what you made together.

Who it's for

The adult baking classes in Bristol suit beginners and experienced home cooks. No experience is needed, and you cook hands-on with the ingredients and equipment provided, then eat what you made together. Adult classes are for ages 16 and over. Cooking It also runs separate sessions for younger cooks.

The children's programme includes the Baking kids class, £55, next on Saturday 12 September 2026 at 9:30 am, and the Children's Festive Bakery workshop, £55, three hours, on Saturday 5 December 2026 at 10:00 am. The festive session covers festive bakes, dough making, chocolate tempering and royal icing, with bakes packaged as gifts to take home. See the children's classes page for the current programme.

Baking classes in Bristol like these work well as a couples' date night, a night out with friends or a gift. Any class can be bought as a gift voucher. For a hen do, birthday, corporate team building session or private group, the same baking classes in Bristol can run as a private booking.

Dates, price and how to book

The Bread Masterclass costs £75 per person and has no confirmed date at present. Dates are listed on the Bread Masterclass page. The Introduction to Sourdough Class costs £100, with the next known date on Sunday 4 October 2026 at 10:00 am. The Perfect Pastry class costs £85, with the next known date on Sunday 15 November 2026 at 10:30 am.

Places are confirmed when you book online and pay by card through Stripe. Use all current classes to compare baking classes Bristol dates, then check the calendar. Cooking It has 4.9 stars from over 230 Google reviews.

For a group, enquire about private parties or corporate team building. Ask a booking question through contact.

Related classes at Cooking It

Our baking classes Bristol page sits alongside the wider programme at Cooking It. The French cooking class explores the pastry side of French cooking, including shortcrust and puff pastry. The Italian cooking classes cover breads and fresh pasta.

Browse the full cooking classes hub or the adult programme on adult classes. Cake and chocolate classes appear from time to time, so check all current classes for the latest programme.

Questions people ask

  • Where can I find a bread making workshop in Bristol?

    You can find a hands-on bread making workshop at Cooking It, 37 Gloucester Road, Bishopston, Bristol BS7 8AD. The [Bread Masterclass](/classes/bread-masterclass) covers the bread process from mixing and kneading through to proving and baking, in a group of no more than 12 people. Dates are listed on the class page.

  • How much does a baking course cost?

    Adult baking classes in Bristol at Cooking It cost from £75 per person. The Bread Masterclass is £75, the Perfect Pastry class is £85 and the Introduction to Sourdough Class is £100. Ingredients, equipment and an apron are provided, and you eat what you make together at the end.

  • Is the bread class suitable for beginners?

    Yes. The Bread Masterclass is suitable for beginners to intermediate bakers, and no previous experience is needed. You work through mixing, kneading, rising, knocking back, shaping, proving and baking with the ingredients and equipment provided.

  • What is the difference between the bread class and the sourdough class?

    The Bread Masterclass focuses on bread made with dried and fresh yeast and includes three breads such as focaccia, cinnamon buns, flatbreads or soda bread. The Introduction to Sourdough class teaches you to make and use a wild-yeast starter, then make sourdough bread, dessert and pizza. Sourdough takes longer than commercial yeast baking.

  • Do you run baking classes for children?

    Yes. Cooking It runs children's baking classes in Bristol, including the [Baking kids class](/classes/baking-kids-class) (£55, Saturday 12 September 2026) and the [Children's Festive Bakery workshop](/classes/children-s-saturday-festive-bakery-edible-gifts-workshop) (£55, Saturday 5 December 2026). The festive workshop includes dough making, chocolate tempering and royal icing, with gifts to take home. Check the [children's classes](/children) page for current availability.

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