This homemade breadsticks recipe rivals the restaurant version and yields soft, moist breadsticks topped with a buttery garlic finish.
I’ve been making this breadstick recipe for over a decade. It started because my husband loved Olive Garden breadsticks and I preferred to recreate them at home. Over the years this version has become our favorite.
These breadsticks are tender and slightly chewy with a buttery garlic topping. They’re straightforward to prepare and pair perfectly with Italian classics like meatballs, pesto pasta, pasta primavera, or tortellini soup.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Warm water. Aim for about 105°F to properly activate the yeast.
- Honey. Granulated sugar works well if you don’t have honey.
- Salted butter. Unsalted butter can be used; adjust the salt if needed.
- Olive oil. Avocado or canola oil will work, but olive oil gives the most authentic flavor.
- All-purpose flour. Bread flour can be substituted for a chewier texture.
How to Make Breadsticks
The process is simple and forgiving: prepare the topping, mix and proof the dough, shape the breadsticks, then bake and finish with butter and garlic salt.
Make the Topping
Combine fine sea salt (or regular sea salt) and garlic powder in a small bowl and set aside for finishing the warm breadsticks.
Make the Dough
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, whisk warm water, honey and active dry yeast. Let the mixture sit 5–10 minutes until foamy. You can also mix by hand in a large bowl if you prefer.
Once the yeast is foamy, add the olive oil and melted butter and stir to combine. Add 2 cups of flour and the sea salt, mixing until incorporated. Add an additional cup of flour and mix; if the dough is too sticky, add up to 1/4 cup more flour until the dough is smooth and slightly tacky.
Knead the dough with the dough hook or by hand until it becomes smooth and elastic. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a damp towel, and let it rise in a warm spot until doubled, about 1 hour.
After the first rise, the dough will be soft and puffy. Punch it down gently before dividing.
Form the Breadsticks
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats. Divide the dough into 10 equal pieces — a food scale makes this easy (for example, an 804 g batch yields about 80 g per stick).
Roll each piece into a 10-inch cylinder and place five per sheet, spaced evenly. Loosely cover with a damp tea towel and allow them to rise until puffed and nearly doubled, about 30–60 minutes.
Bake the Breadsticks
Preheat the oven to 400°F once the dough starts to rise. Bake the breadsticks for 11–13 minutes, or until they are lightly golden. Remove from the oven and immediately brush each with melted butter, then sprinkle with the garlic-salt mixture. For extra flavor, you can also brush with a bit of olive oil before baking.
Serve
Serve these breadsticks warm alongside your favorite Italian dishes. They make a great accompaniment to pasta with pesto, homemade meatballs, pasta primavera, or tortellini soup. They also pair well with marinara or your preferred dipping sauce.
Store & Freeze
Store leftover breadsticks in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, refrigerate for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 1 month. Reheat gently in a warm oven or microwave for a few seconds until warm.
Recipe FAQs
There are different styles, but this recipe produces very soft, tender breadsticks similar to the restaurant-style version.
Restaurant versions sometimes include additional emulsifiers and processed ingredients. This homemade recipe uses simple ingredients: flour, yeast, honey (or sugar), real butter, olive oil, and sea salt.
Yes. Doubling the ingredients will yield about 20 breadsticks and works well for larger groups.
If you try this recipe and enjoy it, please leave a comment and rating on the original post—your feedback helps others discover it.
Homemade Breadsticks Recipe
Laura
Video
Equipment
- KitchenAid Mixer (or stand mixer)
- Measuring spoons
- Measuring cups
- Food scale (optional)
- Baking sheet
Ingredients
Breadstick dough
- 1 cup warm water
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1 tablespoon honey (or granulated sugar)
- 2 tablespoons salted butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 3 to 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
Topping
- 2 tablespoons salted butter, melted
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning (optional)
Instructions
Make the Topping
- Combine the sea salt and garlic powder in a small bowl and set aside.
Make the Dough
- In a stand mixer bowl, combine warm water, honey and yeast. Let sit until foamy, 5–10 minutes.
- Add olive oil and melted butter to the proofed yeast mixture.
- Add 2 cups flour and sea salt and stir to combine.
- Add 1 more cup flour and mix; add up to 1/4 cup more if needed until dough is slightly tacky but smooth.
- Knead until smooth and elastic, then transfer to a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
Assemble
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Divide the dough into 10 equal pieces and roll each into a 10″ cylinder.
- Place 5 per sheet, cover loosely, and let rise until puffed, 30–60 minutes.
Bake
- Preheat oven to 400°F once the dough begins to rise.
- Bake 11–13 minutes or until lightly golden.
- Brush warm breadsticks with melted butter and sprinkle with the garlic-salt mixture. Serve warm.
Notes
- Warm water: about 105°F for best yeast activation.
- Honey: granulated sugar can substitute.
- Salted butter: unsalted works; adjust salt to taste.
- Olive oil: other neutral oils work, but olive oil gives the best flavor.
- All-purpose flour: bread flour is a good alternative.
Store/Freeze
Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 2 days, refrigerate up to 5 days, or freeze up to 1 month. Reheat in a warm oven or briefly in the microwave.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is approximate.
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