Soft Garlic Breadsticks (Print)
Soft, fluffy breadsticks topped with buttery garlic and herbs. Ideal companion for soups, salads, and Italian meals.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Dough
01 - 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
02 - 1 cup (120 ml) warm water (about 110°F/43°C)
03 - 1½ tsp (5 g) instant yeast
04 - 1 tsp (5 g) sugar
05 - ¾ tsp (4 g) salt
06 - 2 tbsp (28 g) unsalted butter, softened
→ Garlic Butter
07 - 3 tbsp (42 g) unsalted butter, melted
08 - 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
09 - 1 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped (optional)
10 - ½ tsp salt
# How To Make:
01 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the warm water, sugar, and instant yeast. Let the mixture sit for about 5 minutes until it becomes foamy and bubbly, indicating the yeast is active.
02 - Add the all-purpose flour, salt, and softened butter to the yeast mixture. Stir until a shaggy dough begins to come together.
03 - Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead by hand for 7–8 minutes, or use a stand mixer with a dough hook for 5 minutes, until the dough is smooth, elastic, and springs back when pressed.
04 - Place the kneaded dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled in size, approximately 1 hour.
05 - Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
06 - Gently punch down the risen dough to release air bubbles. Divide it into 12 equal portions. Roll each portion into a 7–8 inch long breadstick shape and arrange them on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
07 - Loosely cover the shaped breadsticks with a kitchen towel and let them rest and rise for another 20–30 minutes until puffed and nearly doubled.
08 - Bake in the preheated oven for 12–15 minutes, until the tops are lightly golden and the breadsticks sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.
09 - While the breadsticks are baking, combine the melted butter, finely minced garlic, salt, and chopped parsley in a small bowl. Mix well.
10 - As soon as the breadsticks come out of the oven, generously brush them with the garlic butter mixture while still hot. Serve warm alongside marinara sauce, soups, or salads.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- They taste like they came from a restaurant but require only basic pantry ingredients and zero special equipment.
- The garlic butter soaks into every crack and crevice of the warm bread, making each bite irresistible.
02 -
- If your kitchen is cold, the first rise can take up to ninety minutes instead of sixty, so be patient and let the dough tell you when it is ready rather than watching the clock.
- Brushing the garlic butter on while the breadsticks are piping hot is the single most important step because the butter seeps into the crumb instead of sitting on top like a greasy film.
03 -
- Weigh your flour with a kitchen scale if possible because scooping with a measuring cup can pack in too much flour and leave you with dense, dry breadsticks.
- Let the kneaded dough rest for five minutes before shaping if it keeps springing back, because a short rest relaxes the gluten and makes rolling much easier.