Soft Garlic Breadsticks (Printable)
Soft, fluffy breadsticks with buttery garlic and herbs—perfect alongside your favorite Italian dishes.
# 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
10 - ½ tsp salt
# How To Make:
01 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the warm water (110°F), sugar, and instant yeast. Stir gently and let the mixture rest for about 5 minutes until it becomes frothy and foamy on the surface.
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 to 8 minutes, or use a stand mixer fitted 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, turning once to coat all sides. Cover tightly with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and set in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled in size, approximately 1 hour.
05 - Preheat your oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
06 - Gently punch down the risen dough to release excess air. Divide it into 12 equal portions. Roll each piece into a rope about 7 to 8 inches long and arrange them on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
07 - Loosely drape a kitchen towel over the shaped breadsticks and let them rest in a warm place for 20 to 30 minutes until puffed and nearly doubled.
08 - Bake the breadsticks on the center rack for 12 to 15 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through, until the tops are lightly golden and the bottoms sound hollow when tapped.
09 - While the breadsticks bake, whisk together the melted butter, minced garlic, salt, and chopped parsley in a small bowl. As soon as the breadsticks emerge from the oven, brush them generously on all sides with the garlic butter. Serve warm.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- These breadsticks come out pillowy soft every single time once you get the dough feel right.
- The garlic butter soaks in while they are still hot and creates this golden crust that is completely irresistible.
02 -
- If the yeast does not foam after five minutes, dump it and start over because dead yeast means flat breadsticks and there is no saving them.
- Covering the shaped breadsticks too tightly with plastic wrap can make them stick and deflate when you peel it off.
03 -
- Weigh your flour with a kitchen scale if you have one because cup measurements can vary by almost twenty percent and that changes everything about the dough texture.
- Brush the breadsticks with garlic butter twice, once immediately out of the oven and again five minutes later, for a layer of flavor that penetrates deeper.