I kind of think these easy homemade breadsticks have actual magical powers. Seriously. These bad boys have helped me make instantaneous friends at church functions when I’m the new girl and made sad people happy. They’re easy to whip up and even easier to customize. Garlic bread seasoning? Yes. Cinnamon sugar twists? Yes. There’s nothing that’s not great on a warm twisty breadstick. This is also fantastic as homemade pizza dough! If you’ve got a backyard pizza oven, you should also check out my Neapolitan Style Crust, which is my go-to for home pizza ovens.
I use this basic recipe for so many things–pocket sandwiches (like Hot Pockets, only not gross), breakfast pocket sandwiches, pizza crust, pizza on the grill, pizza pockets, whatever. One major advantage is that this dough is very, very forgiving. If you’re just getting started, we recommend, checking out these tips on how to work with yeast dough, but this is a great dough to start with if you’re a yeast dough virgin or if you’ve had bad experiences working with yeast in the past.
how to make them
To get started, you’ll need some yeast, sugar, and warm water. The water needs to be about 105-115 degrees F, which you can measure with a thermometer if you want, but I always say water hot enough that would feel like a hot shower but not so hot you wouldn’t want to wash your hair or your face in it. If it’s not warm enough, the yeast won’t activate and if it’s too hot, the yeast will die. The sugar feeds the yeast.
In a large bowl (the bowl of your mixer, if you have one), combine water,
sugar, and yeast.
Let stand for 10 minutes or until yeast is bubbly.
Add salt
and stir. Add 1 1/2 cups of flour
and mix well. Gradually add more flour (usually between 3-4 cups, depending on your elevation and your humidity) until dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl
and it barely sticks to your finger.
Cover and allow to rise for 45 minutes or until doubled in bulk.
before
after
While the dough is rising, line a baking sheet with parchment and set aside.
Remove from bowl and place on a surface sprayed with cooking spray. Roll into a rectangle and cut into 12 strips with a pizza cutter.
Roll out each piece of dough into a snake about 18″ long, then drape the middle of the “snake” over your forefinger
and twist the dough.
Place on baking sheet and repeat with remaining 11 pieces of dough. Try to space them evenly, but it’s okay if they’re close; pulling apart hot bread is one of life’s greatest pleasures!
Cover pan and allow dough to rise for another 30 minutes.
When there’s about 15 minutes to go, preheat your oven to 425. When done rising, bake for 12-15 minutes (it will depend on your oven) or until golden on top.
Rub some butter on top of the breadsticks (just put a ziploc bag on your hand, grab some softened butter, and have at it) and sprinkle with garlic bread seasoning
or the powdery Parmesan cheese in a can and garlic salt (or you could sprinkle them with cinnamon sugar. I did that once. It was awesome). If you’d like, you can serve with marinara for dipping.
They’re amazing hot, but I’m not gonna lie, they’re also pretty amazing at 11 pm when your kids are in bed and you’re pondering the meaning of life in the dark in the kitchen.
Breadsticks
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup warm 105-115 degrees water
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon yeast
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 3-4 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- Butter
- Garlic Bread Seasoning
Instructions
- In a large bowl (the bowl of your mixer, if you have one), combine water, sugar, and yeast. Let stand for 10 minutes or until yeast is bubbly.
- Add salt and stir. Add 1 1/2 cups of flour and mix well. Gradually add more flour (usually between 3-4 cups, depending on your elevation and your humidity) until dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl and it barely sticks to your finger.
- Cover and allow to rise for 45 minutes or until doubled in bulk. While the dough is rising, line a baking sheet with parchment and set aside.
- Remove from bowl and place on a surface sprayed with cooking spray. Roll into a rectangle and cut into 12 strips with a pizza cutter.
- Roll out each piece of dough into a snake about 18″ long, then drape the middle of the “snake” over your forefinger and twist the dough. Place on baking sheet and repeat with remaining 11 pieces of dough. Try to space them evenly, but it’s okay if they’re close; pulling apart hot bread is one of life’s greatest pleasures!
- Cover pan and allow dough to rise for another 30 minutes.
- When there’s about 15 minutes to go, preheat your oven to 425. When done rising, bake for 12-15 minutes (it will depend on your oven) or until golden brown. Rub some butter on top of the breadsticks (just put a ziploc bag on your hand, grab some softened butter, and have at it) and sprinkle with garlic bread seasoning or the powdery Parmesan cheese in a can and garlic salt.
Notes
Serving suggestions:
- Omit garlic bread seasoning and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar; dip in cream cheese frosting
- Serve alongside homemade pizza sauce for dipping
Questions & Reviews
So, I don’t know if i am just slow or what, but I noticed that in the pictures of the ingredients there was a small shot glass of milk, but it wasn’t on the actual list of ingredients. Am I missing something?
Hi, Natalie! It’s actually a shot glass of sugar (which is the naughtier version of “A Spoonful of Sugar…”)
I am lost on the twisting part! I have made these twice, tasted great, but sooooo ugly! Halfway through the second batch of twisting I gave up and did flat ones. Can you show some pictures of how to twist these? Thanks!
Ok, so I know it has been a while since you asked this, but if you come back again (since this is the 5th time I am trying to make these and still wasn’t sure) or if anyone else is having this same problem, I *think* you roll your strips into snakes then fold it over your finger and twist the two halves together. Someone else mentioned this and all I know is they look a WHOLE lot better than the lame strips I was making
I made this dough the other day, fully intending to make the Chicken, Bacon, Ranch Stuffed Pizza Rolls, but ran out of time before the sitter arrived. So I had leftover dough, chicken, and bacon in my fridge all weekend, and finally decided to make cinammon rolls from the dough before it was ruined. I used your cinnamon roll filling from the “Everyday Cinnamon Roll” recipe, topped them with some store-bought cream cheese frosting (I know, the horror, but I had gotten it free with a coupon and “needed” to use it up somehow), and they turned out DELICIOUS!!! Can’t imagine how good your cinnamon rolls would be if I actually followed the cinnamon roll recipe! Thanks!
By the way, I used Johnny’s garlic bread seasoning. They have it at my Costco.
Made these breadsticks tonight for the first time and they were a HIT!!!! My 5 year old asked if she could marry them lol! Super delicous. Can’t wait to make them for a crowd.
I am really dying to try these breadsticks/pizza dough. But I have one silly question…
What is the difference between Kosher Salt and Iodized Salt?? I must use Kosher, right?
BTW, L.O.V.E your blog. I recommend it to EVERYONE!
Well, we tried this recipe for the first time tonight. They were awesome until the dog ate them all before we could put them away…
So to clarify…I already made them and (obviously) twisted them wrong…to twist them by your description you dangle them in half in snake form over your finger and then twist the two halves together?
I felt so stupid not understanding (I’m a ridiculously novice cook), am worried I used too much flour (but the dough rose well), etc.
Hopefully they turn out good!
Oh my goodness, THANK YOU!! I have made these probably 4 or 5 times and could not figure out the “twist” part (and I consider myself a little more than a novice cook, maybe slightly intermediate)
But I think you are right, you fold it in half over your finger and then twist the two halves together!!! I am so happy….I just re-twisted after 15 minutes of my foot long funny looking snakes rising, I hope they work!
I LOVE Your website!!!! Just a quick question…. for the breadsticks do you butter and put the garlic bread seasoning on before or after baking?? Thanks!!
Hi, Erica!! I put them on after baking, but I know some people swear by putting them on before baking. I’m always afraid of deflating the dough by brushing the butter on first, plus I’ve just always done it that way…:)
I made the dough for the first time this afternoon with full intention of making the breadsticks. However, as it was getting late in the day we decided to make pizzas instead. Now i pride myself on my homemade pizza/dough…but this was a complete halleluja moment! I baked the pizzas (simply dressed with sauce, fresh mozzarrela and proscuitto) on our pizza stone and we tucked in. This was THE best pizza/crust i’ve ever tasted. The crust was crisp and light and perfect. (i used polenta on my pizza peel and stone to make the transfer easier) My husband was just as enthusiastic and is VERY happy that there are left-overs for tomorrow!