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Something about making Homemade Breadsticks is so rewarding, and they're so simple, soft, and fluffy. We've got a variety of seasoning toppings you can use.
If you love bread recipes, make sure to try the Best Homemade Rolls, Garlic Knots, Buttermilk Cornbread, Cinnamon Roll Biscuits.

Amaze breadsticks we serve with everything.
Now, there's just no reason to be intimidated by making any type of bread (if you have a good recipe) and our homemade breadsticks are no exception. I'm telling you, they're EASY, plus they're cost effective, have the perfect soft texture, and go with every dish! To make it really worth your time, make a big batch of these and freeze the shaped dough or baked breadsticks for another day.
How to make Breadsticks:
Make the Dough: Combine warm water, sugar, and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer and stir. Let it rest for 5 minutes until it starts to foam on top. (If using Instant yeast, skip this step and add all of the ingredients to the bowl.)
Knead: Add in 1 ½ cups flour, oil, and salt and mix until combined, on medium speed. Add another 1 ½ cups flour or so, until the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl but still slightly sticky when touched. Add additional flour if needed. Knead in stand mixer for several minutes, or until dough is smooth and elastic

Rise and Shape: Cover bowl tightly with a dish towel and allow dough to rise until doubled in size, about 1 ½ hours. Punch the dough down, then divide into 12 equal sections. Roll each dough ball into a 9 inch rope. Transfer to a greased cookie sheet, cover with a dish towel and rise again for 1 hour.

Bake at 425ºF for 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven, brush tops with butter, and place on wire cooling rack. Serve this soft breadsticks recipe with your favorite main dish or soup.

Storage and Freezing Instructions:
Store leftover breadsticks in an airtight container on the counter for a day or two, or freeze them.
To Freeze Breadstick Dough: Follow the instructions for the dough, allowing it to complete the first rise, then shape into breadsticks and place on a baking sheet. Spray a piece of plastic wrap with cooking spray then wrap it lightly over dough. Place pan in freezer and “flash freeze” for 1 hour. Transfer breadsticks to a freezer safe bag and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to bake it, place frozen breadstick dough on a greased cookie sheet, cover with a dry towel and allow breadsticks rise for several hours, until room temperature and risen bigger.
To Freeze Baked Breadsticks: Allow breadsticks to cool completely then transfer to a freezer safe bag and freeze for 2 months.
Breadstick Flavors Variations:
- Garlic Butter Topping (Olive Garden style): Mix together ½ teaspoon garlic powder and 4 Tablespoons salted butter and spread over warm breadsticks.
- Cheesy Breadsticks: Form breadsticks on baking sheet, brush with melted butter and sprinkle ½ cup finely shredded cheese on top (we do ¼ cup parmesan and ¼ cup mozzarella). Cover, rise, and bake as directed.
- Little Caesars Crazy Bread: Brush warm-from-the-oven breadsticks with garlic butter topping (above) and sprinkle with powdered parmesan cheese.
- Cinnamon Sugar Breadsticks: Form breadsticks on baking sheet, brush with 2 Tablespoons melted butter and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar (¼ cup granulated sugar + 1 ½ tsp cinnamon). Cover, rise, and bake as directed.
Serve With:
- Homemade Lasagna
- Boursin Pasta
- Tuscan Chicken Pasta
- Taco Soup
- Chicken Parmesan
- Creamy Zuppa Toscana
- Quinoa Salad
- Pink Sauce Pasta
- Spaghetti
- Chicken Cordon Bleu

Easy Homemade Breadsticks
Ingredients
- 1 1/3 cups warm water
- 1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 3 – 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 3 Tablespoons oil, or melted butter
- butter, , for brushing on rolls
Instructions
- Proof Yeast: Add warm water, yeast and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer and stir gently. Rest for 5 minutes. The yeast should lightly foam on top. If it doesn't, the yeast may not be fresh. (If using Instant Yeast, skip this step and add the yeast, water and sugar with the rest of the ingredients).
- Add 1 ½ cups flour, salt and vegetable oil then mix on medium speed to combine.
- Knead: Add another 1 ½ cups flour. The dough should pull away from the sides of the bowl but still be very slightly sticky to the touch. Add remaining ¼ cup of flour, only if needed. Knead mixture for 5-7 minutes.
- First Rise: Transfer dough to a large, greased bowl and cover with a dish towel. Allow to rest and rise until double in size, about 1.5 hours.
- Shape Breadsticks: Once risen, punch dough down and divide into 12 equal parts. Roll each piece of dough into a 9-inch rope and transfer to a greased cookie sheet.
- Second Rise: Cover with a dish towel and rise again for 1 hour.
- Bake breadsticks at 425 degrees F for 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven, brush tops with butter, and transfer to a wire cooling rack. Enjoy!
- Store leftover breadsticks in an airtight container on the counter for a day or two, or freeze them.
Notes
- Garlic Butter Topping (Olive Garden style): Mix together ½ teaspoon garlic powder and 4 Tablespoons salted butter and spread over warm breadsticks.
- Cheesy Breadsticks: Form breadsticks on baking sheet, brush with melted butter and sprinkle ½ cup finely shredded cheese on top (we do ¼ cup parmesan and ¼ cup mozzarella). Cover, rise, and bake as directed.
- Little Caesars Crazy Bread: Brush warm-from-the-oven breadsticks with garlic butter topping (above) and sprinkle with powdered parmesan cheese.
- Cinnamon Sugar Breadsticks: Form breadsticks on baking sheet, brush with 2 Tablespoons melted butter and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar (¼ cup granulated sugar + 1 ½ tsp cinnamon). Cover, rise, and bake as directed.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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*I originally shared this post September 2014. Updated April 2020 and August 2024.





These are fantastic! So much better than store bought.
The amount of salt in the breadsticks seems like a lot; how would it be if I used only half the amount?
That’s fine 🙂
I have made these breadsticks 5 times now and they are perfect and amazing each time. This is our family favorite addition to all pasta meals. Thanks for this great recipe.
If done right these are as good or better (you make them yourself) then Olive Garden… can’t stop eating them
I made these for dinner with the in-laws yesterday. They were so perfect and delish that my MIL thought I bought them! They were so good, even better than the OG ones. I made this recipe exactly as written EXCEPT I used instant yeast that didn’t need to be proofed. So good! I am thinking of making hot dog buns from this recipe.
I made these into hot dog buns this week and Oh Boy! they were amazing, we ate them with hot dogs and twice with hot Italian sausages, zucchini relish, mustard and ketchup. They are to die for! This is my favourite recipe for hamburger or hot dog buns now. Going to make more right now. 🙂
Sounds delicious!
I’m confused the flour is that 31/2 cups of flour it says 3_31/2
Gerrie, sorry for the confusion. You will only need 3 1/4 cups of flour, (you may not even need the extra 1/4 cup depending on your location, humidity etc).
I’ve made these a number of times and they are a HIT! They turn out wonderfully every time. I’m just wondering if you could refrigerate the dough after the first rise – roll them into breadsticks and then refrigerate, and then take them out to rise a little more just before baking? Thank you!
I’m so pleased you liked the breadsticks! Yes, you could refrigerate the dough just like that and they will work great!
Tried these today! I was making lasagna with a friend and thought these would be nice as a side– they were. 🙂 I used real garlic in the butter and also some dried oregano, thyme and basil on the bread. VERY good!
Hi, Lauren me and my husband made these breadsticks. They turned out really good. Everyone enjoyed them and loved it a lot. Just your recipe was kinda confusing, but other the. That it turned out pretty good and DELICIOUS!!!!!!!! I love cooking??????❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
-Thank you so much for the Amazing recipe
Sooooo yummy! Tastes just like the real thing! It’s really dry and cold right now so I proofed them in the oven with 3 cups of boiling water in a bowl at the bottom (oven turned off) and they rose beautifully. My son and I cannot stop eating them! Thank you so much!
Can this recipe be doubled or just make multiple batches
Also I have to travel to my dinner destination. Should I take them frozen I have to arrive at 3 and dinner is at 6:30 thank you so much for your assistance
Hi Teresa, you should be fine to double the recipe. I would bake them, let them cool, and store them in a ziplock. Then just reheat them for a few seconds at your destination.